The Internet has transformed the way that our society accesses books, news, images, music and many other types of media. Students use the web in many different ways to support their work in school and their social and personal lives. However, the Internet is also full of information and images that are not appropriate for teenagers or children. It is easy to find reports in the news of adults who have used the Internet to prey on young members of our society. The level of skill and comfort that children display in using technology should not be taken as a sign that they will also possess the maturity to use it wisely.
Finding a balance between allowing your student freedom to use technology while also keeping them safe is a challenge. There are resources available to you as a parent to help in this endeavor.
How to Block Inappropriate Content:
The following is a list of tools you can employ to restrict inappropriate content on your childs computer or phone, iPod or iPad. Woodward does not endorse any particular product, these are only recommendations for you to consider.
BlueCoat K-9 software is free and can be used on home computers running both Windows and Apple software. It is also available to load in iPod and iPad devices.
http://www1.k9webprotection.com/
NetNanny is a very low cost software that can be used on home computers running both Windows and Apple software. It will be available for mobile devices very soon.
http://www.netnanny.com/products/home
Mobicip offers filtering software designed for mobile devices, including the most popular software platforms - Apple and Android.
http://www.mobicip.com/online_safety/iphone
How to Check the Web History on a Home Computer:
All web browsers, including Internet Explorer, Safari and Firefox, have the ability to store a record of the websites that have been accessed with that particular program.
Please see the links below for directions on how to check browsing history
Explorer (8):
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Find-recently-visited-webpages
Firefox:
http://kb.mozillazine.org/Viewing_the_browsing_history_-_Firefox
Safari:
http://www.atomiclearning.com/k12/movie/79749/play_window
Safekeeping Personal Information:
Facebook Privacy Settings:
http://www.facebook.com/help/?page=187475824633454&ref=bc