Computer Technology in the Home Guide

In an effort to make information more available to our HCA families we try to utilize every available resource. One of those resources is the Internet. We have used our website for many years to relay many types of information but with the introduction of PowerSchool into our organization it has brought a new level of Internet dependent communication.

As a result, we have felt the need to put together a short overview of the advantages and pitfalls of having Internet access.

The main advantage as a HCA family member is that PowerSchool has become our main source of communication. The Daily Bulletin (both Elementary and Secondary) is updated regularly from many different departments within our school. You can find information about athletic events, school activities, field trips, lunch menus, prayer lists, and permissions slips for school trips just to name a few. Beyond information about HCA the Internet is full of information about a wide variety of topics that can, when used correctly, enhance your family's lives.

The downfall of the Internet is that there is no regulation to the content made available. You have no guarantee of its truthfulness or its appropriateness for consumption. There are some tools available to help safeguard your family if you choose to use them and there are tips that you can follow to make everyone's Internet experience as fruitful as possible.

Tips: For Parents

We suggest that you put your computer in as public a place as possible. It is no secret that good things do not need to be done in secret. In connection with that, join your student when they are using the Internet. Set up specific rules that cover their computer and Internet usage. Talk openly with your family about the dangers of the Internet and its content in an age appropriate way. Hold your children accountable to the time spent on the computer and the activities engaged in. Never allow you student to arrange a face-to-face meeting with someone they met online without you. Familiarize yourself to the lingo they are communicating with.

Tips: For Students

Rule #1: Have a reason for going online; if you don't - don't.

Rule #2: Be cautiously aware of your surroundings.

• People online may not be who they say they are.
• Everything you read may not be true.
• Be suspicious of anyone who tries to turn you against your parents, teachers, or friends. They may have a hidden agenda.

Rule #3: Be wise in all that you do.

• Never arrange a face-to-face meeting with someone via the computer without your parents.
• Flirting with strangers online could have serious consequences. Because some people lie about who they really are, you never really know who you’re dealing with.
• Remember that once you post information online, you can’t take it back. Even if you delete the information from a site, older versions exist on other people’s computers.
• Trust your gut if you have suspicions. If you feel threatened by someone or uncomfortable because of something online, tell an adult you trust and report it to the police and the social networking site. You could end up preventing someone else from becoming a victim.
• Never respond to messages that are suggestive, obscene, threatening, or make you uncomfortable.

Rule #4: Keep yourself safe.

• Think about how different sites work before deciding to join a site. Some sites will allow only a defined community of users to access posted content; others allow anyone and everyone to view postings.
• Think about keeping some control over the information you post. Consider restricting access to your page to a select group of people, for example, your friends from school, your club, your team, your community groups, or your family.
• Keep your information to yourself. Don’t post your full name, Social Security number, address, phone number, or bank and credit card account numbers — and don’t post other people’s information, either. Be cautious about posting information that could be used to identify you or locate you offline. This could include the name of your school, sports team, clubs, and where you work or hang out.
• Make sure your screen name doesn’t say too much abou
  t you. Don’t use your name, your age, or your hometown. Even if you think your screen name makes you anonymous, it doesn’t take a genius to combine clues to figure out who you are and where you can be found.
• Post only information that you are comfortable with others seeing — and knowing — about you. Many people can see your page, including your parents, your teachers, the police, the college you might want to apply to next year, or the job you might want to apply for in five years.
• Consider not posting your photo. It can be altered and broadcast in ways you may not be happy about. If you do post one, ask yourself whether it’s one your mom would display in the living room.

Tools:

Along with those suggestions there are some tools that can be deployed to accompany the above tips. These tools should not replace open honest communication but can add a piece of mind that you have help in this endeavor. HCA does not at this time endorse any specific tools because every family's needs and abilities are different but we will tell you that many of these tools are used at HCA on all computers with Internet access.

• Filters

Filters are used to sift through Internet content so that undesirable material is not available. This can be done through an Internet Service Provider or a program that resides on your computer. Some are more configurable than others and use different ways of establishing which type of content is suitable.

• Access Control

This can be regulated as the Operating System level with some OS's but there are additional programs that you can buy that will regulate who, when, and for how long a person can use the computer or specific programs on it.

• Firewalls

Your computer communicates over any network through "ports" that provide certain functions. When your computer is connected to the Internet these ports are vulnerable to being accessed by others without your knowledge unless you do something about it. Some OS's supply a means to protect your computer or there are third party programs designed to allow the appropriate access.

• Virus Protection

Most likely you are aware of the threat of Virus' on the any computer. In fact they don't have to be connected to the Internet to become infected. These can greatly hinder and even damage your computer.

• Surveillance Software

There is even software that records every piece of activity that occurs on a computer. In some cases this might be the right tool for assuring that nothing is done in secret.

There are other areas of Internet activity that parents should be aware of. One of these is instant messaging. This has developed into a huge form of communication over the Internet in the last few years. With any form of communication there are many ways to abuse it. If your family members use IM ask yourself "How do we use it? Is that acceptable?" Journaling on the Internet, or Blogging, has also become a huge craze. Do your students blog? What do they blog? With the introduction of broadband access in many homes file sharing has become more prevalent. This can easily cross the lines into illegal activity. Do your family members know what the copyright laws are? Do you know what the penalties for breaking them are?

This may seem like an awful amount of information if you are new to using a computer or the Internet but with everything in life you have to know how to use it responsibly. The Internet is a great place to learn, explore, and communicate through. Just use it wisely.

Resources:
Social Networking Sites: Safety Tips for Tweens and Teens
A Safety Net for the Internet: A Parent's Guide
Child Safety on the Information Highway
Teen Safety on Info Highway