Steps to Ensure Digital Safety

STEP 1

TRAINING: 

• Children/ Teens must know why they must not use/misuse technology / social media. Simply blocking children’s access to the Internet in schools is not an effective way of keeping them safe. They need to be provided with balanced and clear information that gives them, with the right skills, knowledge and confidence so that they can use the Internet responsibly,
• Teachers and support staff also need training to understand and address the benefits and risks the Internet exposes to children and young people.
• Education providers should offer training for parents detailing the need to manage and understand their child’s activities online and share the available resources. 

STEP 2

BLOCKING THE BAD STUFF: 

Although children don’t necessarily go looking for harmful or inappropriate content, young people are naturally curious and it is very possible that they could inadvertently view material from sites that promote racial or religious hatred, extreme violence, or illegal content, through popups, emails or social media sites. Many schools have blocked social media on campus for this reason. 

STEP 3: 

ENFORCEMENT: 

Schools should create and enforce and Acceptable Use Policy and be prepared to monitor and enforce consequences in case of misuse. 

STEP 4: 

PROTECTION: 

Schools should use current technology to protect against malicious spyware, malware and the use anonymous proxies.