Facebook – Security – Kids & Parents – What you need to know and DO!

 We all know Facebook can be a great resource, lots of fun and a great method to stay in touch with friends, family and classmates from years ago.  The truth is Facebook can be a very dangerous place for not only kids, but everyone!  This is a social community and there are good and bad in all communities.

Every teacher and parent have to educate our young and make sure they are not on the wrong side of the street or are the one’s being taken advantage of in any way.  There has been many stories of all sorts of negative stuff happening on Facebook concerning the young.

For teachers and Parents to educate kids, they have to understand what it is all about. They need to know how kids are using this tool, how they may be taken advantage of and all the other dangers they are exposed to online.

I will dedicate a page on my BLOG with resources and information around this very important topic – A great start is the following article.

TODAY – a great paper was released called – A Parents Guide to Facebook

What are the risks involved in social networking?

Youth-risk research has recently made five important findings:

1. Young people who behave aggressively online are more than twice as likely to be victimized online, so children’s own behavior in Facebook or any social site is key to their well-being on the social Web.
2. The most common risk young people face online is peer harassment or aggression – in other words hurtful, harassing, or defamatory behavior.
3. A child’s psychosocial makeup and environment (for example, home and school) are better predictors of risk than any technology that the child uses, so…
4. Not all children are equally at risk online, and the children who are most at risk online are those who are most at risk in “real life,” or offline. 
5. Although, for the vast majority of youth, online social networking is largely a reflection of offline life, it can also amplify, perpetuate and widely distribute real-life problems or conflicts – very rapidly. Something posted in anger or on impulse is extremely difficult to take back, so it has never been more important for users (of any age) to think before they “speak,” post, or send a text message.

 Specific social networking risks include…

● Posting information about themselves that: a) could help strangers determine their physical location; b) could be used to manipulate them; or c) whether posted by them or others, could cause psychological harm or jeopardize reputations and future prospects

● Harassment or online bullying (“cyberbullying”) on the part of your children or others’

● Spending too much time online, losing a sense of balance in their activities (“too much” is subjective, which is why parents need to be engaged)

● Exposure to inappropriate content (this too is subjective), although typically worse content can be found out on the Web at large than in Facebook or other responsible social networking sites

● Potential for inappropriate contact with adults (parents need to ensure that social networking does not lead to offline contact unapproved by them and other caring adults in their children’s lives)

● Damage to reputation or future prospects because of young people’s own behavior or that of their peers – unkind or angry posts, compromising photos or videos, or group conflict depicted in text and imagery.

FULL Document – PARENTS GUIDE TO FACEBOOK

Facebook & LINKS – Malware – Spam – Profanity

It is sad to say, but makes total sense…that hackers would attack Facebook.  A report released yesterday indicated that 10% of all LINKS on Facebook are a risk for Malware, spam and Profanity.  They have indicated that 40% of the posts on Facebook include links and these people are taking advantage where they get the most bang for the buck – the Stars and large corporations that have a presence on the site.  Facebook is not alone in this regard, many other social locations are also targets.

“No matter how careful you are, today’s Internet user is usually only two short clicks away from malicious content and an infected computer or network,” said Charles Renert, senior director, Security Research for Websense.

“Cybercriminals are increasingly more ingenious in developing robust systems for enticing users to malicious sites. As Web and social media become more essential in the workplace, companies need information security protection technology that allows flexible Web use and keeps their content secure with real-time inspection.”  –

Internet Users Are Only Two Clicks Away from Malicious Content

Some very interesting numbers published about data related to Malware – Spam and Profanity by celebrities and business Facebook accounts.   Malware, spam in 10 per cent of Facebook links

Itbusiness.ca has a little spreadsheet tool that steps you through the process of setting up your Facebook account in the most secure fashion.  If nothing else you should be letting everyone know about this tool and make sure you sit down with your kids accounts and set them up correctly to allow for the most secure Facebook experience.  ITBusiness.ca’s Facebook security and privacy hardening tool

Other articles:

Social networks teeming with spam and malware

The dirty Web is getting dirtier. Today 95 per cent of user comments in blogs, chat rooms, message boards and other social forums are actually spam or links to malware, research shows.

Facebook or not!

Like most of you with kids I had the issue of “should I let her on Facebook or not”  With the age limit of 13 plus with Facebook, which I am sure is not followed…  There is an alternative to kids who want to do what their older sisters, brothers and parents are doing on Facebook.

SOMETHING TO REMEMBER – Kids are smart and they may have two personalities on Facebook – They one you see and the one you don’t.  Always take note and make sure you look over your kids shoulder every little while to make sure your not being duped.

TOGETHERVILLE – this is for kids under 13 and they have done some upgrades to allow for better connection to friends.  This also answers a lot of questions for parents as they have complete control on who becomes friends as well as other features.