Internet Safety Information

CVUSD - Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) "Student Use Responsibilities" Grades 6-12

CVUSD - Student Use of Technology - BP 6163.4  

Positive Benefits for Your Child

• Access rich educational and cultural resources (text, sounds pictures, and video) otherwise
  unavailable to most people
  
• Obtain up-to-the minute information
• Improve ability to understand and evaluate information
• Stay informed by accessing your community and school web pages
• Play fun and educational games
• Learn educational skills useful in future jobs

Dangers/Risks

• Easy-to-find sites with sexually explicit images and text
• Easy-to-find sites promoting hatred, bigotry, violence, drugs, cults, and other things not appropriate for children
• Inaccurate, misleading, and untrue information
• No restrictions on marketing products such as alcohol and tobacco to children
• Marketing that deceptively collects personal information from kids in order to sell products to them
  or their parents
  
• Requests for personal information for contests, surveys. etc. that are used in unauthorized ways
• Easy access to games with excessive violence and gender stereotypes

Parenting Tips

• Keep computer in family area to monitor your child's activity
• Regularly spend time online with your child to learn about his/her interests and activities
• Teach your child to end any experience online when he or she feels uncomfortable or scared by pressing the back key, logging off, and telling a trusted adult as soon as possible
• Establish an atmosphere of trust and understanding with your child by not blaming him or her for uncomfortable online experiences
• Discuss the difference between advertising and educational or entertaining content and show examples of each
• Show your child the difference between sources that are credible and those that are not
• Teach your child never to give out personal information unless he or she has your permission and you know how and by whom the information will be used
• Establish strict rules for ordering products (and then monitor credit card bills)
• "Talk Back" to Internet Service Providers and content creators to let them know what you want and expect from them in keeping kids safe online

What Parental Control Tools Can Do

• Block access to materials (texts and pictures) identified as inappropriate for kids
• Permit access only to materials specifically approved as safe for kids
• Allow to specify what types of materials are appropriate for your child
• Help you monitor your child's activity on the internet by storing names of sites and/or snapshots of material seen by your child on the computer for you to view later
• Allow you to set different restrictions for each member of the family
• Limit results of an Internet search to content appropriate for kids
• Enforce time limits set by parents