The Internet is a living thing, which is changing daily.  More and more we are seeing users, and young people in particular, driving the Internet forward, in terms of content and what you can do online.

To youth, social media and technologies are not something extra added on to their lives; they’re embedded in their lives. Their offline and online lives have converged into one life. They are socializing in various environments, using various digital and real-life “tools,” from face-to-face gatherings to cell phones to social network sites, to name just a few.

Youth Safety on a living Internet:

Report of the Online Safety and Technology Working group

The above quote is taken from the US online Safety and Technology Working group, who produced a 148 page report looking into Internet Safety.  The report was published on June 4 2010 and makes much use of the wording ‘responsible use’ when referring to child Internet safety.  Amongst other things the report includes 106 Internet based resources on the subject of Internet Safety and Responsible Use.  We are busy looking through these resources and will be asking practitioners to review the best ones to share with the learning community in Scotland.

We have always taught our children to be safe.  I can still remember being taught the Green Cross Code when I was at school.  The issues we are addressing here are no different.  The sole purpose of resources and conversations like this is to keep our children safe.  As educators, parents, carers, grandparents and adults we have a responsibility to keep children safe, whether they are offline or online.  We know what way the traffic flows, but do we know how Facebook privacy settings work, how to record MSN chat by default, how to set up parental controls on the Nintendo Wii, that the DSi has Internet access or what POS means?  Before we can begin to help our children we must educate ourselves.  We are willing to teach ourselves, provide information and resources, engage in conversations and ask for help.  Who is willing to join us?

You can contribute in a number of ways, via the new Glow group, commenting on this blog or adding a resource to the new resources blog.

PS – I only learned POS (parent of shoulder) last week!