Technology+Report

Online Safety Technology has become a vital part of our educational setting; therefore, we must educate administrators, teachers, parents, and students on proper use of the Web and the information that has become accessible. Educators must identify, communicate, model, and enforce social, legal, and ethical practices to promote responsible use of technology. They must promote and enforce privacy, security, and online safety related to the use of technology by enforcing copyright laws. (NETS for Administrators, 2009)

With new innovative technological tools there are some risks that our students will encounter while using the internet. Some of these risks are exposure to inappropriate material, harassment and bullying, and computer viruses. As educators, we must provide our students with tools and techniques to prevent these risks. First the school district should have an acceptable use policy in place for both the students and educators on using computer, Web 2.0 tools, and internet. Therefore the educator should teach their students some procedures and rules about safety on the internet. Here are these rules for students understand about using the Internet:
 * 1) How to be safe, responsible, and respectful on the Internet.
 * 2) How to report suspicious activity the internet service provider or the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (1-800-843-5678).
 * 3) Not posting personal information on the Internet, such as their name, home address, school name or telephone number.
 * 4) Never post pictures of themselves on the Internet to strangers or download messages and pictures that are suggestive, obscene, or harassing.
 * 5) Never arrange a face-to-face meeting with someone they meet on line.

In recent years there have been laws enacted to protect children on the internet. The Computer Fraud and Abuse Act protects against illegal attempts to gain access to protected financial information. Under the Cyber Security Enhancement Act of 2002, Internet Service Providers can readily provide law-enforcement authorities with information about their users, eliminating the need for an official warrant. In 1998, President Clinton signed the Digital Millenium Copyright Act, which addressed copyright infringements relating to technologies and the Internet. Children's Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 makes it unlawful for an operator of a website or online service directed to children, or any operator that has actual knowledge that it is collecting personal information from a child, to collect personal information from a child in a manner that violates this law. These laws have helped our school district install filters in the local network. It is important for educators to know Internet safety, too**.**

Students are very computer savvy and can figure out protective software, security measures, password changes; therefore, the school system should constantly updated the technology protection tools to stay ahead of our tech savvy students. Teachers are responsible for monitoring the computers in the classroom to make sure that the previous installed software blockers have not been altered. Internet is a vital tool in the 21st Century classroom and the school system must provide a safe environment for these students to learn at a higher level.

= = = = = = =Works Cited= Adelman, H. (2004, March). Teaching Online Safety. //Research Library//, pp. 17-21.

//Child Safety on the Information Highway//. (2008, March). Retrieved 10 31, 2010, from SafeKids.Com: www.safekids.com

//NETS for Administrators//. (2009). Retrieved 10 31, 2010, from International Society for Technology in Education: []