Lock up your children... em, or not.

I don’t know how many of you watched the panorama special last week called "One click away from danger" but I decided to give it a watch. So I sat down after coming back from my weekly Perth Youth Orchestra rehearsal and prepared myself for the televised onslaught of the internet, in particular social networking. Without fail, the scare tactics were applied and I had to spend half an hour sitting reassuring my parents that my younger sister is not in danger... especially with what I have told her in the past.

When watching the program I did notice that they proceeded to talk about many valid points, but looking on them in a very biased way. The one part of the program that really got me wound up though was when they said that they themselves had made a dummy profile on myspace and ended up getting dozens of perverse people adding them and talking to them in a very sexual manner. They also commented on the fact that these people didn’t seem to care when the people sitting behind the screen at panorama told them their fake age. What angered me about this particular “experiment” was that the information given about it was very pedantic - although on closer looking at the website it is more detailed. This in itself is an underhand tactic, as most people will not go to the website for closer inspection. Even while I was looking at the information on the website I quickly realised that you cannot be sure of the exact nature of what has been said by both parties.

I just hate the fact that these underhand scare tactics completely muck up what people in the edublogosphere try and do, I mean with this constant bombardment of drivel, parents are going to be reluctant if/when technological changes in education are made. This is not good for students because it is in fact rarely a danger and the mere fact that the danger is being blown far out of proportion by tv programs like these could affect the futures of these students.

Now, however much I’d love to go on and argue against all the points they made in those 30 minutes of sheer overreaction, that would make me as bad as them. I think the best thing to do instead is to give some useful, constructive advice - something they didn’t do. So here goes... my top internet security tips. Use them as you wish.



1. Do not put up your mobile/home phone number on any website, and don’t put up your address unless required for delivery.

Doing this makes it easy for anyone to get a hold of you, it’s the sort of going away and leaving your door unlocked for a day scenario, and we all know that’s a stupid thing to do. Besides, I’m sure you don’t go about the street handing your phone number to every passer by... it’s the same thing.


2. Don’t hand out your email address or display it on your web page.

This is kinda like the first tip, but a little different. Although you’re not giving someone a physical address it’s still giving someone a way of contacting you, sort of like the phone number. Look at it this way, social networking sites allow comments and private messages. If you meet someone cool you chat to them on there for a bit and if they ask for your email and they seem cool (and genuine) and whatever then send them it in a private message. There’s not real need to jump straight to talking to them on msn/aim/yahoo etc, it’s easier to get rid of people on social networking sites than on these chat programs anyway.


3. Where possible don’t give out your full name.

This isn’t one I use so much because I’m on enough sites out there due to Students 2.0 and what not to be “unsafe” anyway but it’s a good piece of advice. You may notice I often try to use Sean “The Bass Player”, it gives me a recognizable name first and foremost, but it also gives me a little extra security... you have to go looking to find my last name (although it isn’t that hard). The point is, try and use your first name and just the first initial of your last name (Sean L for me)... I mean why not, it makes you that bit safer on the net.


4. Try and use voice and video chats.

Some people may not think of this as such a great safety tip, but I think it is good for a couple of reasons. The main one being that if someone is cool with you seeing what they look like on webcam, or are cool with having a chat on skype with them when they have the required gear then they are most likely going to be who they say they are. For example, if someone is saying they are a 15 year old girl but are in fact a 45 year old man they will be reluctant to let you hear what they sound like or look like for obvious reasons.

Also try not to be just on webcam yourself unless you’re sure you know the person is who they say they are... better safe than having someone perverse watching.

I should note that this is just an extra way to check that someone is who they say they are, I’m definitely not saying that you should go away and block everyone that doesn’t want to audio chat or go on webcam with you.


5. Check out peoples bebo/myspace pages.

This ties in with number 4... if they don’t have a webcam and can’t voice chat try looking at their photos on bebo/myspace or whatever, it may not be as much of a sure fire way to identify who’s genuine and who’s not, but it does give you a good idea.

Also, when looking at these pages you can kinda tell if someone is who they say they are or not by having a look about. For example, if they have comments from their mates talking about the fact they were all out at the weekend or whatever, then you can pretty much be sure they are not lying... unless their mates are all much older pretending to be young as well... which is stupidly ridiculous (although not impossible).


6. Don’t just keep signing up for everything

There are thousands of social networking sites out there, don’t just go away and add yourself to them all for the hell of it, it puts you out there more and makes you more likely to come across someone with a malicious mind.


7.Making your profile private.

This isn’t a must, but it is a suggestion, after all these are tips... it simply means that unless people visit one of the hack sites out there on the net, they can’t view what you’re saying on your profile, what your friends are saying to you in your comments or your photos.



Well there you are, my safety tips... if you’re a teacher, maybe take a little while to point this out to your class. If you’re a parent, maybe show it to your kids. All this does is give you a non bias view that is not intended to cause panic and can actually give you ways of protecting yourself that little more on the internet (in particular social networking sites).


The Bass Player

Photo credit - WachoPerro! for CyberRata OK on Flickr