Rooted & Ready: Be proactive with your student’s technology
In this Rooted & Ready Blog Post, RCS Principal Mr. Reynolds, shares how parents can be proactive and practical with their student’s use of technology.
Happy New Year!
I hope that each and everyone one of you had a tremendous Christmas celebration. With that I would imagine that we have a few students with new cell phones, tablets and laptops. This has me thinking about the use of these items and the safety of our students.
It is of great importance that our students are safe on and off of campus. One aspect of student safety that is relatively new revolves around the use of electronics. As you know it can be a scary world out there, even more so in a world that is hidden behind digital screens and anonymity.
It is critical to be pro-active when it comes to kids, the use of technology and safety. Below are a few helpful ideas to think about if your children are using any piece of technology that has a data plan.
- Parents should know passwords for students’ devices. In order to be pro-active a parent must have access to pieces of technology that could be potentially dangerous. I know…I know…you will hear “It is an invasion of privacy” or “Why don’t you trust me?” but the reality is not being able to see what is on that device may create much larger problems down the road. There are parent monitoring devices that inform you of what is installed on the device as well as preventing students from accessing adult web content or texting with strangers. A simple Google search for “parent monitoring devices” will point you in the right direction.
- Parents should set and students should agree to certain rules with regard to the use of a cell phone, i-pad, or lap top. One of these rules may include what time usage may occur. I think one of the biggest problems is students using these devices late at night with no one around. Other rules may include what apps can be downloaded or what websites visited.
- Parents should learn to recognize apps that could be potentially dangerous to your child. Below is a list of some of the more commonly used apps that may pose a danger to a student. I took this list from a newsletter sent to me by San Marcos Online Academy. They culled the list from an article by Peakes, K. (Apr. 16, 2014). Dangerous apps that parents need to know about. Cook Children’s Hospital at checkupnewsroom.com
1. Yik Yak – This app allows users to post anonymous text-only Yaks. The messages can be viewed by the 500 Yakkers who are closest to the person who wrote the Yak, as determined by GPS tracking. Schools are starting to block the App.
2. Hot or Not—Allows users to rate attractiveness of photos. The site also offers a matchmaking engine called “Meet Me.”
3. Ask.fm—Allows anonymous input and is increasingly used to communicate abusive, bullying, and sexualized content.
4. Vine—A video-sharing service used by some to show inappropriate videos, in turn these can be posted on Facebook/Twitter.
5. Photo Vault—Password protected photo gallery to hide and protect photos.
6. SnapChat – This App allows users to send photos that will disappear after 10 seconds. What most teens don’t know is that the photos are still on the phone’s OS, also SnapChat archives them and claims rights to use them in any manner they see fit. Once the recipient opens the picture, the timer starts. However, the recipient can take a screen shot of the photo and have it to share with others.
7. KiK Messenger – This is a private messenger app that allows kids to send private messages that their parents can’t see. The app Touch & Line is similar.
8. Poof –The Poof App allows users to make Apps disappear on their phone with one touch. Kids can hide every app they don’t want you to see on their phone. Some other names include: Hidden Apps, App Lock and Hide It Pro.
9. Omegle – Chat participants are only identified as “You” and “Stranger”. You can connect Omegle to your Facebook account to find chat partners with similar interests. There is a high risk of sexual predators and you don’t want your kids giving out their personal information, much less even talking to strangers.
10.Whisper – This is a meeting App that encourages users to post secrets. You post anonymously, but it displays the area you are posting from. You can search for users posting within a mile from you. One man in Washington was convicted of raping a 12- year-old girl he met on this App. (also Badoo is similar)
11.Down – This most insidious application used to be called “Bang with Friends.” It is connected to Facebook. Users can categorize their Facebook friends in one of two ways. One way is categorizing people as someone with whom they would like to have sex.
This can seem a bit overwhelming but it is the reality of the time we live in. Ignoring it will not make it go away. Kids have unbelievable access to technology and they know how to use it. It is important to have open and frank conversations with your kids about the responsibility of using technology for their own safety in this digital age.
In Christ,
Mr. Reynolds
RCS Principal