• Here are some resources you can use to have conversations around what it means to be a responsible digital citizen online:

    Common Sense Media

    Parent Controls & Video on parental iPhone settings

    Google Family Link

    Digizen Online Family Agreement

    Tween & Teen Media Use

    Tips for Parents from School Resource Officer Tyler:

    • Have a password for wifi access and know passwords for your child´s accounts.
    • Know what apps your students are using. Talk about the app first. Why do they need it? What is it used for? Parents control what apps get downloaded.
    • Educate yourself on dangerous sites, apps and practices.
    • Talk about what is appropriate and inappropriate. People who care for you don´t ask for things.
    • Photos are duplicated 5 times: phone, sent to tower, sent to satellite, sent to tower and then to device of receiver. Then control is lost.
    • Do not be afraid to be rude when asked for something online. Okay to say no. This should be a signal for tweens and teens to reach out to parents or teachers. “No” and tell an adult.
    • Information dissemination: no last names or identifiers of location (pinned locations, selfies at school). Change accounts to include no last name.
    • Passwords: if parent has control, it becomes a check in point each time an update is needed.
    • Sharing: talk about what is appropriate to share about yourself and about your friends. You have the right to keep your information private.
    • Do not be friends with people you do not know in real life.
    • Cyberbullying: do not threaten, do not gossip and create drama either. When it does happen - do not respond, take a screen shot, block or delete and let an adult know. If you tell someone they are no longer allowed to contact you, but they continue, it is considered harassment, which is a crime. Do not stand by as a witness.
    • What can parents do? Have computer and devices in a family space, not a bedroom. Charge devices in parents room at night. Mirroring or shadowing apps are available to parents so they can see their child’s activity online. Check privacy settings. Google your students name to see what comes up in their online presence. Most “compromised” information is freely shared by students versus being hacked.