Protect kids from online bullying
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The week of Nov. 17-23 was designated Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week in the Province of Ontario to help promote safe schools and a positive learning environment.
Students, school staff and parents were encouraged to learn more about bullying and its effect on student learning and well-being.
Bullying is defined as a form of repeated, persistent and aggressive behaviour directed at an individual or individuals that is intended to cause fear and distress and/or harm to another person's body, feelings, self-esteem or reputation. Different forms bullying can take include:
Physical – hitting, shoving, stealing or damaging property
Verbal – name calling, mocking, or making sexist, racist or homophobic comments
Social – excluding others from a group or spreading gossip or rumours about them
Cyberbullying – spreading rumours and hurtful comments through the use of cellphones, e-mail, text messaging and social networking sites
ONLINE BULLYING
With more than a million apps available to download from both Google and Apple’s online stores, it is harder than ever for parents to keep up with the latest technologies. Dr. Ann Cavoukian, Ontario’s Information and Privacy Commissioner, encouraged all parents to be proactive and make it a regular practice to review their children’s smartphone and app settings.
Commissioner Cavoukian recommended these seven tips to parents:
ADJUST PARENTAL BOUNDARIES
Just as you have certain boundaries about what your kids can do in your house, you should have similar limits for their smartphone. Most smartphones have parental controls that allow parents to limit what their children can access: YouTube, camera, and the Internet, to name a few. Take the time to review what they can access and adjust the settings.
UNDERSTAND THE APPS
Some apps may just seem like fun, but it doesn’t mean they can’t have serious consequences. For example, Snapchat is a free app that allows the user to send an image or video to a group of recipients that can be viewed for a short time before it is automatically deleted. However, there is another app, Snap Save, which can store these received images or videos without the sender knowing, thus allowing a potentially regrettable image or video to later resurface. Make sure to read about an app and discuss it with your child before they download it, to make sure that you are comfortable with it.
SET GUIDELINES
Along with setting up parental controls, you can also limit what your child downloads. You can disable app downloads completely, only allowing them when you’re around. Disable in-app purchases (purchases within an app that is already downloaded that can cost a lot of money); or, only allow your child to download apps that are rated within a certain age category.
KEEP YOUR LOCATION SECRET
Many apps use location tracking. This means if your child posts a picture on social media, someone may be able to follow his or her whereabouts. Ensure that location settings are turned off for the apps that may share this information.
ENABLE PRIVACY SETTINGS
Always understand what your child is sharing online. On smartphones and in social media there are privacy settings that you can change to limit the personal information he or she can share with the world. Control what other people see about your child’s online usage.
IT CAN LAST FOREVER
Once you post something online it’s very hard to delete. It can be used to bully your child, prevent him or her from getting into a school, and even from getting a job. Children are impulsive and don’t think about the consequences of their actions, and that’s why you need to continually reinforce the risks of what they post online.
DRAFT CONTRACT OF RESPONSIBILITY
The final, and probably most important, tip is to draft a contract of responsibility with your child. It’s hard to deny your kids access to a smartphone when all of their peers have one, but you can still have control over how they use it. Create guidelines for how and when they can use their smartphone.
Along with these tips for parents and the 'Stop Bullying… by Design' section on her website, Commissioner Cavoukian created BEWARE of Bullying bookmarks that are being made available to schools across Ontario to educate students about steps they can take to prevent cyberbullying.
“With one click of a button, anyone in the world can have access to your child’s most private information," said Dr. Cavoukian in a media release. "However, you can help protect your child from an impulsive decision that may lead to unintended consequences. By familiarizing yourself with what apps are out there and how your child is using them, you can help Stop Bullying… by Design.”
View the Commissioner’s Corner on YouTube video blog about what parents can do to keep their children safe from smartphones and apps.
INFORMATION AND PRIVACY COMMISSIONER
The Information and Privacy Commissioner is appointed by, and reports to, the Ontario Legislative Assembly, and is independent of the government of the day. The Commissioner’s mandate includes overseeing the access and privacy provisions of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, as well as the Personal Health Information Protection Act, which applies to both public and private sector health information custodians. A vital component of the Commissioner’s mandate is to help educate the public about access and privacy issues.