The document discusses various aspects of youth safety on social networking sites and the internet. It notes that social networking allows teens to socialize, explore identity, and engage in content creation. However, it can also expose teens to risks like inappropriate solicitation, cyberbullying, and showing off behavior. The document emphasizes that internet safety is complex with no single solution, and that risks online often reflect ones in the real world. A collaborative long-term approach is needed to help teens harness benefits and address issues.

2. Youth Safety on the Social Web Larry Magid & Anne Collier Co-directors ConnectSafely.org Revised 10/08 © 2008 ConnectSafely.org

3. It’s not your father’s Internet Web 1.0 = downloading Web 2.0 = downloading + uploading + interacting + media sharing + + + +

10. Major Sites MySpace : Social self-expression tool. Major profile design flexibility. Multi-featured, multiple channels (music, film, etc.). Whatever user wants it to be. Strong on safety but challenging history. Facebook : Social utility - personal info exchanging. Network-centric. More structured profiles. Mini apps for self-expression. Started with college students, now high-schoolers and professionals. YouTube : Video postings & viewing, hugely popular (5.3 billion videos streamed, 9/08). Strong rules but enforced only after complaints. MyYearbook : High school-oriented digital yearbook plus usual social networking features. Bebo : Social networking and media-sharing. Among top 3 in UK. Hi5 : 80% of users outside U.S. - multiple languages

11. Other sites & services Twitter & Plurk: Micro-blogging - 140 characters or less. Kind of like blended chat & IM. Twitter mostly adults, Plurk a little younger. JuicyCampus : Gossip site, total anonymity, no rules. Stickam : Social video-streaming site with live webcam chat. Ning: Allows users to create their own social networks, or mini-MySpaces. Second Life & other virtual worlds : Users create avatars that interact in a virtual world. Hulu: Fast-growing video-sharing site (153 million video streams, 9/08); popular for viewing whole shows online.

14. Teens are alive today, thanks to social-networking sites…

16. It’s a trick question

17. The report said,“one in seven youth received an unwanted sexual solicitation” 1 ) These solicitations did not necessarily come from “online predators ”. When they believed they knew, they said about half were other youth. 2) These solicitations were not necessarily devious or intended to lure. Most were limited to brief online comments or questions in chatrooms or instant messages. Many were simply rude, vulgar comments like, “What’s your bra size?”. 3) Most recipients did not view the solicitations as serious or threatening . Two‐thirds were not frightened or upset by what happened. 4) Almost all youth handled unwanted solicitations easily and effectively. Most reacted by blocking or ignoring solicitors, leaving sites, or telling solicitors to stop December 2007

18. Question Do you agree that the growth in young people’s use of the Internet correlates with a rise in sexual abuse against children?

19. Answer *Source: Nat’l Child Abuse & Neglect Data System -- Finkelhor & Jones, 2006) 51% decline from 1990 to 2004 Rate per 10,000 Children (<18)

31. Digital Citizenship

33. Thank you & please visit our forum at www.ConnectSafely.org Anne Collier Co-director, ConnectSafely.org [email_address] Larry Magid Co-director, ConnectSafely.org [email_address]