Family-friendly social networking site accuses popular sites of profit before responsibility

EasySite.com, a subscription-based family-friendly social networking site, has called out the likes of Facebook and MySpace for putting revenue and profit before taking responsibility for the privacy and safety of their users.

They cite the usual horror stories of paedophiles stalking teenagers, false profiles, and compromising photographs.

“Sites like MySpace and Facebook choose popularity over responsibility. Popularity means more traffic, which means more ads served and ultimately more money,” saidSteve Sivulka, CEO of Easysite.com. “Easysite has chosen a different path. From day one we created Easysite as a family-friendly website builder with safety and security in mind.”

EasySite prides itself as being ad-free, instead being supported by users paying for the service itself.

Sivulka says that people don’t realise how expensive “free” really is, suggesting that most services are advertising based and place ads on pages the individual user may believe to be theirs.

“A friend of mine found this out the hard way,” he says. “After sending out a link to his newly created personal website, friends and family complained that pop-up ads with strippers on them were appearing on his site. Some ‘free’ services will even send out junk email (spam), sell your personal information to other companies, or track your movements online to better target ads to you.”

I’m all for the concept of more family-friendly sites like EasySite, but I’m a little concerned that they seem to suggest that they’re the solution, when in fact people placing reliance upon their services could still face problems elsewhere.

Firstly, EasySite can do nothing to stop someone else publishing false information about you on another social networking site, blog, or forum.

Neither can it stop other people from publishing compromising photographs of you, if in fact you got yourself into an embarrassing situation in the first place.

While it’s true that some sites like Facebook do target adverts based on what a user does, this isn’t much different to what supermarkets do based on your purchase history, or what companies who conduct consumer surveys do. While some adverts may be questionable, responsible sites don’t show porn. Neither should users be under any illusion that a profile page (such as that which would be set up on Facebook, Bebo, or MySpace) belongs to them.

Finally, while some users might be content to stay in “safe” sites like EasySite.com (and I personally don’t believe a 100% safe web site exists) there’s a whole Internet out there which many people want to explore. That’s the time children and adults need to know how to keep themselves safe.

Social networking sites should take more responsibility for protecting minors, particularly as preteens are using these sites even though they shouldn’t be.

Staying safe online requires parental knowledge and openness.

I’m all for sites like EasySite.com, but they’re only a part of the solution to a safer Internet experience.

Young children using online social networks, three-quarters of parents “spying” on them

It must be something about the school summer holidays that’s bringing out surveys about children and parents and their relationship with the Internet… and each other.

Not a week after a survey about parental knowledge of their children’s online activities comes another from Garlik.

This one suggests that 75% of parents are monitoring what their children get up to online without their knowledge, by logging in to their social networking accounts, or setting up their own profiles so that they can “spy” on their kids.

The survey of 1,000 children aged from 8-15, and 1,030 parents, also found that children as young as eight are visiting web sites which aren’t meant for under-12s, including the social network phenomena of Facebook, MySpace, and Bebo.

More worrying is that around two-thirds of children admitted to posting information that could help identify them individually, such as mobile phone numbers and where they go to school. One in five had even met up with people they’d only befriended online.

Garlik, a company involved in the prevention of online fraud and identity theft, said that web sites needed to do more to prevent underage children from accessing them. However, parents are also responsible for what their children get up to online, and while spying may seem a bit drastic, there are things families can do to minimise the risks.

(Via Pocket Lint)

“Stranger Danger in the 21st Century” - Internet dos and don’ts for parents and children

With five in six parents relying on verbal agreements with children on their use of the Internet, there’s a real need to educate both adults and children in the ways staying safer online.

Here’s a set of “Dos” for parents, and “Don’ts” for children, written by Sue Atkins of Positive Parents.

Do’s for Parents

Do: Talk to your child about how they use the internet. Encourage them to show you how they access the net and to talk to you about any concerns they may have regarding online chatting. Show an interest rather than point an accusatory finger of distrust at them. Your child will feel reassured and safe if you show a balance of respecting their way of communicating but keeping a watchful eye on what’s happening.

Do: Keep the computer in a public place in your home - if a predator sees a bustling living room or kitchen in the background on the webcam rather than just a quiet child’s bedroom, he will probably be less likely to embark on attempting to groom your child.

Do: Keep up to date with technology. Ask your child to teach you new things - they’ll enjoy spending time with you, and you’ll enjoy being with them too, but also know that you are keeping them safe in the process.

Do: Remind your child that any people they only know through the internet (and not in the real world) may not be who they say they are.

Do: Check the privacy settings covering their profiles online.

Do: Make it clear to your child that you will occasionally check what websites they are using and will also sometimes ask questions to make sure they know the people they are contacting.

Do: Remind your child that anything they post can be visible to the world.

Don’ts for Children

Don’t: post any personal information, e.g. e-mail address or mobile number on profiles.

Don’t: post anything online you don’t want the world to see.

Don’t: continue online conversations that make you feel uncomfortable or suspicious about whom you are talking to. Report these to the Child Protection Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) website via their ‘report abuse’ facility and talk to your parents or another adult whom you trust to help you.

Don’t: agree to meet anyone in person whom you only know via the internet.

Don’t: open any attachments or links if you don’t know (in the real world) the person who has sent them.

Don’t: use your real name in chat rooms - pick a nickname just to use online.

Don’t: assume that the people you are chatting to online are who they claim to be.

Don’t: keep any anxieties, worries or little niggles to yourself about approaches to you, or conversations you have had, online. Talk to your parents and/or an adult you trust. If not, you can call Childline.

Don’t: ‘accept’ strangers who ask to be ‘friends’ on your online profile - say NO or just ignore them. Don’t be tempted to say YES.

Don’t: agree if someone suggests keeping your chats a secret - tell your parents or a trusted adult.

Resources

NCH’s advice on internet safety
Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre
Think U Know: part of the CEOP site. Has pages specific to certain age groups to help them understand how to use the internet safely. Can also report abuse here.
Childline– - telephone 0800 1111

Parents failing to monitor children’s Internet usage, report finds

According to a recent survey from BroadbandChoices.co.uk, five out of six parents rely on verbal agreements to ensure their children use the Internet safely. That’s despite almost half of children using chatrooms (which, it has to be said, are not filled with paedophiles, but can still be dangerous if users aren’t careful), two in five using Facebook or MySpace, and half downloading software, music, or videos.

With the summer holidays here, children are likely to be spending more time in front of the computer, often unsupervised. This has implications not only for their safety, but also for how much the Internet broadband connection is being used.

With various measures coming into place regarding the illegal downloading of music and other material, in which the UK Government and Internet Service Providers would hold parents responsible for what their children download, parents could be letting themselves in for a shock.

Michael Phillips, Product Director, BroadbandChoices.co.uk, said, “We were surprised to learn that such a high proportion of parents heavily rely on verbal agreements to ensure their children’s online activities are safe and legal. Children are often more tech-savvy than their parents and the click of a mouse can take them anywhere. This research highlights the need for parents to be aware of the simple checks they can put in place to safeguard children who are increasingly using the internet to build new relationships.”

BroadbandChoices.co.uk recommends the following steps to help busy parents effectively monitor their child’s online activity:

1. Parental control software: Some ISPs like AOL and BT offer parental controls as part of their service, while other users can get them with their antivirus and security suites. Parental controls allow you to block certain sites and keywords, apply different settings for different age groups, and monitor your child’s online activity. You can also use the Messenger Plus! program to keep a log of conversations they might be having using Instant Messenger.

2. Education: Completely banning older children from the Internet is unlikely to stop them from using chatrooms and social networking sites, so instead, explain why they need to be careful on the Internet and make sure they know never to give out personal information or meet strangers without an adult around.

3. All on one PC: Keeping the family computer in the living room is a great way of ensuring that your children stay safe online. They’re far less likely to spend time in chatrooms or downloading illegally if their parents are in the same room. Also, make sure that you’re set as the administrator on any PC in the home, so that only you can change the settings on your parental control software.

4. Antivirus and firewall software: Using security software to protect your PC will also protect your child from spam emails with inappropriate content, and phishing emails where they could give out personal information including bank details.

5. Monitor downloads: If you’re concerned about the affect your children’s downloading is having on your monthly usage allowance, use a Download Monitor to keep an eye on downloads and set alarms to alert you when you near your limit.

BroadbandChoices.co.uk’s download monitor can be accessed at http://www.broadbandchoices.co.uk/broadband-download-monitor.html

Citinannies.net Helps to Filter Frauds and Scams for Families Seeking Care

Household employment is increasing for families who continually strive for a manageable balance between life and work. For many people, the solution to managing the pressures and the obligations is to hire household staff to work in the home. Most domestic placement agency services can run into the hundreds, or even thousands of dollars, ranging from $700 to $4,000 per placement. What happens when a family is not happy with the placement agency’s selection of nannies? Generally, there is very little recourse. Would it be very difficult for a family to search for household help without using an agency? How would a family weed out frauds and scams? Are the tools of the trade available and easily accessible?

Citinannies.net was created to connect families and top quality caregivers nationwide. Whether a family needs a nanny for their children, a personal assistant or even a butler to bring cocktails poolside, Citinannies.net can help. Citinannies.net is the first online domestic placement service to utilize an advanced identity authentication process without entering a credit card number or requesting intrusive information such as the registrant’s full social security number. The patent pending privacy tool prescreens all caregivers and families to help filter out the frauds and scrams that put loved ones at risk.

Families simply register, post the specific domestic requirements and qualifications, and pass the Citinannies.net authentication process. Once the authentication process has been completed, the pool of quality caregivers are available with a click of the mouse. New caregivers are added daily, so the selection is never stale. In addition, Citinannies.net has trusted partners that offer services including criminal background checks, online continuing education courses and easy ways to pay caregivers without hiring an accountant. After all, finding household help that is tailored to a family’s lifestyle can be overwhelming.

As President of CitiNannies LLC, Jennifer Nguyen states, “I wanted to make the search for care easier for families, and at the same time, filter out fraudulent registrants, identity thieves, and fraud schemes that become rampant on the internet. We are taking one step further to assure families are more comfortable using the internet to find exceptional help for their loved ones.” Being a single mother, Jennifer realizes the importance of finding top quality caregivers. Hiring and entrusting caregivers can improve the quality of life immensely, without sacrificing the commitments. Recall the last time an emergency situation arose and a reliable sitter was not available? Think citinannies.net. Do it right. This is the most important hiring decision a family could ever make.

For caregivers seeking employment opportunities, the registration process is free. Simply agree to be bound by Citinannies’ professional code of ethics, register and post a profile. In addition, passing the Citinannies.net identity authentication process is also a prerequisite for all caregivers. Imagine, no more agency fees or commissions taken out of the paycheck. No more answering blind newspaper ads or attending embarrassing career fairs. Imagine an easier way to connect with potential families who are serious about searching for care and willing to pay top dollar for exceptional care?

For information: CitiNannies.net

“Mom Says No” software allows parental control over children’s online time, reduces confrontation

New software from UK-based Visionsoft called “Mom Says No” is set to allow parents to easily control how much time their children spend on the Internet, whilst reducing confrontation by taking out some of the human element (parent nagging) and replacing with an automated countdown timer.

“We developed this product out of personal need,” Richard Ward, Managing Director, Visionsoft, explained. “My child was spending hours online chatting with peers with continued promises to end sessions after repeated requests. After talking with other parents, I realised that I was not alone.”
“Mom Says No” simply warns the user when time is running out and gives the child enough time to sign off with friends.
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Parents get to understand MySpace and connect with their kids using myspacemykids.com

The MySpace MyKids project is a new user-friendly website designed to familiarize parents with social networking and help them protect their kids.

It’s a powerful educational program for parents who want to not only protect their children, but also better understand and connect with their teens.

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Children’s advocacy group launches NetSmartz411 online safety programme for kids

NetSmartz411 is an online programme designed to keep children safe when online. It has been developed in the US by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) who can answer frequently asked questions about Internet safety and online security.

“Parents and guardians have a very tough job keeping up with their children in this ever changing world of technology,” said Ernie Allen, NCMEC president and chief executive officer.

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Teens use the web when mourning loss of friends

The power of social networking sites such as MySpace goes beyond the grave, as online spaces frequented by a large number of teenagers are used as meeting places even after the untimely death of friends.

Over half of all teenagers who use the Internet use these types of site, so online profile pages become very important even if their owner isn’t around any more.

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Ancestry.com members have created over 1 million family trees in last 6 months

OK it’s a blatant plug for Ancestry.com (with which I have no affiliation) but their latest news is that in the past six months, over 1 million people have created family trees using their online service.

Their press release states: “In building family trees, users have added an estimated 150 million names, uploaded 400,000 photos and attached 10 million family history documents directly from Ancestry.com’s 23,000 historical records collections.”

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