Betty teaches you the importance of keeping your OFFLINE identity separate from your ONLINE identity

Betty

Betty
Cyber Defender & Clubhouse Supervisor

Betty learned the hard way about sharing too much information online when rumors she had spread through her online blog upset some of her friends. Since then she has made it her goal to educate everyone about what information is inappropriate or unsafe to share online to prevent others from getting hurt.

As a Cyber Defender, Betty focuses on the most important information you should never share online, your offline identity.

Favorite Quote:

A stumble may prevent a fall
- English Proverb

Favorite Food:

Tea and crumpets

Interests:

Chatting, macrame, collecting teacups

November 19 2008

Cyber Bullying Forum

Ever since Jax returned to the Detention Center, she's been a different gal. I always knew she had a sweet, considerate side but she'd been hiding it behind her "cyber bully" identity for so long, I was worried she might never come back to herself. Last year's events really opened her eyes and she's turned a new leaf.

Jax recently came to me with an idea to develop a cyber bullying forum where people can talk about their cyber bullying experiences and discuss strategies and solutions together. She thinks one of the reasons she turned to cyber bullying was because she was painfully shy and didn't know how else to relate to people. She'd like this forum to be a place where both bullies and victims can share how bullying makes them feel, so that everyone can learn how to treat people better.

It'll be a big challenge to make sure the forum is a safe, friendly environment and that people behave themselves, especially since cyber bullying is such a touchy subject. Jax is very dedicated to this project, and I think her passion will help her overcome those challenges. I'm very pleased to help her develop such a great tool.

posted by Betty
topics: Miscellaneous

November 18 2008

Safe Online Communication: Content Filters

Content filters, also known as censorware or Web filtering software, are used in Web browsers to control what content or Web sites can be viewed. They are frequently used by parents, schools, and companies to limit what people can access from their computers.

These programs work by scanning sites for specific words and blocking content or sites that are inappropriate, violent, or hateful. Some can even block every site except a list of safe ones that the user enters on their own.

Content filters add an extra layer of defense to your computer and protect you from stumbling across Web sites and images that might make you uncomfortable or scared. To keep these sites from showing up in your search results, many search engines have a Safe Search option, usually under Preferences or Settings.

You can also use a search engine designed especially for kids, which comes with built in content filters. SearchEngineWatch.com has a good list of search engines for kids.

posted by Betty
topics: Safe Online Communication

November 10 2008

Safe Blogging Training

As part of this year's new security policy, all Cadets are required to complete Safe Blogging Training before they can have an Academy blog. Cadets who had blogs last year are not allowed to resume posting until they have completed the training. While the security risks with last year's blogs were minimal, the Academy faculty felt that with cyber villains still at large and able to access the blogs it would be best if everyone had a refresher course on what is and isn't safe to post.

Officer Ward and I have been conducting the training sessions and we are both very pleased with the Cadets. There were initial complaints when people found out that they weren't allowed to access their blogs, but everyone agreed that their security was much more important.

Dana even suggested that everyone have a "bloggy buddy," a friend who will keep an eye on their blog and tell them if something is risky, because we need to watch out for our friends and help keep them safe, too. I am going to ask Commander Omni if she can add this to the official security policy.

So far, it looks like everyone is on track to have their blogs back in the Spring!

posted by Betty
topics: Miscellaneous

November 4 2008

Netiquette: Forum Trolls

Forum Trolls are people who post rude or mean comments on Internet forums for the sole purpose of upsetting or insulting people and disrupting the forum environment.

The name "troll" comes from the fishing term "trolling" or trailing bait through a certain spot hoping for a bite. Forum Trolls are simply using insults or harmful statements as bait to try and get people to react. Trolls can be relatively easy to spot: they will often post things anonymously that have no relevance to the conversation or are a very extreme point of view.

For most Forum Trolls, any response is exactly what they are searching for, whether politely asking them to stop or angrily telling them to shut up. They often like to start an argument by posting something intentionally controversial and then sit back and watch it play out. Being able to control a group's conversation like this gives them a sense of power. The best way to take that power away from them is to ignore them entirely and report the abuse to the forum moderator.

posted by Betty
topics: Netiquette