INTERNET SURVIVAL: PROTECTING YOUR PRIVACY

Privacy is something that you don't realize you need until you've lost it. Here are some ways to maintain your privacy and relative safety on the internet.

You may be sharing more than just a few cute photos when you post an image on the internet. GPS enabled phones can capture images that can accurately reveal your location. All it takes is a few right clicks of a mouse for someone to copy the coordinates, paste them into Google maps and then map the shortest route to view that loved one or prized possession in person. With social network status lines, you could be revealing your CURRENT location and inviting untold numbers of strangers to join you. It’s important to be aware of this even when well-meaning family members are taking pictures of your children.

This video shows you how to disable the GPS tag on your phone photos.

This video covers some of the other dangers to revealing your location to strangers.

It is best if you don’t make public your full legal name, street address, date of birth, telephone number, or Social Security number.

If asked for your name, use initials. Scramble the letters of your name, use nicknames etc. This precaution will also give you a head's-up if you receive spam. If someone addresses you by anything other than your actual name, you will know that this is not someone you know personally.

Never make your street address public. If it is required, offer only what is necessary. Some sites only require a state or region. Adjust your security settings to keep this information private. Only make online purchases from trusted vendors as you will have to give them your address for shipping purposes.

Keep your birth date private. Sites that require your birth date often do so in order to insure you are an adult. If their security is breached, this is a key piece of personal information that someone could use to guess your social security number. Check your security settings and be sure this information is private. Consider using an online birth date that includes your birth year and an alternative month and date. Or you could use your actual month and date with the year previous or following your actual birth year. This will give the host an accurate gauge of your age without opening you up to unnecessary snooping.

Don’t reveal your home telephone number. Refrain from offering this and keep security settings private if it is included in an online profile. If someone discovers your telephone number and knows your full name and birth date, it is possible for them to use these items to add unauthorized charges to your bill.

Your social security number shouldn’t be given out unless it is absolutely necessary and to a verified financial or medical institution that you called. Always ask if you can offer an alternative number. Decline to give your number to someone that calls you.

Protect portable electronic devices with passwords. Use upper and lower case letters, numbers, and symbols. Don’t tell your device to remember your user name and password. Don’t store financial information on portable devices. Always log off when you’re finished. If your laptop or phone is lost, it’s harder for someone to access your personal information or clean out your accounts.

Internet safety is basically taking the time to cultivate good habits. Posting something on the internet is just like putting something on a very public bulletin board. The time you take now to develop these habits will protect you and your family later.

Bonus tool for readers with children:
Here’s one of my favorite tools for school aged children that want to do internet research. Make Quintura for Kids the home page on your internet browser. This search engine filters out undesirable "adult" content and reviews approved sites regularly. We’ve used it successfully at our house and recommend it to other households with children. It provides a safe way for kids to do searches without awful content and images surprising them. Try Quintura for Kids out for yourself at quinturakids.com.

Note: Quintura won’t prevent users from going to inappropriate internet addresses that they know how to get to. You’ll need another type of filtering service for that application. Check out this article for some additional suggestions for user accountability helps.

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DEBI PEARL'S 2ND BOOK ON CHILD SAFETY: SARAH SUE LEARNS TO YELL AND TELL

A children's book about how to stay safe from predators isn't the first choice on most parent's shopping list. We want our children to remain innocent and not live in fear. Isn't part of protecting them shielding them from information about predators?

At first, it sounds reasonable to avoid unpleasant topics with our children. Then I recall how we learned fun rhymes and songs to reinforce safety lessons when I was a child. I can remember being taught how to cross a street LONG before I was ever allowed to cross by myself. Someone decided that knowing how to stop, drop and roll if my clothing caught fire was vital to my well-being . . . . just in case. We weren't allowed to play with matches, but a big talking bear reminded us that only WE could prevent forest fires. We didn't even live near a forest!

That's why I'm so glad to see a children's book that does this same thing. SARA SUE LEARNS TO YELL AND TELL promotes a positive message to children that there are things they can do to stay safe. Without being graphic or going into lurid details, this book encourages children that are approached to immediately alert someone. Debi Pearl's latest children's book gives little ones confidence that God is on their side and there IS something they can do. It's comforting to tell children that there IS a way to respond and they CAN tell someone who will listen.

SARA SUE LEARNS TO YELL AND TELL is a book that reinforces safety for children growing up in today's world. Decades ago, the dangers were different. Today, human trafficking and child predators are common. These hunters hide in plain sight, and they know how to target vulnerable children.

Debi's book helps me remind my children of the ways they can avoid looking like an easy target. Reading SARA SUE with them opens up a dialogue so that they know it's safe to come to me and talk about these issues. The rhyming verse and colorful images are both appealing and entertaining for children. The helps in the back of the book are an encouragement to parents that we needn't be afraid, just prepared.

I'm very grateful that this grandmother took the time to not just teach these lessons to her own family, but that she has reached out to help keep other children safe as well.

Click the button to order:

SARA SUE LEARNS TO YELL AND TELL can be a lifeline to children that don't know how to respond to threats. Senator Scott Brown describes what happened to him as a child.

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FIVE POINTS FOR PERSONAL SAFETY

Personal safety has a lot to do with not taking unnecessary risks. While there’s no guarantee that you will never be in an emergency situation, you can take steps to discourage attackers and make rescue more likely. This is an abbreviated list of some things you can do to stay a little safer as you move from place to place.

PREPARATION
• Leave written details of your travel plans with two trusted friends who will notify searchers if you deviate from your itinerary.
• Carry a noisemaker like an electronic device, personal alarm or a whistle. If you have one, use the car alarm button on your key chain.
• Carry a heavy duty flashlight, pepper spray, or even a walking stick. Check laws in your area. In the event of an attack, be prepared to use your choice of device or it could be used against you.

POCKETS
• Avoid carrying a purse or wallet. These are targeted by thieves.
• Use several front pockets for valuables to avoid total loss if robbed.
• Keep emergency money in unexpected places such as shoes, bra, money belt, etc.
• Carry purse or backpack on arm opposite the roadway to make it more difficult for a motorist or bike rider to grab.

PEOPLE
• Walk with confidence keeping your head up, eyes at nose level, alert and with purpose. Attackers look for easy, fearful targets.
• Don’t engage in conflicts that can escalate into physical contact. Criminals sometimes work in packs and try to manipulate someone with a quick temper into striking first. Later, they claim that their assault on your person was self-defense. When you have the option, walk away rather than fight.
• Don’t travel alone. Have at least one other person for a walking partner.
• Treat people with respect. Arrogant strutting alienates people that could help you.
• Be willing to learn. Ask questions, seek advice from locals.
• Express gratitude. Say thank you.
• Don’t wear expensive clothing and jewelry unless necessary.
• Avoid drawing attention to breasts, belly or thighs by wearing garments that expose them. Wise clothing choices keep you from being overly attractive to predators and give you freedom to access more locations that may have a dress code. Collared shirts (not sleeveless) and long pants are a good choice for men.

PLACES
• Be aware of your surroundings. Dark lonely places are best avoided. Stay in well lit, populated areas. This is a safer route, even if it takes a bit longer.
• If you see criminal activity occurring, leave the area. Some authorities arrest everyone and ask questions later.
• Public transportation and crowded areas require heightened awareness. These places allow people to jostle and bump into you – perfect opportunities for a thief.
• Don’t tune out. Wearing a headset cuts you off from your surroundings, making it easy for an attacker to sneak up on you. When walking alone, don’t listen to electronic devices.

PROTECTION
• Learn some simple, easily performed defense tactics. You don't need to know how to beat an attacker, only how to buy yourself enough time to get away.
• MAKE NOISE if assaulted. Attackers hate attention-making noise. Don't underestimate the power of one person who may come to your aid if they hear you.
• Practice yelling at top volume. Tell what is happening, give lots of details and describe your attacker while yelling “Call 911!” Repeat these as often as possible as a command. Witnesses don’t always know what to do and are more likely to respond to instructions than to pleas for help. Your assailants may be so stunned to hear you describe them that they run away.

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These short videos below feature Captain Steve Pearl
who elaborates on more safety measures that anyone can employ.

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INCREASE LEARNING WITH FUN

Learning in a secure environment is further reinforced when you raise the level of intensity (fun or excitement), repeat the activity and find ways to capture the student’s attention for a sustained period of time. One of the goals of effective instruction is to find a way to incorporate these qualities and thereby increase learning.

Institutions of learning don’t always make room for these elements. However advertisers and students of human nature are free to pursue them. A major car company recently began a contest to see who could develop the best innovation that would make a task fun and promote changed behavior. By making the tasks enjoyable, the desired behaviors were reinforced, encouraging the participants to sustain the activity and repeat it often. The very design of the project promoted learning and – over time – changes in behavior.

Why would this be of interest to you? It is because these things will enhance your learning as you attempt to acquire new skills. Whether the skills fall into the category of rustic living, herbs or natural medicine, one of the keys to survival is preparedness and education. However, that education will be hindered if your planning is characterized by a sense of fear rather than a sense of adventure. Also, no one wants to practice skills that are overwhelming and drudgery.

Take the time to relax and create some family adventure and fun together. Pursue these things as a hobby. Discover the wonders of nature that surround you. What common and useful plants are growing in your area? Take a few excursions. Pitch in to help others with their learning projects. Organize a class with friends. Make it a social time as well as a learning time. Focus on a particular skill and host a workshop or a contest in your own back yard. Your family will be enriched with the fun and memories while you are gaining information that is an investment in your future. Become a creative student and re-discover the joy of learning.

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HERE ARE THREE OF THE EXAMPLES OF THE FUN THEORY PROJECTS:

In this first example, the goal was to increase the use of trash receptacles by members of the public. Watch to see how they found a way to make using a trash can so much fun that a boy is seen looking for more trash to place inside the bin.




Here, the object was to increase bottles placed into the recycling bin. A few flashing lights later, a crowd gathered to cheer on their fellow recyclers.




We all know that taking the stairs is better for us than taking the escalator. In this video watch the time elapsed footage that shows a dramatic shift in use of the stairs when the steps are creatively covered.

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TIPS TO AVOID CHILD ABDUCTION

A mother was recently stunned to be reunited with her daughter. The young woman had been kidnapped as a child 20 years ago. Her case is not the only one of its kind as children are abducted and held against their will worldwide. We all want to believe that we live in a place where these things couldn’t possibly happen. However, one of the ways we best protect ourselves and our children is to prepare for the worst and live within guidelines designed to contribute to that safety.

THE LIE YOU WANT TO BELIEVE
The most dangerous lie is the one you want to believe. These are lies that you believe because the truth would be uncomfortable. “Do what I say and you won’t get hurt,” is a lie as old as the father of lies. You want to believe that you will not get hurt, so many people will obediently comply and face terrible consequences. The same thing happens when parents think that safety guidelines don’t apply to their own circumstance. To imagine that their child might be taken is nightmarish.

BUT I DON’T WANT TO LIVE IN FEAR
One way parents and children can better secure themselves is by accepting that we live in a world where predators look for easy prey. Children can be taught how to make themselves less of a target and what to do if the unthinkable occurs. Rather than traumatizing a child, these measures can give the child the confidence he or she needs to act quickly in an emergency and AVOID danger.

USE EVERYDAY EXPERIENCES
Talk to your child about who qualifies as a stranger. Running errands to the grocery store, the library, the bank, the park, or any other routine outing can be used to reinforce and teach important lessons.

• Point out strangers that can be trusted if your child is in danger or needs help.
• Play, “Who is a stranger” with your child. Remind them that strangers don’t always look frightening or creepy or old. Sometimes bigger children will victimize smaller children.
• Identify safe places a child could run to if they need help: stores, restaurants, homes of friends or family members, libraries, community centers, local police stations, etc.
• Observe people and talk about the difference between someone that is well-mannered and someone that is overly familiar. Help them identify when someone is ‘too’ nice or eerily perfect.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION YOUR CHILD SHOULD KNOW
• A stranger is someone they do not know.
• They should never go with someone they do not know (not even walking in the same direction), even if they seem nice.
• Never go into a house, building or car with a stranger, no matter if they promise a reward, toy, candy or anything else, not even if the stranger knows their name. Yell “NO!” and run away.
• It’s okay to hit and hurt an adult if you feel you are in danger. It isn’t rude or bad to run for help.
• A child should never help adults who claim to be in trouble and in need of assistance. Yell, “NO!” Get away and go for help. Adults can ask adults for help. An adult has no business asking someone else’s child for help.

Avoid suspicious scenarios such as:
* Someone with a leash looking for a lost puppy.
* Someone needing directions.
* Adults asking a child for help with a broken down car.
* Someone asking for help to find something in a car or house.

• Consider using a secret word so that a child knows you sent a trusted adult. If a stranger (or other person) knows the child’s name, but not the secret word, the child should refuse to go with him/her. Change the word often.
• Always tell the child if someone else will be picking them up or giving them a ride, and tell the child who that person will be.
• They should never accept gifts from a stranger. Candy or toys, etc. Unless you are present and give permission. Anything offered when parents are not there should be refused. These items can be used as lures. Sometimes candy is drugged, or something is placed in or on the gift that will harm the child.
• They should trust their instincts. If something feels weird about a situation, they should run away. They should run for help if they feel scared. RUN – don’t walk – to the nearest safe place and TELL SOMEONE THEY NEED HELP.
• It is more important to be safe than it is to be polite. Better safe than sorry.
• Three R’s – Recognize, Respond and Report any stranger that makes them feel unsafe – IMMEDIATLEY.

ROLE PLAY; MAKE IT A GAME
• Pretend to be a stranger asking for directions or help to find a lost pet.
• Show the children how to keep a safe distance – beyond arm’s reach.
• How to run away if the stranger gets too close or grabs another child. Go get help right away.
• How to yell and scream effectively to attract the most attention.
• How to flail and kick effectively to break an abductor’s grip.
• Teach them how to claw the stranger’s eyes, ears, nose or mouth.

TEACH CHILDREN TO BE A DIFFICULT TARGET
• Teach children to look out for each other and stay together.
• Train children to never go with those who invite them to leave the group.
• Always walk or play with a safe buddy or in a group.
• Require children to check with you first before leaving your home or some other location.
• Organize parents in your neighborhood to teach their children these tips.

If these guidelines and information are incorporated as part of daily living, your child should not be traumatized. These items can be taught just as parents teach their children to wear seatbelts, watch for traffic and wash their hands before eating to safeguard their physical well-being.

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