By Todd L.
National Cyber Security Awareness Month

Today’s tech tip comes via a listener in Greeley, Colorado:

“Hi, Todd. Long-time listener, first-time caller. First off, great show, love the music, catch you whenever I can. Second, I thought you might want to know that October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month. Let’s keep those kiddos safe out there!” – BD

Thanks, BD!

We often hear of such “official-awareness-month” campaigns. For example, October is also Liver Awareness Month, when we contemplate the largest and most beret-like gland in our bodies.

For parents and educators, Cyber Security Awareness Month isn’t just another face in the awareness crowd. This is a reminder that computers–and use of the Internet–are an integral part of kids’ lives today. We have the opportunity–nay, the responsibility!–to teach kids responsible use: a balance of curiosity and wariness.

Many K-8 teachers used a curriculum developed by the CyberSmart! Education Company. This same curriculum was picked up by the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center and given to the apparently award-winning theater-for-instruction troupe Plays For Living, which created a play for teaching elementary kids about computer and Internet safety entitled, “Cyber Smart in Cyber Space.”

A performance of this play is available for download, and you can use it to present to your kids if you choose. However, the video quality is mediocre, and the presentation was a bit dorky and a bit long (play 35 min+, entire presentation 1 hour). The main ideas are:

1. The Internet is the sum of the connections of computers all over the world, not a physical place.
2. Safeguard your private info like full name, school, phone and address; don’t share it online.
3. Safeguard your computer passwords; don’t tell anyone.
4. Email you get from people you don’t know can have viruses that harm your computer; don’t open them.
5. “In-person” rules of manners and actions apply to online communication (if you wouldn’t do it in “real life,” don’t do it online).

The sum of today’s Tech Tip is this: when you take your class to use the computers in the library, or when you mention that they can look up something online at home or at the libraries, please take a moment to mention one of these points of Internet safety. It is 30 seconds once in a while, but from all of us over the months it adds up to smarter computer use by the kids.

“But, Todd,” you say, “there are only a few days left in October. Shouldn’t we have been focusing on this all month?” Great point, hypothetical reader! But here at Todd’s Tech Tip, we like to think outside the box. That’s why this message comes late in the month, and isn’t a really a computer tip, and hopefully will provide a springboard for discussing “cyber security” with kids not just in October but all year long.

Todd

P.S. Beret or liver? YOU decide!