What are search engines?
Search engines are websites that help you find information online.
How does it work?
Search engines index web pages and rate them in terms of relevancy on all possible topics. So when you type in a subject and hit "search" the most relevant website will appear at the top of the list. Paid advertising websites can appear first.
What's great about search engines?
You can type in a question or subject and thousands of results can appear.
What do you need to keep in mind if your children are making use of search engines?
Remind your children that just because information is on the Internet, this doesn't make it accurate.
Want to know more about search engines?
Check out the sites:
Other great search engines for children include:
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What is it?
Sexting is the act of sending sexually explicit messages or photos electronically, primarily between mobile phones. It is illegal for anyone to take sexual photos of children and young people, and it is also an offence to pass them on - even if they were taken and sent by other underage children.
How does it work?
Because more children have mobile phones with camera functions, more kids are sending photo messages to each other. Some times sexting is the result of a prank, such as taking a photo in the change rooms to embarrass a student, or it can be images sent between girlfriend and boyfriend. They are often forwarded on to other people, with the photographer and the victim unable to control where the pictures go.
Sexting can lead to cyber bullying, humiliation and even sexual assault.
What do you need to tell your child about sexting?
- Warn your child about the consequences of sexting.
- Remind them to think before they act.
- Tell your child that sending or possessing sexually explicit photos of underage people is illegal.
- Warn them about sexual predators.
- Learn how to use and monitor your child's mobile phone.
- Check the photo galleries on their Facebook and MySpace accounts.
- Give your child clear rules on what they can and can't do with their mobile phone.
Want to know more about sexting?
For further information call Parent Line 1300 1300 52 or visit www.community.nsw.gov.au
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What is SMS?
SMS stands for Short Messaging Service. It is also known as a text message sent from mobile phone to mobile phone.
How does it work?
All mobile phones have the ability to send SMS. Users create a new message using the key pad and send it to a number from their contacts list or just type the number in directly.
What's great about SMS?
It is cheap and can be used to send important messages when you don't have the time to talk or when it's too noisy.
What do you need to keep in mind if your children are SMSing?
Let your child know there is still a cost attached to this service, so large bills will arrive if your child is a big texter. Encourage them to only text when necessary.
Want to know more about SMS?
Go to your mobile phone providers website to view charges:
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What are they?
Social networking sites are websites that expand your group of friends by making it easy to meet your friends' friends. These are websites used to socialise, such as MySpace, Bebo and Facebook.
How do they work?
All you need to do is sign up to a social networking site and you will receive a profile page to do whatever you like with. Once your friends find your page, they can add you as a friend. You can also look through your friends' friends and ask them to be your friend. You can look on any of your friends' profile pages. Users have the ability to block others from being their friends and to block others from seeing their profile page. These sites are blocked from being accessed in NSW Public Schools.
What's great about social networking sites?
These sites are great places to meet up with friends, make new friends and post photos and stories.
What do you need to keep in mind if your child is registered on a social networking site?
Discuss with your child what they go on these sites for - who they talk to, what they like about it. Other things to keep in mind:
- Remind them to never give out private information like their full name, age or address
- Make sure they stick to the age rules of the various sites - if they are under the limit, they should wait until they are old enough. Age restrictions are in place for a reason
- Remind them that anything they put on their profiles can be seen by all of their friends (and the rest of the world depending on settings), so only put up things they are proud of
- Be careful when making new friends online - they might not be who they say they are, and your child shouldn't meet any new online friends without a trusted adult present
- If your child comes across anything that makes them uncomfortable, encourage them to talk to you about it straight away.
Want to know more about social networking sites?
Check out these sites for yourself:
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