National Missing and Exploited Children: Digital Citizenship / Cyberbullying

*8/31/16,  The NM & Exploited Children's website is a great resource for families, schools, Day Care providers, and  faith communities.  Please share this information and their website. Rich Coleman, CPAM

Cyberbullying is just what it sounds like - bullying through Internet applications and technologies such as instant messaging (IM), social networking sites, and cell phones. It can start easily—with a rumor, a photo, or a forwarded message—and just as easily spiral out of control. An embarrassing video posted to a social networking site by someone in Kansas tonight may be watched by someone in Japan tomorrow. Cyberbullying victims may be targeted anywhere, at any time. 

Common Forms of Cyberbullying [1]

• Flaming and Trolling – sending or posting hostile messages intended to “inflame” the emotions of others
• Happy-Slapping – recording someone being harassed or bullied in a way that usually involves physical abuse, then posting the video online for public viewing
• Identity Theft/Impersonation – stealing someone’s password and/or hijacking their online accounts to send or post incriminating or humiliating pictures, videos, or information
• Photoshopping – doctoring digital images so that the main subject is placed in a compromising or embarrassing situation
• Physical Threats – sending messages that involve threats to a person’s physical safety
• Rumor Spreading – spreading gossip through e-mail, text messaging, or social networking sites

Signs Your Child May Be a Victim of Cyberbullying

• Avoids the computer, cell phone, and other technological devices or appears stressed when receiving an e-mail, instant message, or text
• Withdraws from family and friends or acts reluctant to attend school and social events
• Avoids conversations about computer use
• Exhibits signs of low self-esteem including depression and/or fear
• Has declining grades
• Has poor eating or sleeping habits
  
  

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  [1] Hinduja, S., Patchin J. Bullying Beyond the Schoolyard: Preventing and Responding to Cyberbullying. Thousand Oaks: Corwin Press, 2009.

* For more information on this topic please access the link below from the National Missing and Exploited website.

NetSmartz - Cyberbullying prevention tips

 

Federal Trade Commission ( FTC) : When / What to do if your computer life is held for ransom

August 31, 2016

by Aditi Jhaveri ,Consumer Education Specialist, FTC              

Imagine if everything on your computer was “kidnapped” — including all of your precious family photos and important personal documents. And the only way you could access any of it again was if you paid a lot of money — or bitcoins — to a hacker. Even if you pay, there’s no guarantee you’ll get your stuff back.

Sounds like something out of a movie, right? Unfortunately, it’s happening in real life. It’s called ransomware. You might’ve heard news stories about ransomware attacks on hospitals, universities, and other large organizations, too.

Hackers do it by encrypting files on your computer — and files you’ve saved to connected hard drives or any shared folders. Once the files are encrypted you won’t be able to open them without the encryption key — which you can get only if you pay the amount hackers demand. That could be hundreds or thousands of dollars.

It’s a serious problem. That’s why the FTC is holding a ransomware event on September 7 in Washington, DC. We’ll talk with security experts, law enforcers, and others about what steps people and businesses can take to protect their computers — and what to do if you’re a victim.

Check out the event details — it’s free and open to the public. Or tune in to the webcast — we’ll post the link here a few minutes before the event starts.

In the meantime, check out this video on protecting your computer from malware:

FTC video - What to do When your computer is held for ransom

 

Gary Bubar, AAA Insurance Public Affairs Specialist: School's Open Drive Carefully

In a few weeks, over 1.5 million Michigan children will be making their way back to schools across our state.  Safely transporting students to and from school every day is an ongoing challenge.  For that reason, we invite you to join AAA in reminding everyone that “School’s Open – Drive Carefully.”

 For over seventy years, AAA has reminded motorists that with the start of another school year, traffic patterns and volume will be changing as children will be moving along streets, roads and neighborhoods.   Across the country, 309 children were killed and another 11,000 injured as pedestrians last year.  AAA’s traffic safety message from 1946 still resonates. Reminding motorists to slow down and stay alert continues to be an important message to start the school year with.

We invite you to join us in helping promote these Six Back to School Safe Driving Reminders:

Slow down – give yourself time to react.

Eliminate distractions – focus on driving.

Look before you back up – check first for children and obstacles.

Stop means stop – come to a complete stop at intersections where required.

Bicycles are vehicles too – give cyclists plenty of room and be ready for the unexpected.

Talk to teens – 25% of all teen crashes occur between 4-7pm. 

School’s Open – Drive Carefully info:

www.exchange.aaa.com/safety/child-safety/schools-open-drive-carefully/#.V6jjLnKV-70

Pedestrian safety info:

www.exchange.aaa.com/safety/pedestrian-safety/#.V6jkcXKV-70

Pedestrian safety infographic:

www.exchange.aaa.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Pedestrian-Safety-2015.jpg

Bicycle safety info:

www.exchange.aaa.com/safety/bicycle-safety/#.V6jkLHKV-70

Bicycle Safety infographic:

www.exchange.aaa.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Share-The-Road-2014-Infographic-LG.jpg

Additional AAA traffic safety info:

www.newsroom.aaa.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/PublicAffairs_Facts_2012.pdf

Please feel free to contact me at any time for additional information. Thank you for your dedication to traffic safety in your community.

Safe travels.

Gary Bubar | Public Affairs Specialist, Michigan

	AAA - The Auto Club Group 1 Auto Club Drive Dearborn, MI  48126 (313) 336-0974 ofc gtbubar@aaamichigan.com