Sunday, January 27, 2013

Data Privacy Day 2013: MyPrivacy Matters


Today people still value their privacy only it is harder to come by.

January 28, 2013 is Data Privacy Day.

Data Privacy Day is an effort to empower people to protect their privacy and control their digital footprint and escalate the protection of privacy and data as everyone’s priority.

With the recent headlines about Catfish (and not the fish you eat for dinner) as well as predators online, privacy should be a priority on every person that has a keypad or keyboard–especially those with children that surf online.

Why privacy matters?

Did you know approximately 500,000 children had their identities stolen last year?  They haven’t even applied for their own credit card yet and their credit could potentially be destroyed!

Why privacy matters?

Exposed data could potentially put your family at risk.  Protecting your own personal information is vital, because stalkers and thieves can use your information to help them harass or endanger your family members.

If you aren’t taking steps to protect your identity and your privacy, who is?  There are steps you can do yourself or you can hire a service to handle this for you.

My personal favorite is Reputation.com/MyPrivacy – (I am not a spokesperson for them, and I don’t get referral fees) I am a satisfied client since 2006 with their services.  There are many other online reputation and privacy companies out there, at this point, however this is the one I believe is the best. 

No matter where you go – just be sure you are proactive in protecting you and your loved ones virtually.

Friday, January 18, 2013

Microsoft Safer Online Teen Challenge

Every parent worries about their children both online and off.

Who are they talking to online?  Are they chatting with strangers?  What information are they sharing?  Does your teen or child know the boundaries?

Let’s face it, you can never be safe enough or secure enough–there is always something new to learn!

Encourage your teens to participate in The Safer Online Teen Challenge by Microsoft!

The Challenge is an interactive contest where teens can teach others how to manage their digital lifestyle by creating a song, video, skit or other original work. It’s a perfect way for teens to put their own spin on how they navigate digital safety.

Here’s how it works:

• Teens ages 13 to 18 (where applicable), select an online safety topic from either the Microsoft Safety & Security Center or the “Resources” tab of the Safer Online by Microsoft Facebook page.
• They create their work of art (using one of Microsoft’s five categories: skit/presentation, video, story/cartoon, song, survey) and submit their entry by April 12 on the Challenge website.
• Then, Microsoft’s Safer Online Facebook fans will vote to select the winners of each category. Microsoft will post the winning entries on their website and the winners will receive prizes like tablets, gaming systems and more.

Follow the Microsoft Safety Team on Twitter.

Saturday, January 12, 2013

30 Blogs About Keeping Kids Safe Online

Should you allow your child to watch the news or go on Facebook?  At what point is it okay and healthy for your child to learn about current events?  Could the media your kids watch be the cause of mass violence?  When it comes to kids’ exposure to the media, these questions are all ones that need to be considered.

In the following 30 blog entries, the bloggers go into some depth about studies and recommendations regarding the relationship between your kids and media exposure, and explore the possible pros and cons of your kids’ involvement with media.

Studies
Scientists play an active role in helping parents learn about how media affects kid’s health.  If you are looking for answers of your own, review these five blog posts to see what their studies revealed.
Use
How are kids using media these days?  You might be surprised when you read a bit more about it.  These five blog entries will shed some light on media use in kids.
Recommendations
What can parents do about how much time their kids spend using media?  How much time is appropriate?  These answers and more can be found on the following five blog posts.
Pros
Here are five blog articles that have noted some benefits of kids using social media and blogging.  If you have concerns, you might want to read through the benefits that have been laid out by these bloggers.
Cons
These five blog posts provide some details about why social media may be bad for kids, and outline some of the reasons that their usage is considered risky behavior. Once you’ve read these you can weigh the good with the bad and make your own decisions about media use.
Violence
Social media, news stories and violent video games have all been tied to violent acts by kids.  See what is being said about these events in these five blog entries.  The more information you have the better choices about media use you can make.
Sources: National Nannies

Follow me on Twitter and join me on Facebook for more informational articles on parenting and Internet safety.

Saturday, January 5, 2013

Community Empowerment Series Session One! Stacey Honowitz Celebrity Speaker! Tickets On Sale Now!

St. Augustine, Fla.— St. Johns County is privileged to be featuring celebrity parenting experts that will be speaking on topics that will empower us to continue to have one of the best counties in Florida. The three forums will be held in February, March and April and will feature some of the leading experts in the field of parenting, cyber bullying, online predators, and much more.
Tickets for the three events can be purchased online at www.communityempowermentseries.com.

Parents are encouraged to bring their children, and grandparents, school counselors, educators and anyone that wants to make our community a safer place for kids should attend the series.

“Education is knowledge and power that help us to keep our kids safe,” said Sue Scheff, a local author and parent advocate. “Having three of the best speakers coming to St. Johns County is an honor and opportunity for everyone.”

The purpose of the Community Empowerment Series is to strengthen our community and enrich our parents, teachers and everyone working with our children to be safer and kinder- both online and off. This series is providing parents with how-to’s on some of the most important issues facing children today.

The three part series will be held at the IMAX Theatre in World Golf Village. Stacey Honowitz, who has been featured on Good Morning America, Larry King Live, and Dateline NBC, will be speaking on February 2nd about the media and sex cases, along with how to talk to young kids about private parts. Session two will take place on March 9th and will feature Dr. Michele Borba speaking on peer pressure, bullying and cyber-stalking. Dr. Borba has authored dozens of books and has made appearances on Dr. Phil, The View, The Doctors, FOX News and many more. Theresa Payton will lead session three on April 27th and will talk about internet safety. Payton is a former White House Chief Information Officer and has a weekly segment on North Carolina’s WBTV about protecting your cyberturf.

State Attorney R.J. Larizza will be presenting Stacey Honowitz on February 2nd.

The Community Empowerment Series is being sponsored by The St. Augustine Record and First Coast News and supported by the St. Johns Sheriff’s Department.

For more sponsorship information and more information visit www.communityempowermentseries.com.