Concerns - The Internet

It is important to stress at the outset that, due to the nature of the technology and the uses and abuses to which it is put, it is not possible to guarantee the safety of all children using the Internet, the World-Wide Web or other on-line services. However, with appropriate precautions, it should be possible to greatly minimise the risks involved. It is widely believed that the potential benefits of using this technology far outweigh any risks involved.
It is vital, however, that in each home where there is Internet access available to children, Internet Safety must be considered. Attention should be given to privileges and responsibilities associated with Internet and on-line service usage. This should involve all participants, parents and children. The penalties for breaching the code must be made known clearly to all.

The following are a set of typical questions and answers that might arise.

How can I guard against the children accessing pornographic or abusive material? What are my options in this regard?

· Ensure that appropriate blocking/filtering software is installed in conjunction with the computer; Internet access software. This software, while not entirely foolproof, will greatly reduce the risk of deliberate or inadvertent access to undesirable material. Seek advice from the retailer or your Internet Service Provider (ISP).
· Do not permit Internet sessions without monitoring of the children's activities.
· Don't allow unmonitored chat room sessions to take place.
· Don't permit the opening of e-mail attachments from unsolicited or unknown sources.
· Learn about the World Wide Web and seek advice from the retailer and your ISP about safe sites and resources on the Web. Direct on-line sessions towards those resources only.
· Don't permit registration or the signing of visitor's books at Web sites without permission

What, if any, are the dangers inherent in giving the children access to the Internet?

Any dangers inherent in Internet use can be compared to similar risks associated with other electronic media. Adequate supervision is vital, as it would be in the case of a child's television or video viewing. Controlling access to the sites and services used and ensuring that children act responsibly while on-line are important steps in the process. Children should be informed that their on-line activities will be monitored and that they are accountable for their behaviour.

There are three main categories of risk associated with Internet usage:
· Exposure to illegal and/or harmful images and text, whether violent, hate- based or of a sexual nature.
· Receiving messages which are demeaning, threatening or in other ways disturbing to the well-being of the child.
· Being lured into a physical encounter that might threaten the safety and well being of the child. Cases have been reported where paedophiles have used the Internet to initiate contact with a child, gain the child's confidence and ultimately to arrange a face-to-face meeting.

Are there any other dangers in children commencing a correspondence with an anonymous email addressee?

It is vital that any set of household rules contains a set of guidelines on Internet sessions, Internet Relay Chat (IRC), or e-mail correspondence. This should include the following:
· No personal information about the child or the family will be disclosed without parental permission.
· Any encounter with information or a message that threatens, demeans or otherwise makes the child feel uncomfortable must be reported to the parent. On no account should a response be made to such a message.
· On no account should a child make arrangements for an unsupervised meeting with any other on-line correspondent without permission.
· If permission is obtained, any meeting should take place supervised and in a public place.
· Pictures or images, which might assist in identifying an individual, should not be transmitted without permission.
· Use of a full or last name in on-line correspondence should not occur without permission.

What precautions should be taken with regard to a website?

Families who are considering developing a website to include personal details should take note of the following guidelines:
· The material published on the Web should also contain a notice prohibiting the copying of this work without expressed written permission.
· Consider it carefully before the home address, telephone number, contact details or personal information should appear with such material.
· The child should get the parental permission prior to publishing this material.
· It is a good idea to use large group photographs on the website.
· Portrait style or small group photographs should be avoided.
· If the webpage is inviting contact from other Internet users, use an email address accessible by a parent/guardian

The safety Precautions that are taken in the school to prevent exposure to unwelcome material via the Internet

It is important that a sense of perspective is maintained in regard to Internet content and activity. Unwelcome material constitutes only a portion of the information available. In time there will be much more school-related on-line applications. The school is presently developing a Web Site which, it is hoped will become an important resource for students and parents. It is intended that there will be a special page providing information for parents.

· It is intended to put an On-line Policy in place for all teachers intending to use the Internet.
· The school is allowed only 5 hours of free Internet access per week and therefore be assured this small amount of free time will not be wasted through unsupervised or unproductive Internet activity.
· Internet access is not left open after school hours or during breaks for potential misuse. All teachers are acutely aware of the issues concerning potential harmful use of the Internet and carefully monitor pupils work.

How can I guard against an escalating telephone bill in relation to the use of the Internet?

For personal/home users, Internet access will be charged at the rate of a local call if the ISP point-of-presence is within the local call area. Charges for ISDN circuits may be higher. It may be desirable to put time limits on Internet sessions to keep costs to a minimum. Some blocking/filtering software includes a facility to set time-of-day restrictions and can automatically set time limits on sessions.
Parents and Children should be aware of the cost of Internet access during daytime hours, which is considerably higher than the widely advertised weekend and evening Internet access telephone costs. Note that a lot of computer work in connection with Internet use can be done "off-line", i.e., in advance of or after the actual connection is made. This makes connection time shorter and more productive. Do not remain connected to the ISP unless an active session is in progress.

What are some of the other issues I should be aware of in this regard?

These are the main issues of concern.
Cases of on-line credit card fraud perpetrated by children have been known, for example. There is a significant amount of business that is done over the Internet much this involves the use of credit cards. Many pornographic sites seek credit card payment. This presents one of the most serious dangers for parents.

More Internet Information

The first report of the Working Group on the Illegal and Harmful Use of the Internet provides an informative background to the problem. This report is available on the World Wide Web at the following address: http://www.irlgov.ie/justice/, or from the Government Publications Sales Office, Sun Alliance House, Molesworth Street, Dublin 2. Copies will also be available at each Education Centre. This report is focussed on the illegal and harmful use and misuse rather than the more advantageous educational use, which is a subject of great interest to all.

School Policy on Student Anonymity on the College Website