6411
Computer Applications I
COURSE
Unit A
The Internet
COMPETENCY
2.00
A1
4%
Remember components of electronic
communication and rules of online safety.
OBJECTIVE
2.02
A1
2%
Remember the rules of online safety.
ESSENTIAL
QUESTIONS
I.
•
What personal information should I protect when online?
•
What are warning signs and precautions related to online safety?
•
What are online hazards and how do I safeguard my computer?
Personal Online Internet Safety Guidelines
A.
Online Disclosure of Personal Information
1.
Full name – use androgynous nicknames and screen names
instead of real names, which can quickly and easily be used by
predators to steal personal information or locate a physical address
of a potential victim
2.
Home address – generic or specific information can be used by
predators to hone in on potential victims
3.
Phone number – a phone number can be used in a reverse search
on the Internet to identify the addresses of potential victims
4.
Social security number – online disclosure of social security
numbers is extremely hazardous and provides unwanted access to
predators and hackers who steal financial, medical, and other
personal information
5.
Disclosure of passwords to friends, relatives, and coworkers
should be avoided. The greater the number of people with access
to personal information, the greater the risk
6.
Disclosure of the names of family members is another trick used
by predators and hackers to zero in on potential victims
7.
Credit card information should only be disclosed to trusted,
verified, and secure sites
8.
Photographs are potential sources of risk because they can be
used by predators to decipher the locations of potential victims.
Photographs can also be edited to falsify information, such as to
make fraudulent identification cards
B.
Social Networking and Online Chatting
1.
Behave properly when online
a.
Employers and college scouts are frequently turning to
online social networking sites to assess the behavior of
potential candidates
i.
Inappropriate pictures of partying and illegal behavior
may be viewed by future employers and can prove
fatal to one’s employability potential
6411 – Computer Applications I
Summer 2008
Unit A – 2.02 – page 1
II.
ii.
Your online reputation is valuable
b.
Posting fraudulent and harmful information about someone
on the Internet and especially on social networking sites can
have disastrous effects
i.
Fraudulent and malicious information posted on the
Internet has resulted in many teen suicides across the
country
ii.
Act responsibly
2.
Safety guidelines and precautions:
a.
Avoid yelling (keying in all caps) when chatting online.
Keying in all caps symbolizes anger and should be noted as
a possible warning sign. If yelled at, close the connection
b.
Bullying – spreading malicious and false information.
i.
In all cases, it is best to first ignore a bully
ii.
If a situation escalates or a bully does not stop, the
victim should contact school authorities and inform
parents/guardians immediately
c.
Explicit material – any material that is considered adult or
explicit or that makes the user feel uncomfortable
d.
Never meet someone in person that you have met online
C.
Financial safeguards
1.
Do not open emails or respond to sites that promise you will get
rich quick or anything else that seems too good to be true. These
emails and sites are most often screens that spammers use to
access personal and financial information which they then sell to
other companies or use with malicious intent
2.
Do not give out credit information without parental permission and
only when the site is certified as secure
a. The URL of a secure site begins with https: - the “s” indicates a
secure site
b. An interactive lock is displayed on the site, usually in the bottom
right or left-hand corner. Make sure the lock is interactive and
read the contents of the link!
c. A seal is another indication of a site’s safety. If there is a seal,
inspect it and make sure it is authentic
Potential Computer Hazards
A.
Virus – a small piece of software that attaches to programs that are
installed on a user’s pc. Some viruses will automatically replicate
themselves and spread to other computers. An email virus has the
potential to automatically mail itself to dozens of people in the user’s email
address book
B.
Spam – unwanted and unsolicited email advertisements or messages
6411 – Computer Applications I
Summer 2008
Unit A – 2.02 – page 2
C.
Spyware – malicious software designed to take partial control of a
computer’s operations without the consent of the user.
1.
Some spyware intercepts and records passwords and credit card
numbers
2.
Tracks a user’s visits to different web sites to analyze their
spending activity and forecast consumer behavior
6411 – Computer Applications I
Summer 2008
Unit A – 2.02 – page 3
Activities
1.



2.


3.






Relevancy
Using a digital projector, view and discuss the
Online Safety PowerPoint as students take
notes using the Staying Safe Online graphic
organizer
The PowerPoint contains links to several
videos and articles that are related to teen
safety, cyber bullying, and information about
college admissions officers who use the
Internet to check out potential students
Links to news articles related to online safety:

http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2007/12/
19/16applicants.h27.html?tmp=582024897

http://stcharlesjournal.stltoday.com/articles/
2007 /11/26/news/sj2tn200711101111stc_pokin_1.ii1.txt

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2008
-02-06-Cyberbullying_N.htm

Distribute Safety on the Internet to students
and instruct them to determine the risk of each
scenario
Upon completion of the activity, discuss
student answers as a class
Preparation: For this activity, students will
pick one of three topics related to social
networking or online safety. They will visit
Internet sites to gather information and answer
related questions. Preview the sites prior to
the activity
If access to the web pages is unavailable, print
copies of the articles for students prior to the
activity
Distribute one activity sheet to each student:
Employers and College Scouts OR Identity
Theft, OR Parental Guidelines
Review the instructions orally with students
and instruct them to complete the activity
independently
Instruct students how to submit their work
As closure, ask students to cite one piece of
information they learned that they did not know
before completing the activity
6411 – Computer Applications I
Summer 2008
Resources
Discusses
personal safety
hazards, rules
for keeping
safe while
online,
computer
safety hazards
and rules for
protecting
computers
against online
hazards


Reinforces
rules of online
safety by
through
scenarios

Safety on the
Internet
Student
activity and
key (p 6-9)

Reinforces
concepts
related to
online safety
through reading
and reflection
of related
information

Employers and
College
Scouts activity
(p 10-11)
Identity Theft
(p 12-13)
Parental
Guidelines
(p 14-15)
No key is
provided for
this activity
Internet








Online Safety
PowerPoint
Staying Safe
Online graphic
organizer (p 5)
Internet
www.netsmart
z.org
www.edweek.
org
Unit A – 2.02 – page 4
Staying Safe Online Graphic Organizer
Student Name:
Student Activity
Date:
Period:
STAYING SAFE ONLINE
Directions: Use this graphic organizer to take notes as you view the PowerPoint about
online safety.
1.
What information should never be disclosed when online?
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
2.
How can your reputation be affected by online activities?
3.
What warning signs should you pay attention to when online?
a.
b.
c.
4.
How can you safeguard financial information?
a.
b.
c.
5.
What are computer hazards?
a.
b.
c.
6.
How can you safeguard your computer against online hazards?
a.
b.
c.
6411 – Computer Applications I
Summer 2008
Unit A – 2.02 – page 5
Safety on the Internet
Student Activity
Name:
Period:
Date:
SAFETY ON THE INTERNET
Directions: Read each scenario carefully and determine if the scenario is safe. If it is
not safe, explain why in the space provided.
1.
Sally is chatting on the computer with a buddy she met online. He asks her to
give her phone number so he can hear her voice and get to know her better.
Safe
Not safe
Why?
2.
Chris is on My Space and places his email address in his profile.
Safe
Not safe
Why?
3.
Mary is chatting with Mike from school. He asks for her address so he can
mail her an invitation to his party.
Safe
Not safe
Why?
4.
Jane gives Laura her password because Laura’s computer is in the shop and
she wants to check her email.
Safe
Not safe
Why?
5.
Joan is IMing Lou in all caps to stay away from her boyfriend. Joan has
asked her to stop and deleted five messages already, but Lou keeps sending
them.
Safe
Not safe
Why?
6.
Max asks for Sharon’s picture so he can post it on his web page.
Safe
Not safe
Why?
6411 – Computer Applications I
Summer 2008
Unit A – 2.02 – page 6
Safety on the Internet
Name:
7.
Student Activity
Period:
Date:
Tom is purchasing a surfboard online. He has checked and there is a lock in
the bottom right of the browser window. Also, the site carries the VeriSign
logo. Tom places his credit card number in to purchase the surfboard
Safe
Not safe
Why?
8.
John is checking his email at home. He receives a message from someone
he does not know. He opens the message
Safe
Not safe
Why?
9.
10.
How do you know if a site is secure?
Have you ever downloaded a program that caused you problems or harmed
your computer? What should you do to avoid harmful programs from
installing?
6411 – Computer Applications I
Summer 2008
Unit A – 2.02 – page 7
Safety on the Internet
Teacher Key
SAFETY ON THE INTERNET
Directions: Students are to read each scenario carefully and determine where the
scenario is safe. If it is not safe, explain why in the space provided
1.
Sally is chatting on the computer with a buddy she met online. He asks her to
give her phone number so he can hear her voice and get to know her better.
Safe
Not safe
Why? It is never safe to give out information to a stranger online.
2.
Chris is on My Space and places his email address in his profile.
Safe
Not safe
Why? He becomes vulnerable to anyone who visits.
3.
Mary is chatting with Mike from school. He asks for her address so he can
mail her an invitation to his party.
Safe
Not safe
Why? Mary doesn’t know who else is watching while she and Mike are
chatting.
4.
Jane gives Laura her password because Laura’s computer is in the shop and
she wants to check her email.
Safe
Not safe
Why? It is never safe to give out your password.
5.
Joan is IMing Lou in all caps to stay away from her boyfriend. Joan has
asked her to stop and deleted five messages already, but Lou keeps sending
them.
Safe
Not safe
Why? Joan is obviously not respecting Lou’s attempts to ignore her. Lou
needs to let her parents or teacher know immediately.
6.
Max asks for Sharon’s picture so he can post it on his web page.
Safe
Not safe
Why? Sharon doesn’t know who else may have access to her picture.
6411 – Computer Applications I
Summer 2008
Unit A – 2.02 – page 8
Safety on the Internet
7.
Teacher Key
Tom is purchasing a surfboard online (with his parent’s permission). He has
checked and there is a lock in the bottom right of the browser window. Also,
the site carries the VeriSign logo. Tom places his credit card number in to
purchase the surfboard
Safe
Not safe
Why? The site is verified as safe and he checked with his parents.
8.
John is checking his email at home. He receives a message from someone
he does not know. He opens the message
Safe
Not safe
Why? The message may contain a virus.
9.
How do you know if a site is secure?
Make sure that the URL begins with https:, that there is an interactive
lock on the site, check for a seal.
10.
Have you ever downloaded a program that caused you problems or harmed
your computer? What should you do to avoid harmful programs from
installing?
Make sure the program is from a trusted source and does not have any
hidden programs attached to it.
6411 – Computer Applications I
Summer 2008
Unit A – 2.02 – page 9
Employers and College Scouts
Student Name:
Student Activity
Date:
Period:
EMPLOYERS AND COLLEGE SCOUTS
Directions: In this activity, you will visit the websites listed below and answer several
related questions. The last question requires you to male a list of the risks associated
with online social networking.
Websites:
•
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/11/us/11recruit.html?_r=2&oref=slogin&oref=slogin
•
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,208175,00.html
•
http://64.233.169.104/search?q=cache:SuEYycsKhB4J:www.vanderburghsheriff.co
m/SexOffender/Internet%2520Predator%2520Brochure%25202.pdf+social+networki
ng+sites+and+college+entrance&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=8&gl=us (see page 2 of the
article)
•
http://www.webupon.com/Social-Networks/Your-Online-Reputation-Matters-WatchYour-Social-Site-Friends.73027
Questions:
1. Why do employers and college scouts research social networking sites to view
information about potential candidates?
2. How popular is this research practice for companies and colleges?
6411 – Computer Applications I
Summer 2008
Unit A – 2.02 – page 10
Employers and College Scouts
Student Name:
Student Activity
Date:
Period:
3. What sites are employers and college scouts viewing to find out information about
candidates?
4. What kinds of information are employers and college scouts finding?
5. What are some examples of employer reactions to inappropriate postings?
6. What are some examples of college admissions officer reactions to inappropriate
postings?
7. Based on the information gathered, make a list of the risks associated with social
networking sites.
6411 – Computer Applications I
Summer 2008
Unit A – 2.02 – page 11
Identity Theft
Student Activity
Student Name:
Date:
Period:
IDENTITY THEFT
Directions: In this activity, you will visit the websites listed below and answer several
related questions. The last question requires you to make a list of techniques that you
can use to avoid being a victim of identity theft.
Websites:
•
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/idtheft//?CFID=853434&CFTOKEN=49488164
•
http://www.usdoj.gov/criminal/fraud/websites/idtheft.html
•
http://www.identitytheft.org/
Questions:
1. Approximately how many people are victims of identity theft?
2. Do you know anyone personally who is a victim of identity theft?
3. How does someone steal your identity?
4. What are some examples of how identity theft affects the victim?
6411 – Computer Applications I
Summer 2008
Unit A – 2.02 – page 12
Identity Theft
Student Name:
Student Activity
Date:
Period:
5. If caught, what charges does an identity thief face?
6. Is there any protection available to safeguard against identity theft?
7. Based on the information gathered, make a list of techniques you can use to avoid
being a victim of identity theft.
6411 – Computer Applications I
Summer 2008
Unit A – 2.02 – page 13
Parental Safety Guidelines
Student Name:
Student Activity
Date:
Period:
PARENTAL SAFETY GUIDELINES
Directions: In this activity, you will visit the websites listed below and answer several
related questions. The last question requires you to develop a list of guidelines directed
to parents that will help them keep their children safe when online.
Websites:
•
http://www.kidshealth.org/parent/positive/family/net_safety.html
•
http://www.fbi.gov/page2/jan06/ccctf012506.htm
•
http://www.wiredsafety.org/
•
http://www.netsmartz.org/
•
http://www.missingkids.com/missingkids/servlet/ServiceServlet?LanguageCountry=e
n_US&PageId=3072
Questions
1. From a parent’s point of view, what safety risks are teenagers exposed to on the
Internet?
2. What can parents do to ensure the safety of their teens online?
3. What are the common types of crimes that occur as a result of Internet use?
6411 – Computer Applications I
Summer 2008
Unit A – 2.02 – page 14
Parental Safety Guidelines
Student Name:
Student Activity
Date:
Period:
4. What are some of the organizations that are available to help protect against cyber
crimes and what services do they provide?
5. What types of protection are available protect against these types of crimes (be
specific)?
6. Based on the information gathered from your research, develop a list of guidelines
directed to parents that will help them keep their children safe when online.
6411 – Computer Applications I
Summer 2008
Unit A – 2.02 – page 15