做父母的，我們都知道網上學習是未來教育大趨勢，而讓孩子及早上網，才能培養他們的新世紀科技知識，為將來的網路世界做好準備，可是。。。可是。。。網路世界充斥著各種可怕的危險，我們怎樣才能適當而不過分地保護孩子呢？讓網路權威 Common Sense Media 告訴你。。。如何拆解兒童網路安全的5大迷思！
5 Myths and Truths About Kids' Internet Safety
Help keep your kids' online experiences positive and productive by learning the truth (and ignoring the rumors) about what really makes them safe.
If you believe everything you hear about kids online, you might think pedophiles and cyberbullies are around every cyber-corner. Yes, there is bad stuff out there. But the truth is, there's a lot of good, and some experts are arguing against a "techno-panic mindset" that worries parents unnecessarily. The bottom line is that we can't keep our kids safe if we don't know the facts. Here are the five most popular myths about Internet safety -- and the truths that can set your worries free.
迷思 #1：社交媒體把兒童變成網路霸凌者
真相：孩子在網路上成為霸凌者cyberbully 的成因很多，通常原因不在網路，只是社交媒體讓事情變得讓容易和「方便」
Myth #1: Social media turns kids into cyberbullies.
Truth: There are many reasons why a kid might cyberbully, and social media is just a convenient way to do the dirty work.
The reality is that kids who engage in this behavior typically have something else going on that compels them to act out. They might be in crisis -- at home, at school, or otherwise socially. They may also be bullying in person, or they may have an underdeveloped sense of empathy. Awareness of a cyberbully's circumstances -- though not excusing the behavior -- can help parents and educators recognize the warning signs and potentially intervene before it goes too far.
迷思2：「教孩子不要和陌生人說話」是保證他們網路安全的最好方式
真相：教孩子辨識網上的潛在掠奪行為，才是幫助他們避免危險的辦法。
Myth #2: Teaching kids not to talk to strangers is the best way to keep them safe online.
Truth: Teaching kids to recognize predatory behavior will help them avoid unwelcome advances.
In today's world, where kids as young as 8 are interacting with people online, they need to know the boundary between appropriate and inappropriate conversation. So go beyond "stranger danger" and teach them what kind of questions are not OK (for example, not OK: "Are you a boy or a girl?"; "Where do you live?"; "What are you wearing?"; "Do you want to have a private conversation?"). Also, teach kids to not go looking for thrills online. Risky online relationships more frequently evolve in chat rooms when teens willingly seek out or engage in sexual conversation.
迷思3：孩子在網上行為通常都很糟糕
真相：大多數孩子說，他們的同齡朋友在網上的行為言語都很友善。
Myth #3: Kids act worse online.
Truth: Most kids say that their peers are nice to each other online.
Newsflash: Most kids want to have fun, hang out, and socialize normally online -- and in fact, according to the Pew Research Internet Project, that's what the majority is doing. Check out these comforting stats:
· 65 percent of social media-using teens say they personally have had an experience on a social-networking site that made them feel good about themselves.
· 58 percent say they felt closer to another person because of an experience on a social-networking site.
· 80 percent of teens who've witnessed mean and cruel behavior on a social-networking site have come to the defense of a targeted friend.
And how about the kids who've fought cyberbullying and used the Internet for a social cause? More and more, kids are harnessing the power of the online world -- and busting up a few myths along the way.
迷思4：把孩子照片放在網上很危險
真相：如果你懂得如何使用隱私設置，限制你的觀眾類別，不要公佈孩子身份，安全性還是很高的
Myth #4: It's dangerous to post pictures of your kids online.
Truth: If you use privacy settings, limit your audience, and don't ID your kids, it's pretty safe.
There are two kinds of parents: those who love posting pics of their kids and those who think it's asking for trouble. Although it's true that posting anything online invites some risks, there are ways to limit them if you're smart about how you do it.
- · Use privacy settings. Make sure your privacy settings are set so only the closest people in your network can view your posts.
- · Limit your audience. Only share posts with close family and friends. Or use photo-sharing sites such as Picasa and Flickr that require a log-in to see pics.
- · Don't rush your kids into social media. Obey the rules about keeping kids under 13 off social media. Once your kids have an online profile, they can be tagged in photos, which magnifies their online presence. If you're going to upload photos of them, don't identify them and don't tag them -- that way the photo can't be traced back to them.
誤區5：家長控制設置 parental control 是監督孩子網上活動的最佳方式。
真相：單純依賴一種網路安全保障只會讓你產生「安全」的錯覺
Myth: Parental controls are the best way to monitor my kids' online activities.
Truth: Focusing on only one Internet safety method lulls you into a false sense of security.
To keep your kids safe online -- and to raise them to be responsible, respectful digital citizens -- it takes more than installing parental controls. For starters, parental controls can be defeated by determined kids. They also often catch too much in their filters, rendering any Internet search useless, and they set up a "parent vs. kid" dynamic that could backfire.
By all means, use parental controls to help prevent exposure to age-inappropriate material and to manage time limits. But don't think they get you off the hook. Continue to discuss responsible, respectful online behavior, set rules and consequences for misbehavior, and train your kid to manage his or her own usage.