Since kids are often trying to catch the attention of and gain approval from their peers, some teens tend to post content to appear popular or to gain a response from others in their online community; teens jockey for status, post risqué pictures, brag about the previous weekend's adventures, and can easily use this digital space to humiliate others or post inappropriate content. ² No information is truly private in the online world; an online "friend" can forward any information posted on your child's site in a moment.

 

Once something is posted online, it can never be permanently deleted. While an individual may try to delete something posted on his or her individual profile, the posted information will forever remain somewhere in cyberspace and can be remembered by those who saw it. Teach your kids to ask themselves these five questions before posting something online:

1. Would I be uncomfortable if my parents or teachers view what I am posting?
2. Does this post contain private information that I don't want anyone else other than my friends to see?
3. Could what I am posting be considered offensive by someone else?
4. Is there any personally identifying information or personal that if in the wrong hands could come back to hurt me or someone else?
5. What does this post reveal about me as a person? Would a future college admissions officer or future employer think poorly of me if they saw this?

If the answer is yes to any of these questions, then the post created by your child should not be displayed in an online arena. As parents and guardians, we must set the example by making sure we do not post content that would cause us to answer yes to any of the above questions either. In recent months, we've seen several well-known figures post information that proved to be detrimental. We must teach our kids to think before they post and realize that they could be jeopardizing their futures by doing otherwise. Refer to Rule 7 from our Internet Safety 101^SM Rules 'N Tools^SM to learn specifics on how to teach your kids to protect their personal information. 

 

Remember that children must be at least 13 years old to create their own profile on these social networking sites. If your children are not yet 13, you may want to check out these  social networking sites for tweens and younger kids.

 

For further information on how you can best prepare your children for the digital adventures of a new school year, visit www.InternetSafety101.org and seriously consider going through our Internet Safety 101^SMProgram for yourself. Someone once said, "You don't know what you don't know." We are here to help equip you to be the First Line of Defense.

 

Our children are our most precious resource. Your partnership is critical to our efforts to Make the Internet Safer for Children and Families. As a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, Enough Is Enough^SM greatly appreciates your financial support. It is only with your help that we can continue our efforts to Protect Kids Online.

 

 Donate Today, For the Sake of the Children,

 

 

Donna Rice Hughes

President & CEO, Enough Is Enough^SM

 

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What we've been up to this July:

 

Can you believe summer is winding down? We've had a busy summer here at Enough Is Enough^SM, and we are excited to share with you a glimpse of what we've been doing:

1. AACC Counsel Talk Webinar with EIE President, Donna Rice Hughes: Social Media, Reality TV, Sex, and Relationships: Counseling and Ministering to Today's Woman.
2. AACC Counsel Talk Webinar with EIE President Donna Rice Hughes: Social Media, Reality TV, Sex, and Relationships: Counseling and Ministering To Today's Generation.
3. Internet Safety 101^SM Trainings by EIE trainer Bob Flores at 21^st Annual National Association for School Resource Officers SRO Safety Conference
4. EIE President, Donna Rice Hughes did the following media interviews:
   • American Family Radio
   • Christian Broadcasting Network 700 Club Interactive
   • CNN Newsroom Stream Team
   • CNN International's Connect the World
   • WTTG Fox 5
   • Nuestras Tele Noticiats- NTN24

     5. Promoted and participated in Porn Harms BeAware            Campaign including online webinar.

    6. Created and implemented a fundraising campaign to            secure corporate sponsors. 

(contact: lgaulin@enough.org for more information on corporate sponsorship)

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A Look Ahead at August:

1. Three 30-minute interview segments with EIE President Donna Rice Hughes to air on Family Life Today Radio on August 17-19. Find Family Life Programs on a radio station near you!
2. Launching of our Internet Safety 101^SM program in Utah.
3. Launching Back to School Campaign
4. EIE President Donna Rice Hughes presenting Internet Safety 101^SM at National House of Hope Board Meeting.
5. EIE Executive Director, Alan Fischer presenting Internet Safety 101^SM at 12^th National Conference on Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Prevention in New Orleans.
6. EIE President, Donna Rice Hughes presenting Internet Safety101^SM at State Presidents' Training at the National PTA Governance Retreat.