Cyber Safety Presentation Provides Insight into Childrens’ Interaction with Digital World

Detective Brett Bolton, Digital Forensic Investigator, Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, spoke with St. Mark’s Campus parents this week about technology that may pose a risk to children. He stressed open communication between parents and children at an early age to prevent and mitigate risk and also delved into specific scenarios and examples caregivers can be on the lookout for. 

Detective Bolton shared helpful resources with parents, including NetSmartz.org, which provides parents with discussion starters, information, tip sheets, and videos, as well as the child-friendly NetSmartzKids.org. He also educated parents about filtering and monitoring software and built-in security features that can help to keep children safe and avoid exposure to harmful content. 

Highlights of additional recommendations for parents included, but were not limited to:

• Establish rules about what type of information children are allowed to share
• Set privacy settings
• Help children create strong passwords
• Only allow communication with people children know in real life
• Learn about reporting options for unwanted content
• Monitor social media and text messaging activity.

This Parent Education Event complements the Child Safety Matters curriculum that kindergarten – fifth grade students participate in throughout the year. 

“We are honored to partner with parents to develop strategies for safely engaging with technology,” said Katherine Nott, School Counselor and Christian Education Teacher on the St. Mark’s Campus. “Education combined with open and honest communication early and often are key elements to protecting our children.”