The blogosphere has been abuzz lately with projections of who President-elect Obama will choose for the new position of Chief Technology Officer. This blog from the Washington Post focuses on the announcement that Julius Genachowski will be helping the transition team pick the new members for the technology team.  One issue mentioned --online privacy -- should be an important issue in the next Administration.

 

"Obama has said he would also focus on protecting online privacy of users and improve access to broadband Internet services by increasing speed standards for broadband and freeing up more government spectrum for public use."

 

I'm pleased that the new Administration considers online privacy to be a significant issue.  Sounds like the Obama Administration agrees with my view that online privacy is the ultimate online safety concern.

 

 

Check out this interesting survey I saw titled: Gender and Online Privacy among Teens: Risk Perception, Privacy Concerns, and Protection Behaviors . The study yields intriguing findings regarding privacy concerns and behaviors by gender.
 

Last week I spoke at an event in Abilene, Texas hosted by Texans for Economic Progress entitled, "The Power of Connectivity".  This is the second time I've had the privilege of speaking at one of their events.  What I appreciate most about their events is that they offer an opportunity for an open dialogue about the benefits of the Internet while recognizing there are steps consumers need to take to protect ourselves from some of the potential harmful elements of the online world.

 

Texas Attorney General, Greg Abbott, the keynote speaker at the event, addressed some of the actions his office is taking to fight ID theft and child predators on the Internet.  One interesting observation General Abbott presented is that "we cannot arrest our way out of these problems".  Law enforcement is there to do what it can, but consumers have to also take the necessary actions to protect themselves online. 

 

Law enforcement is a critically important partner in the effort to keep the Internet safe, but it's also important for every consumer to be aware of the actions each of us can take to keep safe online.  During my remarks in Abilene, I spoke about the importance of awareness and education ... and provided information about the tools consumers can use to protect themselves online.  You can download a copy of my tips and tools for family online safety here.

 

 

 
Last week I attended the 2008 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, where I had the opportunity to roam the exhibits and view the latest gizmos and online technology. I also attended a special program, the "Sandbox Summit," which explored the ways children are using the latest digital technology.
 

No session about kids and the internet would be complete without some information regarding online safety and the "Sandbox Summit" conference raised a few interesting and insightful thoughts that help inform parents' concern about online safety. 
 

First, a Summit speaker with Nickelodeon pointed to the fact that homes with kids have more high tech items and today even the youngest kids are going online. In today's digital world, children have become the experts and parents often go to their kids for advice on technology purchases.
 

Although children have become the chief technology officers in many households and play an important role in determining the selection and purchase of technology items in the home, parents still need to maintain the primary role of gatekeepers for online safety.
 

According to one of the speakers at the Summit, one in four kids have a computer in their bedroom, which can make it very difficult for parents to monitor their children's online usage. One simple online safety first-step is to place the computer in a more public place in the home, so parents can have more oversight of their kids' use of the Internet. 
 

Parental guidelines for Internet use and safety in the home, as well as online tools such as AT&T's Smart Limits, provide the best "shovels and pails" to use in a family's "online sandbox."

Just wanted to give a heads up - Family Online Safety Institute (FOSI) has posted all of the information from their December conference on their website. Extensive coverage of the event is available, including photos, videos of speeches and breakout sessions, and reports published at the conference.

 

Check it out here.

Who should assume greater responsibility for keeping kids safe online? Law enforcement? Government?  Parents?

 

Each of these groups has a critical role- government, for example, is certainly an important contributor to promoting online safety, but regulations can only extend so far. Ultimately, parents remain the greatest influence in affecting their children's behavior online.

 

At last month's FOSI conference, Roger Cochetti  from the Computing Technology Industry Association shared a similar viewpoint. Cochetti compared perceptions of online safety vs. offline safety, asserting that it is common sense that parents should be the ultimate protectors of children in both worlds.

 

But what exactly can parents do to protect their children in the world of Web 2.0?  AT&T's  Dorothy Atwood shared insights about the tools available to aide parents, such as AT&T's Smart Limits, which allows parents to filter content and monitor online use.  You can learn more about Smart Limits here.

 

 

It's getting down to the wire for your holiday shopping and if you're buying gifts online, I want to remind you to shop safely. It's relatively easy to take a few steps to protect your financial information and make sure you pay for the gifts you actually ordered. Here are a couple of tips:

 

• When shopping online, make sure you have your computer in a safe, private location.  You don't want others to be able to view your screen.  Make sure you lock or turn-off your computer when you leave your desk.

 

 

• Use a major credit card for your online purchases; most cards will protect you from online fraud.  Also, try to charge all your purchases on the same credit card - it is easier to just check one bill to make sure it's accurate.

 

 

• Watch for any pop-ups or other e-mails that ask for personal account information.  E-mails that appear to be sent from your bank asking for personal account information such as your account number, password or Social Security number are likely the work of a scam artist. Do not respond.

 

 

• Important tip:  When you shop online, there's a quick way to make sure your credit card information is secure.  The URL in the address window will change from http:// to either https:// or shttp://  (an "s" either before or after the http) when you enter your information on the screen.

 

 

For more information on staying safe online, check out the Federal Trade Commission's site. Some companies offer advice and tools as well.  Check out the Smart Limits service from AT&T.

I want to take a moment  to call attention to several excellent resources from last week's FOSI conference. The day was packed  with great speakers, workshops, and presentations, all of which were extremely valuable. Topics included trends, the role of government regulation, and international policy.

 

In coming posts, I'll focus more on a few of these topics, including research and the role of education, but I encourage anyone interested in the latest  online safety information to review the following resources:

 

FOSI's Annual State of Online Safety Report

Media Creativity and the Public Good by the Aspen Institute

A blog post from Google's Chief Internet Evangelist on the company's role in keeping kids safe online