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Social Networking Revealed. How Your Camp Can Handle the Risks of Today’s Technology. Jennifer Burgess Chief Technology Officer CampAlumni.com. Sites Frequented / Internet Activity. MySpace Facebook Friendster Blogger & Xanga Instant Messenger. Social Networking.
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Social Networking Revealed How Your Camp Can Handle the Risks of Today’s Technology Jennifer Burgess Chief Technology Officer CampAlumni.com
Sites Frequented / Internet Activity • MySpace • Facebook • Friendster • Blogger & Xanga • Instant Messenger
Social Networking • What is Social Networking? • How popular is it? • MySpace claims to be growing at 300,000 new profiles… per day! • Facebook is represented on every four-year college and university campus in the United States. It is the 7th most visited site on the web.
An Intro to MySpace • Setting Up an Account • Creating a profile • Uploading photos • Adjusting settings and privacy options • Inviting friends – getting “friended” or “MySpaced” • Leaving comments and/or blogging
Advanced MySpace • “Pimping” your page • Adding songs • Embedding images and video • Learning HTML
Facebook • Similar to MySpace except must be a part of a group (college, high school or other Facebook group). • Now, you can join a “geographic group,” so getting an account is much easier than in the past. • Profile, photos, inviting friends, posting comments, etc. No real “pimping” yet.
The Risks • Sexual Predators • Cyberbullying • Cyberstalking and Harassment • Unauthorized Use of Camp Name, Logo and Image
How Can This Impact My Camp? • Staff sharing email/screen names/profile info with campers (what level of post-camp contact is appropriate?)
How Can This Impact My Camp? • Campers/Staff starting blogs or groups about Your Camp • They can be hurtful to other campers or portray a negative image of Your Camp
How Can This Impact My Camp? • Staffers posting inappropriate comments and photos on their online profiles that are easily accessed by campers and parents
How Can This Impact My Camp? • Campers/Staff taking inappropriate photos with digital cameras and camera phones and posting them on the web
What Can We Do? • Educate Yourself • Search social networking sites and “Google” your prospective staff. • Offer an alternative Social Networking Site that is controlled and monitored by your camp • Built by the Camp • CampAlumni.com
What Can We Do? • Educate Your Staff • Talk to them about your expectations and set a standard of low tolerance for inappropriate web content. • Educate Your Campers • Talk to them about web content and ways to stay safe. Let them know what you expect of them during and after camp.
What Can We Do? • Educate Your Parents • They are your biggest allies. • Create a letter or flyer to send to parents telling them what to look for and how to keep their children (your campers!) safe.
Other Alternatives / Aids • Books: MySpace Unraveled: What is it and how to use it safely by Larry Magid and Ann Collier • Online safety resources: • www.wiredsafety.org, www.netsmartz.org, www.wiredkids.org, www.teenangels.org, www.stopcyberbullying.org, www.internetsuperheroes.org
Social Networking Revealed How Your Camp Can Handle the Risks of Today’s Technology Jennifer Burgess Chief Technology Officer CampAlumni.com