Twitter is an interesting social network, since you only have 140 characters to say whatever you want. You cannot post pictures or videos but you can post URLs to them. Many people have embraced twitter as a source to vent out their daily musings or to “follow” their favorite celebrities to get an idea of their life. Parents should be cautious as to how and why their kids are using Twitter. There is nothing bad about Twitter, in fact it has many advantages. The fact is teens need to be careful as to who follows them and especially what they tweet.

Privacy Settings

Twitter lets you “protect” your tweets so that unless you let someone follow you, no one can read what you are saying. Each person has to have your authorization to be able to follow them. This can be a useful feature for teens to avoid any unwanted followers. This may be difficult to implement since most teens seem to think that the more followers they have the more popular they are. Many people create “false” accounts on Twitter where they can pretend to be someone else, so it is always helpful to have your teen confirm with a friend before adding him or her.

Tweet Carefully

Twitter makes it possible for you to add your location to any tweet so anyone can see where you are. Make sure your teens know this so they can avoid accidentally sending out information they don’t want made public. Many times teens will forget that if their tweets are unprotected that what they are saying is made public to the entire world. Many people are unaware that there are actually laws for defamation, which means a statement that makes either a direct or implied claim on information said be be fact regarding a business, person, nation, etc. Recently a woman was sued over a tweet for $50,000 who complained about her apartment’s owner. Make sure your teens know to be careful about what they say.

Many users on Twitter are 21+ males, in reality most teenagers spend more time on Facebook. Teens are much more comfortable sharing their information with a big group of friend while tweeting can make them feel “unsafe.” However, some teens are involved with Twitter and since they are the minority they need to be aware of what they say and do.

Twitter is a fairly simple social media platform and when taught correctly, your kids can share thoughts and express themselves to their friends and family without encountering any dangerous people or content. Make sure they know how to protect their tweets and prevent any future problems by posting information they don’t want anyone to see or know. A good recommendation is to make your own Twitter account and follow your kids so you can see what they are up to. Although they might not like the idea, it is worth the extra effort.

About the Author
Parker Boyack is a writer for MyCollegesandCareers.com. My Colleges and Careers helps people determine if an online education is right for them and helps them search for online degrees that can help them reach their goals.

We would like to thank our guest writers on the Online Security Authority Blog! We feel it’s a honor and pleasure, to have others participate and contribute to the great content, advice and opinions on and in this Online World, we all live in… help us, help them, by supporting and visiting their sites!

as always, be safe Online

Your Online Security Authority

Bill Wardell

teach it, learn it, and share it…

© 2006 – 2011 Online Security Authority

OSA Technorati Tags: Apartment, Business Person, Celebrities, Defamation, Entire World, Followers, Many People, Most Teens, Musings, parents, Privacy Settings, Teenagers, Tweet, Tweets, Twitter

With millions of videos on YouTube, your teenager could sit at the computer for weeks on end watching different video clips. Although there is a lot of positive content on YouTube, there is also a lot of negative content as well. Although YouTube and Google strive to prevent negative content from remaining posted on YouTube, Racist, pornographic, and violent videos sometimes seep through the cracks. As with other sites that allow for interaction between different users, there is always the risk of meeting unsavory or dangerous people online.

Following a few simple guidelines will help keep your children safe while the watch.

Make sure they never give out personal information

Just like with other social networking sites, personal information available to strangers should be kept to a minimum. Teach your children not to post your full name, address, or phone number on YouTube. You never know who will see it online. Also avoid giving out other personal information that could help someone find you, including what high school you attend, your current location, your employment, etc.

Follow the rules

Don’t allow children 12 years old or younger to use YouTube. They can afford to wait a few years more. Although there are many good videos online, a lot of the content is not appropriate for children. Part of your responsibility as a parent is to make sure your children keep the rules of the Internet. Teenagers that are old enough to have a YouTube account should beware what videos they post. Youth should be careful not to reveal personal information in videos. Videos of others should not be posted without their permission.

Flag inappropriate content

In order to view potentially objectionable material on YouTube, users need to have an account and be 18 or older. As mentioned earlier, racist and pornographic content are forbidden, but your definition of pornography might be different than your neighbor’s. Users who come across bad content can (and should) flag it so that it can be eliminated if necessary. Sometimes the video itself isn’t disagreeable, but the comments below are. Teach your child to flag inappropriate videos and comments. The search settings can be changed to limit the objectionable content available. (Note, mere disagreement with the view being promoted is not grounds for flagging the video.)

Interactions with others

Teenagers should be careful when interacting with people they don’t know. Make sure your children know never to agree to meet someone in person that the met on YouTube. Teenagers should never talk about sex with a stranger on the Internet. Teach your kids to talk to you or another trusted adult if they are being mistreated online or feel unsafe. If another user is harassing your child, they should use their privacy settings to block them.

YouTube can be educational, interactive, and fun. Playing it safe will keep it that way!

About the Author
Derek Gurr is a writer for MyCollegesandCareers.com. My Colleges and Careers helps people determine if an online education is right for them and helps them search for online degrees that can help them reach their goals.

We would like to thank our guest writers on the Online Security Authority Blog! We feel it’s a honor and pleasure, to have others participate and contribute to the great content, advice and opinions on and in this Online World, we all live in… help us, help them, by supporting and visiting their sites!

as always, be safe Online

Your Online Security Authority

Bill Wardell

teach it, learn it, and share it…

© 2006 – 2011 Online Security Authority

OSA Technorati Tags: Cracks, Employment, google, Inappropriate Content, Interaction, Negative Content, Neighbor, Objectionable Material, Phone Number, Pornographic Content, Pornography, Risk, Rules Of The Internet, Sit, Social networking sites, Teenager, Teenagers, Video Clips, Videos, YouTube

Before 2004, if you had heard the word Facebook, you might have envisioned some kind of high school picture directory or a picture book that teaches how to draw cartoon faces.

Seven years and 600 million users later, Facebook means a lot more than that: for both you and your teen.

Headlines like this, this, and this are very sobering. Unfortunately, stories like these are so common they are almost predictable: a teenager meets someone on the internet (many times pretending to be many years younger than he or she is), they exchange pictures and phone numbers, and agree to meet somewhere. The man (or woman) turns out to be much different than the person they portrayed online and abuses the child. Whether or not the criminal is caught, the biggest loss is suffered by the youth who often goes on to experience incomprehensible pain.

Facebook isn’t evil. In fact, it can be a wonderful way to keep in touch with friends and acquaintances when separated by distance. By being conscientious and using the tools Facebook has created, we can protect our teenagers online.

Facebook is continually working to improve privacy settings for their users, in order to allow them to better control what content is visible.

Rules for minors — Children younger than 14 aren’t allowed to have a Facebook account (according to both Facebook policy and national law). Many “tweens” and others evade this rule by simply entering an incorrect birth year when setting up their account. Unfortunately, there is no device yet invented to prevent people lying about their age. As a parent, you have the responsibility to monitor what your children do on the internet. This doesn’t mean you have to constantly be breathing down your kid’s neck, but you should pay attention to who they interact with, what sites they visit, etc.

Minors (anyone younger than 18) are automatically given tighter security settings than their older counterparts. They aren’t included in public search listings and only their basic information (name, profile picture, gender, networks, and username) is listed to “non-friends”.

Privacy Settings — You can specify who gets to see what information about you or your teen. For example, you can limit who sees your teens birthday to: everyone, friends of friends and networks, friends and networks, friends of friends, friends only, or you can completely customize a list of who you want to see. You can preview how your profile looks and even see how it looks to different people. When you are editing your settings, simply click, “Preview my Profile” and then type a friend’s name in the box near the top to see what information that friend can see. Then you can go back and customize it some more if it still needs tweaking.

Block — Jus as in real life, make sure you teach your children to be careful around strangers. There’s no need to add anyone as a friend, just to be be nice. Once in a while, an unwanted visitor may try to “friend” your teenager on Facebook. Make sure your children know of the dangers of interacting with strangers on the web and know how to use the “block” feature if someone is persistently giving them undesired attention. Blocked people will be unable to interact with or see your child’s profile on Facebook. Your child can also block obnoxious apps like FarmVille, PetVille, CityVille, FrontierVille, or Zoo World. You can go back and edit your block lists by clicking on the account drop-down menu, clicking privacy settings, then clicking “Edit your lists.”

Postings — Teach your children to be careful with what they post on their wall. Teenagers should avoid posting information on their current whereabouts, especially when they are alone. They should also be careful not to post extremely negative status updates or comments. Even though improving Facebook controls help you to limit who sees your posts, it doesn’t always work out the way you plan. In the case of Dan Leone, a negative comment about his employers (the Philadelphia Eagles) got him fired.Other stories have circulated around the news about similar experiences on Twitter. Teenagers should be prepared for any eyes to see what they post.

By playing it safe on Facebook, your children will not only be safer, but also have more enjoyable online experience. You won’t ever regret being proactive and involved in the lives of your kids.

About the Author
Derek Gurr is a writer for MyCollegesandCareers.com. My Colleges and Careers helps people determine if an online education is right for them and helps them search for online degrees that can help them reach their goals.

We would like to thank our guest writers on the Online Security Authority Blog! We feel it’s a honor and pleasure, to have others participate and contribute to the great content, advice and opinions on and in this Online World, we all live in… help us, help them, by supporting and visiting their sites!

as always, be safe Online

Your Online Security Authority

Bill Wardell

teach it, learn it, and share it…

© 2006 – 2011 Online Security Authority

OSA Technorati Tags: Acquaintances, Birth Year, Cartoon, Facebook, Headlines, High School Picture, Lot, Phone Numbers, Picture Book, Privacy Settings, Security Settings, Seven Years, Teenager, Teenagers, Tighter Security, Tools, Tweens, Wonderful Way

Until just a few years ago, playing on video game consoles like XBOX and Playstation meant inviting a few friends over and playing in a small group.

But with the implementation of the Internet, the game has changed…

Your child can now log on to a virtual community of gamers, almost all of whom are complete strangers. Online computer games are more of the same; World of Warcraft and Second Life are two examples of games in which avatars interact in “imaginary” worlds. Unfortunately, these interactions are very real, and children are especially vulnerable to the potential dangers of virtual gaming.

Threats Posed to Children by Virtual Gaming Worlds

• As in any online environment, sexual predators can easily disguise themselves when interacting with your child. They can spend months playing with your child in the virtual world without anyone knowing their true age or motives.
• Cyberbullying is a problem in any online gaming community. People feel at liberty to say whatever they want because they’re not face to face with the person they are talking to. Just as physical bullying in school is an issue any parent would worry about, cyberbullying should also be a concern.
• There are many physical and emotional changes that can occur in your child, especially if he/she becomes addicted to virtual gaming.

   

  

  The violence and inappropriate subject matter that your child may be exposed to can rub off, making him/her more violent or vulgar. The environment of cyberbullying could turn your child into the one verbally abusing others, in the real and virtual worlds. Lack of exercise, poor hygiene, and loss of interest in anything but gaming are also potential side effects of online gaming.

What You As a Parent Can Do

The most important thing for you to do as a parent it to CARE. Use this acronym to improve your child’s online safety.

Conversations – Monitor what your child is talking about with people online. Almost all online problems begin with a simple conversation. Make sure you know who your child’s online friends are and what they are talking about.

Ask – The best way to know what your children are doing online is to ask them, which is something simple that is often neglected by parents. Showing interest in your child’s online activity will teach you a lot about what he/she is doing. A little effort can save you from a lot of potential problems down the road.

Rules – Once you know what your children are doing online, make sure they understand that virtual gaming is a privilege that must be used wisely. Put time restrictions on their daily computer or video game use. Let them know what is permitted and what will result in them losing their gaming privileges.

Educate – Sit down with your children and let them know what they are getting themselves into. Teach them to be cautious for online predators and what to do when they encounter cyberbullies. Make sure they know not to give out personal information to stranger.

As a parent of an online gamer, don’t use ignorance as an excuse. Know what your child is doing and make an effort to provide a safe and responsible environment to protect your child from danger.

About the Author
Chris Faires is a writer for MyCollegesandCareers.com. My Colleges and Careers helps people determine if an online education is right for them and helps them search for online degrees that can help them reach their goals.

We would like to thank our guest writers on the Online Security Authority Blog! We feel it’s a honor and pleasure, to have others participate and contribute to the great content, advice and opinions on and in this Online World, we all live in… help us, help them, by supporting and visiting their sites!

as always, be safe Online

Your Online Security Authority

Bill Wardell

teach it, learn it, and share it…

© 2006 – 2011 Online Security Authority

OSA Technorati Tags: Bullying In School, Computer Games, Emotional Changes, Gami, Gaming Community, Gaming Worlds, Imaginary Worlds, Inappropriate Subject Matter, Loss Of Interest, Motives, Poor Hygiene, RAGE, School Category, second life, sexual predators, True Age, Video Game Consoles, Virtual Community, Virtual Gaming World, Virtual World, Virtual Worlds, World Of Warcraft, Xbox

The marble manufacturers will tell you to use the countertops without worry. If you are among the paranoid lot check the EPA website. The details of radon gas can be found in the site. There it is descried as a colorless and odorless gas with potential carcinogenic properties. But these have failed to detract the thousands of granite users who continue to use the granite countertops in their kitchens.

The wide variety of granites sold in the market is also responsible for its massive popularity. It is better if you do not use the granite countertops with purple or red hue. They are said to contain more amounts of radioactive materials. It is important that you know the amount of radiation that can cause harm to your health. The unit that is used to measure radon emission is PicoCuries per liter of air. As per the data of EPA, 4 pCi/L and more amount of radon are harmful for our health. You can incur the equal risk of contracting cancer from 4 picocuries of radon that can be obtained if you smoke half packet of cigarette a day. This information has been published by the New York Times.

Before you take the allegations against granite countertops seriously keep in mind that they have been raised by the competitors and makers of other countertops. If you consult the folks at Marble Institute of America they will refute such allegations vehemently. It admits that granite contains certain amount of radon and other radioactive substances but also says that the radiation is way below the danger level for humans.

You can take heart as both the radiation experts and health physicists have agreed on the safety of granite usage. They state that some manmade sources of radiation such as X-rays, smoke detectors and luminous watches can do more harm to our health than granite countertops.

The number of enquiries made to EPA has increased in recent times. Naturally, people who have been using granite countertops for ages have become worried after reading the reports on its radiation properties. New York based CMT Laboratories quality assurance director Stanley Liebert has suggested an option for the granite countertop users. He is of the opinion that you can use the means to ensure better airflow in the kitchen to keep the radiation under control. In any case it is better to ask a radon inspector to check the safety of the countertop you use.

Factory Plaza is one of the largest producers of kitchen countertops and vanity tops in the USA.
We are committed to the communities in which we operate making every effort to bring quality
and affordability to each and every household. Here, at Factory Plaza, our customers are our
neighbors, our friends, and our business partners.

We also aim to educate those contemplating granite and marble products through our very
informative articles.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/home-improvement-articles/granite-countertops-can-be-a-healthy-choice-for-your-home-1076292.html

OSA Technorati Tags: Allegations, Cigarette Information, Detractors, Granite Countertop, Granite Countertops, Granite Kitchens, Granites, Healthy Choice, Human Health, Marble Institute Of America, Marble Manufacturers, Massive Popularity, New York Times, Odorless Gas, Picocuries, Radioactive Gas, Radioactive Materials, Red Hue, Sayings, Slabs