What is Chatroulette, and why should you care?

A new website called 'Chatroulette' is fast becoming popular amongst teenagers and young adults.

The site is based on a simple concept, and the name is a big clue.

It works literally like roulette.  The user connects their webcam, logs on, starts a "game" and is instantly connected to another person.  The site displays the image from their webcam, the image from your own webcam, and a "chat" room on the right-hand side.  The person you are connected to could be anybody, of any age or any sex, from anywhere in the world.  

Facebook revamps 'Safety Centre', stops short on panic button

Following a meeting between the UK Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP) and Facebook, Facebook has agreed to a raft of measures to protect young people from predators on it's site, but crucially stopped short of installing the much-debated CEOP 'Panic Button' on every page.

The social network has been under increasing pressure from the UK authorities to add the CEOP 'Panic Button' to each user's profile but has continually resisted. Instead of the button, Facebook users in the UK and under the age of 19 will be able to click on a 'Report abuse' link on each page which will subsequently provide the option to report abuse to CEOP or Facebook themselves.

Safety Tips for Google Buzz

Google's fledgling Social Networking effort, Google Buzz, launched in February 2010 and immediately caused a storm of controversy over its privacy and safety implications.  

Bloggers and tech writers worried about the 'opt-out' nature of the service (which meant that all Google Mail users were instantly members, whether they liked it or not), the lack of control over personal information such as photographs and friend lists, and the geolocation features (which made it possible to disclose your exact location from your mobile phone).  

Pupils Bully Teachers on Facebook

According to a report by the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) pupils are increasingly using social networking sites to undermine and bully teachers.  Some pupils are even making malicious and unfounded allegations of sexual misconduct against teachers.

In one instance a pupil set up a profile under the name of a teacher and wrote on the profile that he enjoyed 'under age sex with both boys and girls'.  In another, pupils set up a Facebook group entitled 'Join this group if you think Mrs [name removed] is still a virgin.'

YouTube introduces ‘Safety Mode’ for it’s 5th Birthday

It’s hard to believe that monolithic video-sharing site YouTube is only five years old, but indeed, the Google-owned site celebrated it’s 5th Birthday on 14th February 2010.

Like most ‘social networking’ or ‘social media’ sites, the openness of YouTube can be seen as very much a mixed blessing.  Whilst there is no doubt that so-called ‘user-generated’ content present on YouTube has seen a massive boon in creativity in young people, there is a darker side, where violent and explicit material can very quickly become available to all.

Today is Safer Internet Day - Think B4 U Post!

Today, 9th February 2009, is Safer Internet Day 2010.  The worldwide initiative is organised each year to promote safer and more responsible use of online technology, particularly amongst children throughout the world. 

The message which Safer Internet Day is promoting this year is Think B4 U Post!

Click Read More for more information, and to view a video about this year’s Safer Internet Day message.

Parents - Is Your Child a “Space Monkey” ?

Sky News reports today on a frightening new trend amongst children and young people in the UK. 
The craze, nicknamed ‘Space Monkey’ and originating in the US and France, involves young people strangling themselves (or their friends) in order to achieve a ‘high’ when the stranglehold is released. 

Social networking ‘campaigns’ – a force for good or evil?

The Lighter Side

Most UK readers will be aware of the runaway success of a Facebook campaign to deprive Joe McElderry, this year’s winner of TV talent contest The X Factor, of their seemingly-compulsory Christmas Number 1.  For the last five years the winner of the X Factor has been guaranteed the top position in the chart at Christmastime. 

The Facebook campaign encourages people to buy the 1992 protest song ‘Killing In The Name’ by Rage Against The Machine instead of Joe’s single as a form of protest against the glossy, slick talent show and it’s musical output.  Donations, and profits from the sale of Rage Against The Machine’s single, are being donated to charities.

As of the Midweek chart, Rage Against The Machine are leading McElderry by several hundred thousand sales, and the campaign seems to be a runaway success.

This is just one example of the ‘people power’ of social networking sites, where a spontaneous movement can turn into an organised campaign in hours, and give a voice to thousands of people.

The ‘Rage Against The Machine’ Facebook campaign is clearly relatively light-hearted, but ‘people power’ on social network sites can have a much darker side…

Getting a new PC for Christmas? Make sure it’s protected!

With the recent release of the latest, greatest incarnation of Microsoft’s Windows operating system, Windows 7, many families will be treating themselves to a new computer this Christmas.  Desktops, laptops and netbooks running the new system are expected to be flying off the shelves in Currys and PC World, and from the websites of online suppliers like Dell.

Whilst the majority of these new machines will come with some form of antivirus software, and Windows 7 itself contains some considerable improvement security-wise, it is still wise to consider the security of your new computer before letting your family loose on it on the internet.

Here, we recommend a selection of software for your new (or old) PC to protect both it and its users from a range of online threats:

MSN Messenger: Most common method of "CyberBullying"?

In a recent report by the charity BeatBullying, MSN Messenger (recently renamed "Windows Live Messenger") was revealed as the most common conduit for "Cyber Bullies" on the internet.  MSN Messenger is a type of software classified as "Instant Messaging" software whereby, as the name suggests, short messages can be exchanged instantly between users. 

MSN Messenger is a very common piece of software, as it comes pre-installed on all new Windows computers and is therefore instantly available for use.  In addition, it can also be found on some games consoles (such as Microsoft's Xbox 360) and modern mobile phones.

Tips for Protecting Children Online - Part 2

We at Spysure recognise that our monitoring software is just one piece in the puzzle of protecting children online. In the same way that many foods and dietary supplements are useful for weight loss as part of a balanced diet, Spysure is suitable for protecting children as part of a balanced parental strategy.

Today we'd like to offer some more specific technical advice about how certain sites can be configured to make them safer for your children.  Using a combination of responsible parenting and computer-savvy, you can greatly reduce the risk of your children being exposed to unsuitable material on the internet.

Tips for Protecting Children Online - Part 1

We at Spysure recognise that our monitoring software is just one piece in the puzzle of protecting children online.  In the same way that many foods and dietary supplements are useful for weight loss as part of a balanced diet, Spysure is suitable for protecting children as part of a balanced parental strategy. 

So, over the next two days, we would like to offer some further advice on how to keep your children safe online.  Using a combination of responsible parenting and computer-savvy, you can greatly reduce the risk of your children being exposed to unsuitable material on the internet.