As kids start using computers and mobile devices more and more, it’s becoming especially important to begin talking to them about the internet from an early age. That means it’s also important for you to learn everything you can about internet safety, including types of online dangers and safety strategies.

In our tutorial, we’ll give you tips for talking to your kids about:

• Avoiding online predators
• Responding to cyberbullies
• Using social networks safely
• Using mobile devices safely

We’ll also show you how to make your family’s computer safer and how to keep your kids safe when they’re using the internet away from home.

If you still want to learn more, we’ll point you to other resources throughout the tutorial. And of course, we have lots of other internet tutorials, such as Internet 101, Email 101, Beyond Email, and all of our Social Media tutorials, so you may want to check those out as well.

To get started, go to Internet Safety for Kids and have a look around!

• The More You Give, the More You Get: Fill out as much of your profile as you can. The more information you put in, the more connections you’re making and by doing so, you’re creating more opportunities for people to find you. For example, by including former employers on your profile, you will be connected to other LinkedIn users who have worked for that company. Same with colleges: by including the colleges you attended, you’ll be connected to others who have attended the same college.
• Update Your Status: Update your status regularly and strategically, usually about once a day. Use your status update to remind your network what you do and what you know. Example: “Working on a “Best Practices for LinkedIn” article for the GCFLearnFree blog.” You can also use your status update to share articles with your network. If you provide interesting links the people in your network will be much more likely to pay attention to your updates, which keeps you top of mind and also positions you as knowledgeable in your area. That trust in your ability will make it much more likely that people will consider you as an expert to whom they can refer their contacts. If you plan on doing this, use a URL shortener like bit.ly to save space in your status updates and to track how many click-throughs a given link garnered.
• Learn Advanced Search: LinkedIn’s Advanced Search is extremely powerful as it can help you find targeted audiences. Spend time familiarizing yourself with this feature and you could benefit greatly from the search results.

• Join Industry Groups: Search for and join industry-related LinkedIn groups , even if there is no activity within them. The icons for those groups will show up on your profile which tells people at a glance that you are involved in your industry and presumably knowledgeable about it. It also creates a connection between you an anyone else who is a member of that group. If the group is active, join in the conversation where appropriate. This is an opportunity to demonstrate your  expertise.
• Post News: Many groups allow you to post links to news articles intended to spark conversation. More often than not, conversations do not arise from these links but that doesn’t mean that no one pays attention to them. Like status updates, this function can be used to position yourself as knowledgeable in your field. But think before you go down this route. Before you post anything, ask yourself if what you’re about to share is truly valuable to the group. If it’s sheer self-promotion, don’t do it.
• Ask and You Shall Receive: Utilize LinkedIn’s Answer feature to get questions answered by trusted and knowledgeable people.  Or answer questions posed by others. This, again, is another aspect of LinkedIn that can be used to demonstrate your competence. Only answer the questions for which you know the answer intimately. Your attitude should be that you want to help the person who posed the question by sharing your expertise. If you are truly helpful to the person, they’ll consider assigning you as the best answer among the group. Your answer, but also the fact that it was the best answer, will be displayed on your profile.
• Install applications: LinkedIn doesn’t have many apps, but those that they do can be helpful for positioning and to create more contact points. The WordPress and BlogLink apps allow you to send your blog posts automatically to your LinkedIn profile. The Google Presentation and SlideShare apps let you embed PowerPoint presentations you’ve created into your profile. This is a superb way to demonstrate your expertise while also creating an incentive for people to keep an eye on you for your valuable content. If you travel a lot, the MyTravel application lets you know your network’s travel activity so you can see when your colleagues are in the same place, creating yet more opportunities to connect. The Amazon Reading List app lets you list the books you’ve read, the books you’re currently reading and those you’d like to read and it connects you with other who are using the app. This not only demonstrates more of your knowledge through your books but also creates more connection opportunities.

Most of this information came from: E-Strategy Blog

Do you feel that you could benefit from having a LinkedIn profile?  Do you have other tips or helpful hints to share in your exploration of LinkedIn?

• A Professional Photo: I already mentioned this in the previous article but it’s important enough to bear repeating.  The ideal photo to use is one taken by a professional photographer but at the very least it should be a photo of just you, ideally taken from the shoulders up, and your appearance should be neat and tidy, just as you would want to look going into an job interview.

• A Compelling Summary: The summary is the perfect place to tell people who you are, what you do, and why you are on LinkedIn.  This isn’t the place to give a life history but instead, in a succinct way, talk about your experience and the motivating factors for being on LinkedIn.  Perhaps you are looking to build a professional network, generate sales leads through referrals, or interested in consultant or contract work-you can make all of these things clear here.  Remember: if you are looking for a new employment opportunity, it may be unwise to make that clear if your current employer is not aware of your intentions.
• Add Experience and Education Quickly: Utilize the “Import Resume” feature to instantly complete your Experience and Education sections.  Review to insure the correct information is added in the relevant section.  Add awards, activities, and interests where needed.
• Get Connected: Start with your existing contacts by letting LinkedIn scan your email address book to find out who you know is on LinkedIn. Don’t worry, LinkedIn won’t automatically send requests to your contacts; you can choose to whom you want to send a request.
• Personalize your URL: Change your LinkedIn profile URL from the default set of numbers to your name. This helps people find you when they search for your name within LinkedIn as well as in Google and other search engines.  You can also add this personalized URL to your resume, email signature, or business cards.
• Ask to Connect: Whenever you have interactions with people, ask them if they’re on LinkedIn and if they’d like to connect. I often send LinkedIn requests shortly after a business meeting in which everyone swaps cards. You’ve got their email address so it will be easy to find them on LinkedIn and you’ll be able to contact them and, considering you’ve just met with them, they likely have an interest in creating a relationship.
• The Right Keywords: As you put yourself in the mind of the people by whom you want to be found, think about what searches they’d perform on LinkedIn in order to find you. Build up a list of those keywords and search phrases and use them throughout your profile.
• Link to Yourself: If you have a professional Web site, a blog, a Twitter account or other social media profiles, include them on your LinkedIn profile.  The drop-down menu offers options such as “My Website” and “My Blog” but you’ll want to choose “Other” so you can use your own text for the link. (If you choose “Company Website” that is how it will appear and that isn’t as informative as “Mary’s Cafe and Bakery”). This helps search engines find you and helps boost your rankings in the search results.  DON’T add personal website profiles that aren’t relevant to your professional career.
• Get Recommended: Give and ask for recommendations. Don’t be afraid to ask people who you think have high regard for you for a recommendation. Recommend those you think are worthy before they ask you to recommend them. They will often return the favor. And you need at least three recommendations before your profile completeness will reach 100%:

In this day of internet safety and privacy concerns, I understand why you would hesitate to include all of this information in a public profile.  However, LinkedIn is really a social network that is best experienced when you don’t hide. You can’t network or connect at all if people can’t find you.  Include as much information as you feel comfortable sharing and change the settings on your profile to “Full View” so your profile can be fully indexed by the search engines.  As LinkedIn is primarily used by other professionals, it doesn’t have the issues some other sites have had with inappropriate behavior.  But, as in all things with the Internet, exercise caution and never share private or financial information about yourself.

This article was written with help from: E-Strategy Blog.

In the next blog post, the third and last in this series, we’ll talk about ways to make LinkedIn work for you.

It’s that time of year again when we are bombarded with advertisements for red roses, chocolates and romantic dinners. There is nothing like the craze of Valentine’s Day to remind you that you are single. So, if you find yourself thinking of how to meet that special someone, then perhaps it’s time you consider online dating.

If you are one of the few who are still doubtful about online dating, then perhaps the following statistics will make you a bit more comfortable with the idea.

• 1 in 5 singles have dated someone they met online
• 1 in 5 singles are currently in a committed relationship with someone they met on a dating site
• In the last year, 17 percent of couples who married met on a dating site
• Online dating nationwide increased 15% from May 2009 to May 2010

A decade ago it was more taboo to date online, but now that socializing on the web in general has become so integrated into our lives, online dating has naturally become a practical and accepted option. It doesn’t mean you have to give up meeting people face to face, it’s just a useful alternative, especially for busy singles who don’t have a lot of time.

If you would like to consider online dating, you should first do your homework. Below is a list of sites and resources that can help get you started.

Advice, Reviews and Trends

• DatingSitesReviews.com – An extensive site that provides information and reviews on the multitude of dating websites available online.
• Evan Marc Katz – Advice from one of the most popular dating coaches. Also check out his E-Cyrano site for profile writing help.
• OKTrends – This blog, from the OkCupid dating site, offers research, trends and observations regarding online dating. It is based on the analysis of statistics from users on their site.  The information can be very useful and insightful, but be warned that content is very frank and may offend some.

Popular Fee-Based Dating Sites

• Match.com – With over 29 million singles it offers the most matches with some very simple, easy-to-use search tools.
• Chemistry.com – Matching is based on personality testing for chemistry. Has  approximately 14 million users with an emphasis on committed relationships.
• PerfectMatch.com – Combines personality test matching along with searching features. Has approximately 11 million users.
• eHarmony – Extensive personality test matching along with guided communication tools that ease you into initial contacts. Has approximately 9 million users with an emphasis on long-term relationships.

Popular Free Dating Sites

• PlentyOfFish - The largest free online dating site with simple tools for searching.
• OKCupid - This free online dating site provides matching based on personality tests.

Popular Mobile Dating Apps

• Zoosk - The largest dating app in the U.S., it is consistently voted most popular and includes a GPS location feature.
• Meet Moi – A free location-based dating app that alerts you when a match is nearby and is also integrated with Facebook.
• Match Mobile - A mobile version of the popular Match.com site.

Safety Precautions

Before you get started it is important that you learn how to be safe when socializing with others online. See our lesson on Precautions to Take When Meeting People Face To Face in our Internet Safety tutorial or check out Online Dating Safety Tips from OnlineDatingMagazine.com.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

You can also use Facebook Places to let other people know what kind of experience you are having at a place. For example, you can post “Huge lines at the 9 pm Harry Potter movie, good luck getting tickets!” or “Hungry? 2-for-1 appetizers at Luigi’s Italian Restaurant tonight!” Some places might even give you special coupons and deals for checking in.

This feature will probably be most popular with those who are social butterflies and not too concerned about their privacy. On that note, there has been a lot of media about how this feature will affect the privacy of Facebook users since it is exposing your exact location via GPS. Here’s a few facts you need to be aware of:

• Currently, only users with the Facebook app on their mobile devices, can “check in” to places (currently iPhone users, but coming soon to Androids).
• Facebook will not automatically post your location; you must check in if you want to be included in “People Here Now.”
• Friends can check you into a place, much like they can tag you in a photo, unless you disable this feature.
• By default, your location alerts are only posted to your Friends, not to Everyone (unless you change this setting).
• By default, your “check ins” may be posted in the Facebook Places activity stream for the location you are at, allowing people other than your Friends to see who you are.

It is highly recommended that you review the privacy settings for Facebook Places. There is a lot of potential for getting into trouble with location postings. For example, what if you tell your Friend Mandy you are too tired to go out and then your other Friend Jack checks you into the Martini Bar you are hanging out at. The post shows in your news feed and Mandy realizes you ditched her to hang out with your other Friends. Not so good, especially for a feature that supposedly promotes social interactions.

Before using Facebook Places, it would be best to consider the privacy implications and set your privacy controls accordingly. Learn how, by visiting our How to Set Privacy for Facebook Places interactive.

We have updated our Internet Safety tutorial to include brand new, up-to-date content that is easier to understand and integrate into your everyday online experience. In this tutorial you will learn the latest threats from malware to phishing to privacy violations and everything in between. We will show you how to secure your computers and protect your personal information. In addition, we will teach you the browsing skills you need to play it safe when interacting with others online.

So how safe do you really feel while you are online? You may not be as secure as you think. Consider the following questions:

• Have you ever Googled yourself to see what information is available about you online?
• Are you sure you are receiving regular updates from your browser and security programs?
• Are you enticed by “phishy” emails offering special deals or discounts?
• Do you carelessly download free games, screensavers or applications that may contain malware?
• When shopping online, do you check a site’s security status before entering your credit card information?
• Have you customized your privacy settings on sites like Facebook or Twitter?
• Is your use of the Internet interfering with your real world relationships and responsibilities?
• When you connect to a Wi-Fi Hotspot with your mobile device, are you taking precautions to make sure you are on a secure network?

If these questions have got you wondering about just how secure you are on the Internet, then visit our new Internet Safety topic. We will provide you with the tips, strategies and skills you need to get you well on your way to a more safe and secure online experience.

[poll id="18"]

Please take a minute to answer our poll.  As soon as you’re done, you can view the results.

If you are interested in a social media topic that is not listed in the poll, leave us a comment.  We would love to hear from you.

Do we need to think, before we hit send? Consider the following examples:

• A teacher complains on Facebook about the behavior of her students and she is now suspended from her job.  Think, before you hit share, especially when posting about work.
• A job candidate sends a scathing email when he is rejected by a hiring manager.  He may have been considered for a second opening, but instead he “burned his bridges.” Think, before you hit send, especially if you are upset, frustrated or angry.
• A politician uses his work email to send romantic messages to his lover.  They are published in the media causing great embarrassment.  Think!  Never post or write personal or inappropriate content in your work accounts.  It is not private and any content usually belongs to the company and can be used against you.
• An administrative assistant takes a sick day and heads out to the beach for a day of fun.  Unfortunately, her tweets about her great day at the beach get back to her boss.  Think!  Managers are now using social media more and more to catch employees participating in unprofessional behavior.

Most of these technologies are used for casual communication and socializing, therefore it’s easy to become careless. A good rule of thumb is to remind yourself not to write or post anything you would not be comfortable telling an entire room full of people. For more information on Netiquette, check out www.albion.com.

I’m either talking on my cell, texting (not while I’m working of course!) or emailing someone for about 12 hours per day. There are even times at work when someone who is sitting 6-10 feet away sends an instant message instead of walking over to talk. I have a certain friend that I met about a year ago. I bet I’ve heard this person’s voice and seen his/her face less than a dozen times,  but probably received thousands of text messages from him/her! I almost feel like I would be stepping over the invisible communication line by calling or suggesting we meet somewhere for a conversation!

Have we as a society placed digital communication on the same level as face-to-face communication? We’re raising a generation of bloggers, Twitterers, and texters. Will this new digital generation understand the art or rules of communication? Or will these skills simply not matter in the future? How do you prefer to communicate? Good old fashioned face-to-face conversations or using some sort of digital communication?  Weigh in and let us know your thoughts!

What is Cyberbullying?

Cyberbullying occurs when a child, teen, or preteen, uses some form of digital technology to threaten, stalk, harass, humiliate, or target another person in this same age group . Every threat should be taken seriously.

• About 58% of kids admit someone has said mean or hurtful things to them online.
• Girls are about twice as likely as boys to be victims and perpetrators of cyberbullying.
• About 21% of kids have received mean or threatening e-mails.

Recent News

In 2006, 13-year-old Megan Meier committed suicide after a fake online relationship left her humiliated. The bully in this case was Lori Drew, the mother of another teenage girl who was pretending to be a teenage boy. The case went to trial and in 2008 Lori Drew was cleared of any felony charges but was found guilty of three misdemeanors. This summer Lori Drew was acquitted of all charges.

Learn more about the Megan Meier case.

Megan Meier Suicide

Megan Meier Foundation

Mother Acquitted in Cyberbullying Case

Judge Overrules Jury in Cyberbullying Case

More Resources

DoSomething.org Must Read!

Stop Cyberbullying

1 in 10 Students are Affected

Cyberbullying.org