Teaching kids rules for online safety

Watching her kids grow up connected to the Internet, Rockville Centre resident Katie Schumacher began to learn the dangers that it could pose to children. That’s why she began the local “Don’t Press Send” campaign.

Schumacher’s goal is to educate kids in Rockville Centre and beyond about the dangers of sending out pictures and information about themselves to strangers on the Internet.

“It’s an education in cyber civics,” Schumacher said. “It’s giving kids tools and guidelines as they use tech to keep them safe and keep them from harming others and themselves.”

Schumacher has been traveling to different classes in the Rockville Centre School District to spread her message of safe online behavior. Part of the program is for students to sign the Don’t Press Send Pledge, which says they will be careful with their personal information online.

“Someone needs to give them guidelines and tell them to stay within these guidelines, and they’ll be fine,” said Schumacher. “Technology changed so fast, and people just went along with it.”

Schumacher said her program has seen success since she started it in the fall. She’s hoping to expand it more in the next school year by adding Student Ambassadors. These students will help spread the word about cyber safety to their peers. “Let them own it and get the word out,” Schumacher said.

She has already employed South Side High School students to help make her website and write content for it.

Parents also need some guidance, she said. Schumacher has only held two programs for parents this year, but hopes to expand that next year as the Student Ambassador program takes off.

“Technology is not a fad,” she said. “It’s good. There’s nothing wrong with it. But we have to find its place.”

For more information, visit www.dontpresssend.org.