Dear Reader,
In honor of Change Your Password Day (February 7) this week’s topic is Password Safety. Why not take a few moments right now and change FIVE of your passwords? You know, I only nudge because I care. 🙂
I hope all my east coast readers are weathering the blizzard safely and warmly.
See ya on the Net,
Barbara J. Feldman
“Surfing the Net with Kids”
https://www.surfnetkids.com
Password Safety
https://www.surfnetkids.com/resources/password-safety/
Password Safety Printable(** for Premium Members only)
https://www.surfnetkids.com/printables/files/printables-club/password-safety.pdf
Over the years, as the Internet usage has grown, and cyber-threats have increased, so has the need for more stringent passwords. Are your password habits out of date? Here are the basic rules of password safety: never reuse a password, never put personal info in a password, make them long, don’t use words you can find in a dictionary, use a variety of character types and cases, keep them secure, and don’t share them. For more tips on teaching password safety to kids, here is this week’s crop of website recommendations.
Connect Safely: Tips for Strong Passwords
“A strong password is your first line of defense against intruders and imposters.” Connect Safely offers fourteen password tips three ways: as an article, a slideshow, and as a shareable, printable PDF. They also bring up an excellent conundrum for parents: “… if you do ask your children for their passwords, make sure they understand that this is a rare exception to the ‘do not share password’ rule.”
Cyberbullying.us: Tips for Teens: Password Safety
This printable PDF of ten password tips for teens from the Cyberbullying Research Center includes this excellent advice: “Do not type passwords on devices that you do not own, control, or fully trust.” This means that the computer in the library or cyber café is best used for casual Web surfing, and not for “logging into your online accounts.”
Microsoft: Teach Kids Online Security Basics
When you are little, it can be really, really hard to keep your password secret! “According to a study by Teen Angels of Wired Safety.org, 75 percent of 8- to 9-year olds shared passwords with someone else, and 66 percent of girls in grades 7 to 12 said they shared their password with someone else.” This Microsoft list is very helpful. In addition to password safety, it also includes rules for using social media to share with your kids.
… Click to continue to Password Safety
Printables Club Members Also Get …
Surfnetkids Printables Club Members also get the following printables to use in the classroom, the computer lab, the school library, or to send home with students:
Password Safety Printable
Password Safety Wikipedia Printable
Internet Safety Games Printable
What is Phishing? Printable
Online Safety Printable
*** Are you curious? Get your own ten-day trial membership:
https://www.surfnetkids.com/printables-club.htm
Related Games
Quote of the Week
“They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself.” ~~ Andy Warhol ~~ (August 6, 1928 – February 22, 1987) American artist. Click here to check out the list of people who are quoted on Lightafire.com.
Surfing the Calendar
Mozart’s Birthday Jan 27, 1756
Lewis Carroll’s Birthday Jan 27, 1832
Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice” Published Jan 28, 1813
Seven Dead in Challenger Space Shuttle Disaster Jan 28, 1986
National Puzzle Day Jan 29, 2015
Mahatma Gandhi Assassinated Jan 30, 1948
Black History Month February
Wild Bird Feeding Month February
American Heart Month February
Children’s Dental Health Month February
First Session of Supreme Court Feb 1, 1790
Change Your Password Day Feb 1, 2015
Digital Learning Day Feb 1, 2015
Seven Dead in Columbia Space Shuttle Disaster Feb 1, 2003
Sled Dogs Save Nome, AK Feb 2, 1925