Online Safety
• Information for Girl Scout troop leaders and service unit managers regarding creating Web sites and participating in social media, can be found on the Policies & Guidelines page.
Girl Scouts of the Missouri Heartland recognizes the Internet is an exciting and dynamic tool for information, education, and entertainment. But we also recognize there can be some risk associated with online usage.
Being committed to the safety and education of the girls in our Council, we have provided a few links to sites we believe have valid and responsible information that can help girls and their parents become aware and proactive in keeping their Internet usage safe and fun.
Girl Scouts of the USA, in conjunction with Microsoft, recently released their latest project for the girl of the digital age and their parents:
• LMK (let me know) : Life Online
Created by the Girl Scouts of the U.S.A. in partnership with Windows to help girls change the world every time they go online. Empowering youth to educate others on the reality of being a teen online and help adults understand the real issues that affect them every day.
"Welcome to LMK, the newest interactive Web site for teens from Girl Scouts and Windows. Created with help from teens like you and industry experts, you'll get the know-how to navigate safely through your online life and even help your parents understand it too. We know how important it is to you! Go ahead, explore the site create a profile and make an impact."
The compantion site for adults can be found here: LMK for Adults
Encourage your girls to take the Internet Safety Pledge:
View the Safety Activity Checkpoint for computer and online use:
Other sources for online safety and education:
- Girl Scouts "Digital Living: Handbook Introduction" (downloadable PDF, 260KB)
- FBI's A Parent's Guide to Internet Safety
Here are some Web sites for parents that contain some helpful resources regarding online and social media safety.
Who's That Girl? : Image and Social Media Survey
This nationwide survey, which included more than 1,000 girls ages 14 to 17, finds the increased exposure to social media puts teenage girls in a confusing situation where a girl's image is not always what it seems, as nearly 74 percent of girls agree that most girls use social networking sites to make themselves "cooler than they really are." The survey finds that girls downplay several positive characteristics of themselves online, most prominently their intelligence, kindness and efforts to be a positive influence. These feelings among others related to emotional safety online and the impact of social media on girls' relationships are further spelled out in materials located on this page.
Norton Family Resources
The "Family Online safety Guide" contains good information for families with kids of all ages, and addresses a wide variety of important online safety and security topics for everyone, including online shopping and bill paying, identity theft, online gaming and addiction, and cell phone safety.
Guidelines for Parents of Pre-Teens
By taking responsibility for your children’s online computer use, parents can greatly minimize any potential risks of being online.
Disney’s Internet Safety Guide
The best form of Online Safety begins at home with you, the parent. The best way to know what your child is doing online is to ask. Whether you ask other parents, an Internet-savvy friend, or your child about how they use the Internet asking the right questions will help you understand what your child is doing online so you can make sure they are making safe online choices.
