While I think that CIPA (children's internet protection act) and COPPA (children's online privacy protection act) (as well as SOPPA (student online privacy and protection act)) are helpful laws, they do not do enough to filly protect children. With so much information out there for children to view, I do not think that CIPA, COPPA, and SOPPA are protecting kids from harmful information. There is no way that schools could possibly block every harmful website, video, pictures, and text that students can find online. I also think that point about these laws not taking into account all of the new social media out there as well as the access that students have to these devices both inside and outside of school. With social media, there is also harmful words that can be said and posted amongst students. Photo and video sharing is also a really harmful thing that teachers and parents need to be cautious of with students. While it helps to have lessons and conversations about digital safety and security, stronger laws in place would be best.
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I found Danah Boyd’s comment about COPPA teaching kids to lie very interesting. It’s true that there’s no way to prove age online aside from just putting in a birthday. It would be better if there was a way to look up a person’s age in some sort of system or prove age with a school or legal ID. I agree that many students lie about their age to gain access to social media and other sites that are age protected. I have young students that talk about the social media that they are using outside of school, and my students are much younger than that website’s age restriction. Given that we know this happens, it feels like there should be stronger ways to enforce these rules/laws!
When thinking about COPPA, I do not think that 13 is the age these privacy restrictions should stop. Children today are exposed to social media and other digital platforms and online interactions from a very young age, almost always before they are 13. This early use exposure means that by the time they reach 13, they have already spent a lot of time online, using different types of platforms, and viewing all different types of online media. They are doing this all without the necessary understanding of privacy risks, digital literacy, and digital citizenship. At 13, kids are still very young and are not aware of the dangers of sharing information online. When so many other age restrictions are much older (18 for voting and enlisting, 21 for drinking…) I’m not sure why 13 was chosen for technology. It seems to me that this should be at an age where the brain is fully formed and decision making is not impacted. I think if the age for privacy laws were increased, it would better match how kids grow up and how they use the internet. I also think that it would be important for curriculum on digital safety, digital citizenship, and privacy laws to be created and mandated for all schools using technology and online learning platforms. A curriculum like that would ensure that all children (at all age levels) are learning and understanding the importance of what they do online instead of just having access without understanding.
Hi Madeline! Right off the bat, I agree with your statement that not enough is being done to protect children from harmful material. With the evolution of technology and growth of the internet, there is so much information out there and so many ways for it to come into contact with children. I think back to when I was in high school attempting to do research for an art class and having my internet restricted because the artist's website I was researching came up as 'porn'--mind you this artist did not even create nudes, so it was a mystery for all of us why it was labeled as such. A month later, someone had hacked the school's official email chain and did email out an actually porn video to the entire student body. Needless to say, there is no sure fire way of protecting children from the brutalities of information. I see it as a chance to educate children on the appropriate way to respond if something does occur.
ReplyDeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteI agree the age should be increased. The very fact that children are still in school means they still have the opportunity to learn. With these protections still in place under the law, it would be much easier to educate students on more things before the age limit ages them out of the law. At the very least, the rules can be structured so access to certain things are granted after the education of those aspects according to grade level and proof of proficiency. Just food for thought.
Hello Madeline,
ReplyDeleteI think CIPA, COPPA, and SOPPA have good intentions to protect children’s privacy and safety online. I also think that teachers and parents need to take the time to educate the students on how to be safe and responsible when using their electronic devices. As well as it is important for teachers and parents to monitor students when they are using the internet because like dana boyd commented, it is easy for children to lie about their age. I also agree with you that it is important to teach students about digital safety, digital citizenship, and privacy laws from a very young age because nowadays children have access to the internet at school and at home, and they need to learn how to be safe and responsible when using it. Thanks for sharing!