These are just some of the many concerns faced by parents and youth developers of today. With the Internet permeating into almost every aspect of our lives, there is no doubt that the extent of these concerns would only deepen with time.

In this chapter, youth developers and parents will find invaluable resources to guide youths in developing safe Internet surfing and gaming habits based on the five 'C's of Cyber Wellness. They provide a quick diagnosis of whether a youth is addicted to gaming or the Internet, as well as some tips to monitor youth online habits. However, this is not meant to be an exhaustive guide nor a replacement to professional counselling for addicted youths.

THE FIVE 'C'S OF CYBER WELLNESS AND THEIR KEY MESSAGES

The National Internet Advisory Committee (NIAC) in its Cyber Wellness Task Force Report ³⁵ put in place the five 'C's of Cyber Wellness – Community, Contact, Content, Confusion and Commerce – a structure which youth developers and parents can use to promote cyber wellness values in their communities and families.

1. Community
   • Safe and healthy communities (both real life and online) form the foundation for Cyber Wellness.
2. Contact
   • Online interactions often decrease one's alertness to personal safety, lulling people into a false sense of security – beware that there is no sure way of discerning whether an online contact is truthful or safe!
   • No matter how long you chat with people online, they are still strangers – do not get sweet-talked.
3. Content
   • Content available on the Internet cannot be effectively regulated. You are the best filter!
   • Pornographic pictures are hard to erase from your mind. Do not get started!
4. Confusion
   • Pursue your dreams with focus. Do not fail to achieve because of Internet addiction.
5. Commerce
   • Increased connectivity on the Internet increases the risk of security breaches.

Connecting with other people on the Internet is one of the most popular activities among youths today, especially activities such as email and chatting. However, there are many pitfalls that await youths engaging in such activities. Without proper guidance, many youths will fail to see these pitfalls, and falling into one will lead to devastating consequences.

Instant Messaging/ICQ

Instant messaging systems such as MSN Messenger, ICQ and Yahoo! Messenger are popular among youths today and offer a safe environment for chatting and connecting. However, they are not watertight against undesirable characters online and are only as safe as the youth allows it to be:

• Engage in one-to-one messaging
• However, other users may try to contact them
• They can choose whether or not to respond - the choice is theirs
• They can choose not to chat with anyone else other than their friends, his is a safer option
• They still have to be very careful about information they give out
• They can block individuals they want to ignore

Chatting online in a chat room (e.g. IRC) or a forum can be fun and enriching as youths can develop their social skills online. To keep it fun and safe for the youths, youth developers and parents can adopt the following principles:

• Youths should not be allowed to chat unsupervised
• It is difficult to monitor youths constantly, so teach them basic rules on chatting, e.g. do not give out personal information such as telephone numbers or home addresses
• To start off, guide youths to pick nicknames that are not suggestive; obviously if a youth picks a name like sexy16, she is likely to get a lot of unwanted attention

The Internet is a rich resource of knowledge, diverse in its domain and scope. Unfortunately, the Internet today has been abused to propagate unhealthy and inaccurate content and it is becoming more difficult to avoid unwholesome content and to discern the truth from the lies.

Youth developers and parents of youths today need to be educated and aware of the different content on the Internet in order to guide and build into youths correct surfing habits.

Pornography

The pervasiveness of pornography on the Internet is very real, with the pornography industry estimated to have a net value of US$57 billion worldwide and with about 4.2 million such websites (12% of total websites) online. ³⁶ It is therefore important for youth developers and parents to provide positive sex education to youths now to prevent the walk down the slippery path.

Some handles on helping youths stay out of pornography include:

• Building up the youth's self-esteem
• Consult local agencies for help e.g. voluntary welfare organizations and family service centres
• Employing filtering tools – but build up the filter "between the ears" i.e. to help youths develop a mental filter that would help them keep away from pornography willingly

Internet users need to know that although the World Wide Web can be a good source of information, not all of the information reflected is accurate or true. Some pitfalls to look out for include:

• URL mimickers
• Historical revisionist material - some sites rewrite history according to their beliefs
• Make sure you look out for the source, date, links and references; try to cross reference with other websites or books
• Go to reputable websites

Filtering and Blocking – Filtering software

To protect youths from being exposed to undesirable content, parents at home can install filtering software tools as a helper to monitor youth's online habits. There are different types of filtering and blocking tools:

• Some block access to sites
• Some allow usage for only a certain amount of time on the Internet
• Several block outgoing content
• Some are used for monitoring purposes

Visit www.getnetwise.org for more information on filtering and blocking tools.

Online spaces and video games provide alternate realities that appeal to youth today because they empower the youth and constantly provide them with new challenges to conquer. Used in the right way, they can help in a youth's development, such as promoting positive feelings, establishing (online) social relationships or even used as an outlet for aggression.³⁷

On the flip side, excessive online activities and video gaming can lead to Internet/gaming addiction resulting in a confusion of reality. The damaging effects of Internet/gaming addiction can be mitigated or even completely prevented with some basic strategies outlined below.

Benefits of Gaming

Gaming within limits can be helpful for the psychological and mental development of youths. Benefits of gaming include:

• Developing thinking, planning, problem-solving and decision-making skills
• Developing visual information and eye-hand coordination
• Improved social skills through interaction with others and development of social relationships online
• Providing youths with an outlet for their pent-up emotions
• Providing youths with an escape route from boredom and loneliness

Here are some quick pointers that can be useful in helping youths adopt cyber wellness values:

• Be educated and take pro-active interest in youth gaming
• Supervise, monitor and limit the amount of time the youth engages in Internet gaming
• Be aware of different game genres and type of play
• Select appropriate games for the youth
• Discuss suitability of violent solutions portrayed in the games
• Provide alternative non-violent solutions to problems

Rating	For Ages	Description
EC - Early Childhood	3 years and older	Titles in this category do not contain inappropriate material. Examples include Disney and Sesame Street.
E - Everyone	6 years and older	Titles in this category may contain minimal violence, comic mischief and/or some crude language.
E10+ (Everyone 10 and older)	10 years and older	Titles in this category may contain more cartoon, fantasy or mild violence, mild language, and/or minimal suggestive themes.
T - Teen	13 years and older	Titles in this category may contain violent content, mild or strong language, and/or suggestive themes.
M - Mature	17 years and older	Titles in this category may contain mature sexual themes, intense violence and/or strong language.
AO (Adults Only)	18 years and older	Titles in this category may include prolonged scenes of intense violence and/or graphic sexual content and nudity.

Possible Indicators of Aggressive Tendencies

Do you suspect that a youth is developing aggressive tendencies due to excessive Internet gaming? Some behavioural signs include:

• Having strong feelings of wanting to hit someone
• Feeling angry and ready to explode
• Easily provoked
• Short-tempered
• Threaten others
• Getting into arguments often
• Showing irritation when frustrated
• Feeling suspicious of others
• Declaring openly that others disagree with him/her
• Suspicious that others are laughing behind his/her back

Using the Internet can be addictive. However, being "addicted" can be very subjective and not determined simply by time spent online. The following questions can be used as a quick assessment of whether a youth is addicted to the Internet: (click to download pdf)³⁹

Youths can also use this list as a form of self-assessment. This list is by no means exhaustive; Internet addiction symptoms may also manifest to varying degrees for different individuals.

It is crucial that parents, youth/social workers and teachers understand that the Internet may just be a conduit for youths to engage in negative, sometimes even destructive behaviours. Youths could instead be addicted to these behaviours and not the Internet itself.

Strategies to Prevent or Counter Internet Addiction

Without proper supervision and guidance, the Internet can be addictive because of the many new experiences it offers to youths. By making Internet surfing a family experience, parents can be directly involved in shaping the surfing habits of their youths. They can:

• Keep the computer in a place accessible to all – be it at home or in school where monitoring Internet usage is easy
• Agree to a time limit (e.g. <10 years old: 1 hour per day; >10 years old: 2 hours) for Internet use outside school hours
• Be involved and interested in the youth's surfing
• Parents could spend more quality time with the youth away from the Internet; pursue common interests/hobbies/sports
• Schools should constantly track students' Internet usage, keep a record of all sites visited and install filters
• Support Internet safety programmes designed by community groups like TOUCH Community Services
• Social/youth workers, parents and teachers should actively promote the positive aspects of the Internet and offer suggestions on how to surf safely

With the advent of digital media and file sizes made small enough to be transferred over the Internet, sharing digital content on the Internet such as music files, videos, movies, e-books and software is becoming increasingly popular. Many people are now able to use the Internet as a platform to showcase and distribute their original works without the obstacles that one would usually face if using conventional media and distribution methods.

With the popularisation of using the Internet as a content sharing and exchange platform, youth developers and parents cannot afford to ignore the high possibility that youths may have access to copyrighted content from illegal sources. Educating youths on the ethical and legal implications of illegally downloading copyrighted content should constantly be on the minds of youth developers and parents.

Content on the Internet

Ever wonder how do youths amass such large amounts of MP3s, videos or movies? The youth would very likely have downloaded the files from the Internet, using software known as file-sharing programs.

File-sharing programs are often called peer-to-peer programs. They work by making your computer files available for download by anyone else using similar software, and similarly, allow the user to download from others as well.

Some popular file-sharing programs include:

• Napster
• iMesh
• KaZaA
• BitTorrent
• Aimster
• Bearshare
• Gnotella
• Gnucleus
• Grokster
• Morpheus
• Limewire

Strategies to Prevent Commerce-related Cybercrime

There are individuals waiting for opportunities to gain unauthorised access to your computer for their own gain. They might even make use of your computer to commit crime without your knowledge.

• E-shopping or online shopping may be convenient and effortless. But there are syndicates or individuals who are out to steal credit card numbers or personal information.
• "Get-rich-quick" investment proposals are another ruse through email to lure potential victims. For example, certain individuals may claim to be high-ranking government officials or royalty. They may approach you to transfer 'huge sum of excess government funds' out of foreign countries to earn 'huge commissions' in return. Accepting such offers will cause you to lose large sums of money as these are likely to be scams.

Firewall - Install a personal firewall and learn how to use it correctly. A firewall's job is to screen the network traffic that is received and sent by your computer. A firewall can defend your computer against these threats by preventing unauthorised connections to your computer without your permission.

Click here for more information.

Updates - Operating systems and applications software should be updated regularly. Most software contains flaws, that is why software makers constantly release updates to fix these flaws. These updates, known as patches, should be installed as soon as they become available.

Click here for more information.

Anti-Virus - Install anti-virus software and update it regularly. Viruses are another big threat. Anti-virus software helps detect and remove viruses from your computer. It is critical that you update the virus signatures regularly.

Click here for more information.

Passwords - Create strong passwords and keep them safe. Passwords are your identity cards on the Internet and should be taken seriously. Do not reveal your passwords to anyone under any circumstance.

Click here for more information.

Scams - Beware of emails or websites with great offers that sound too-good-to-be-true as they are usually out for your money. Such gimmicks are common nowadays, hence we should be more alert.

Click here for more information.

To protect yourself

• Take time to understand the online offer.
• Ask for more information when required.
• Do not give your credit card information or other personal information over the Internet without first verifying the reliability of the merchant/recipient.
• Check your credit card statement carefully and report to the bank immediately if there are any discrepancies.
• Beware of 'great' offers that may turn out to be stolen or fraudulently obtained goods.
• Chatting with strangers online through IRC, MSN or ICQ? Anyone can mask his identity and impersonate another person. He/she might be a criminal in disguise. To be on the safe side:
  • Avoid meeting your new online pals alone.
  • Meet the person in a public place, preferably with a trusted friend or family member.
  • Never respond to messages that make you uncomfortable.
  • Do not rely on strangers you meet in a chat-room for important advice.
  • Avoid revealing personal information such as full names, telephone numbers, and home addresses to individuals over the Internet.
  • Avoid online exchange of personal photographs of your family and your home.

• Preserve information stored in your computer as evidence
• Keep a log of all online sessions or print them out
• Save any annoying or threatening email
• Report the crime to the Police immediately

Cybercrime is a broadly used term to describe criminal activity committed on computers or facilitated over the Internet. Depending on the nature of the crime, different legislations may be used by the Police during the investigations. Some examples of cybercrimes are:

• Computer Hacking
• Unauthorised Access to online accounts, such as email
• Denial of Service
• Cyberstalking or Harassment
• Online scams

• By making a written report at a Neighbourhood Police Centre (NPC) or Neighbourhood Police Post (NPP)
• By making an emergency '999' call; you need not lodge another written report after calling '999' unless you want a written record of your report
• By making an electronic report at the Electronic Police Centre (www.spf.gov.sg/epc) via the Internet

There are some people waiting for opportunities to harm or take advantage of youths. Do not give them that chance! Here are some tips for youths on how they can use the Internet safely. Share the information with your youths and ensure that they keep these tips by their computer so they will not forget them.

DOs

• Use the Internet to gain information for school projects, to upgrade your knowledge and learn about new things like the sciences, sports and hobbies, etc.
• Check your computer system regularly to make sure that no foreign programmes or files have been installed in them.
• Be wary of new people that you meet online. Some individuals can impersonate another and may be nice to you because they have ulterior motives. Remember that online, a person can pretend to be anyone he/she wants to be.
• Tell your parents or guardian if an online pal wants to meet you in person.
• Tell your parents or guardian if you find something online strange to you, or someone that makes you feel uncomfortable or worried.
• Change your passwords frequently.
• Ignore 'Spam'. Spam is the practice of sending mail, especially advertising material, through the Internet to a large number of people, who have not asked for it.

• Don't reveal personal information about you or your family, or exchange personal photos with strangers.
• Don't enter chat rooms unless you have obtained permission from our parents or guardian.
• Don't agree to meet anyone in person you knew online unless a parent or guardian is with you.
• Don't view content that your parents or guardian don't want you to. If you find it by accident, hit the back button on your browser and look for something else.
• Don't disclose your passwords or User ID to anyone, not even your best friends.
• Don't answer email from strangers who don't identify themselves. Tell your parents or guardian immediately.
• Don't order or buy anything online without first getting permission from your parents or guardian.
• Don't experiment with hacking tools.
• Don't try to gain access to computers belonging to other people unless you have obtained their permission.

MONITORING THE YOUTH'S INTERNET ACTIVITIES

Question 1:
I would like to know what my youth does online when I am not around. What do I do?

Answer:

It might be very difficult for your youth to tell you exactly where and when he/she has been surfing on the Internet. However, there are some tools that may help provide traces to where the youth has been.

• Monitoring tools - software that inform adults about a young user's online activity without necessarily limiting access; these range in complexity from simply recording the addresses of websites that are visited, to providing a warning message to the user if an inappropriate site has been visited.
• The web browser's history list will also provide a list of websites the user has visited.

Question 2:
I want to limit the time spent by my youth online. How do I do it?

Answer:

If you are concerned about the amount of time your youth may be spending online or if you do not want them to use the Internet when you are asleep or away from home, time-limiting software offers a solution. It allows you to set limits on the amount of time the youth spends on the computer or online.

LIMITING THE YOUTH'S ACCESS TO THE COMPUTER

Question 3:
How do I limit my youth's access to the computer?

Answer:

There are a number of ways to limit your youth's access to the computer when you are not around or when you are asleep. Common methods include:

• Setting User Accounts in Windows XP and configuring the youth's account so that certain privileges e.g. installation of new software or games are restricted
• Putting a password to protect the account will also help ensure your youth does not have access to the computer without your authorisation
• If your computer is not installed with Windows XP, some computers also allow a system start-up password to be set, thus achieving a similar degree of access control