Inappropriate Content

Definition: any material that is disturbing, improper, and just plain wrong for children; anything that is not normal for a child to view such as:
  • Sexually explicit content: child/adult pornography, semi-nude and/or nudity
  • Images of violence/torture
  • Hate groups
  • Illegal activity and advertising
  • Extremist websites: consisting of terrorist organizations, bomb making sites, or gang affiliation
  • Sites that encourage dangerous behavior
  • Use of profanity and/or vulgur language

Safety & Legal Issues

Inappropriate content posses a safety risk in that it can cause mental and emotional damage to children of any age, especially very young children. It can cause them to have nightmares or a change in behavior, more so if the content was very vivid. Any child who knowingly posts any inappropriate material can be suspended or expelled from school; it can also be punishable by law at a felony level depending on the crime that was committed.

Tips for Students

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  • Never give out personal information such as: name, home address, phone number, school.
  • Inform a parent, teacher, or any adult that you trust if any inappropriate content has been seen and where it was found.
  • Never agree to meet anyone in person, who you do not know, that you have met online.
  • Never post, text, or send out something that you wouldn't want your parents to see.  Anything you post goes public/worldwide. Think before you click.

Tips for Educators

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  • Keep the computers in a well lite, and open space, where the monitor is easily visible.
  • Know the school's internet safety policies and rules in order to abide by them.
  • Post safety tips posters, from the CTAP website, next to each computer in the classroom as reference for each student
  • Education is Key! Teach your students not to open or download anything from unfamiliar sources

Tips for Parents

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  • Talk to your child about what kind of material is not appropriate to view of send out to others. Helping your child understand why it is important is key. 
  • Install web filtering software and parental controls on your computer to help shield your child from the content. Always keep the software up-to-date. 
  • Always supervise your child while they are on the computer.
  • Educate yourselves on how to use technology properly. Find tips, such as typing Ctrl+H to view the history of a child's whereabouts on the computer.