Don’t Fall for Fake

Interland:
Reality River

The river that runs through Interland flows with fact and fiction. But things are not always as they seem. To cross the rapids, use your best judgment – and don’t fall for the antics of the phisher lurking in these waters.

Let's play to Interland

Discussion topics

Have your children play Reality River and use the questions below to prompt further discussion about the thematics learned in the game.

Describe a time when you had to decide if something was real or fake online. What signs did you notice?
What is a phisher? Describe its behaviors and how it affects the game.
Did playing Reality River change the way youʼll evaluate things and people online in the future? If so, how?
Whatʼs one thing that you think youʼll do differently after joining in these thematics and playing the game?
What are some clues that could signal that something is “off” or creepy about a certain situation online?
How does it feel when you come across something questionable online?
If you really arenʼt sure whether something is real, what should you do?

Kidsafety

Talk about the risks of sharing personal data

The internet offers endless opportunities, but there are some things you should avoid.

1. Teach your children to identify dangers and avoid risks. Explain to them that just like in real life they should not talk to strangers or give personal data.

2. Explain to them that they should never meet with an online friend without first letting you know.

3. Explain to them how location services work and what the risks of sharing their location on social media are. Advise them to disable this option, unless they need their GPS to navigate.

4. Once online, always online. Discuss with your children what is appropriate to post or to share online and what isn't. Explain to them that everything they post – comments or opinions – will always be visible to everyone. The internet remembers everything. Even posts on apps such as Snapchat, which are only visible a couple of seconds can be stored and shared by someone taking a screenshot. Tell them this: “Do not post photographs on social media you wouldn't want to see in a frame at your grandmother”.

5. Explain to them that they are not anonymous or protected because they are online and that they should never write online what they wouldn't say to someone in real life. Depending on their age talk about illegal downloads, plagiarism, pornography and stalking.

Kidsafety

Set up parental controls

1. Android tablets: You can create different users on your tablet and assign different apps and settings to each one:

a. Select Users in the settings menu
b. Click Add user or profile
c. Select Restricted profile and disable the apps you don’t want your children to access.
d. Go to the settings menu and disable access to the device location services.

You also lock your device to one app, this works on Android phones as well:

a. Go to Settings > Security > Advanced
b.Enable Screen pinning
c. Go to the recent apps menu and tap the pushpin on the bottom of the app you want to pin to your screen
d. A pop-up appears, telling you how to unlock the screen again on your device. You can also have your device ask for a password before unlocking the screen.

2. iOS devices (iPhone / iPad): Using restrictions, you can block or limit certain apps and features on the device to make it more secure. To enable parental controls, you simply need to follow these steps:

a. Tap Settings > General
b. Tap Restrictions
c. Tap Enable restrictions and create a code.
Don’t forget that code: you will need it to be able to change or disable the restrictions.

3. Mac computer:

a. Click the Apple icon and select System Preferences. Then click Parental control
b. Create a user account for your children if they don’t already have one. Select Managed with Parental Controls, fill in the fields and click Create User
c. Click the padlock on the bottom left of the window to unlock the parental control settings
d. There you can set all kinds of restrictions for e.g. the use of apps, making online purchases and sending e-mails. You can also set a screen time for your child so he or she can’t use the computer outside the hours you allow or for longer than permitted

4. Windows 10 computers:

a. Go to Settings > Accounts > Family & other people
b. Add your children as a family member
c. Click Manage family settings online
d. A webpage will launch, where you can monitor your children’s activity, set restrictions for purchasing, the use of apps and media, web browsing, and set a screen time for your child so he or she can’t use the computer outside the hours you allow or for longer than permitted.

Discover all the kidsafety tips

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