-tictech message:
Hello All,
The asianavenue site referenced in Paula's email is blocked by the
District's Bess filter. Although N2H2 doesn't include it in blocked sites
(we're asking them to take another look), we have blocked it locally. For a
short period, a couple of the Bess filter servers had problems with the
filter database and were letting this site through. That has been corrected
and it is now blocked by all the servers.
Thanks,
Judy
------------------------------------------------------
Judy McNamee
Manager, Computer Operations
Seattle Public Schools
Voice: 206-252-0306
Fax: 206-252-0301
jmcnamee@seattleschools.org
-------------------------------------------------------
-----Original Message-----
From: Tortorice, Paula [mailto:ptortorice@seattleschools.org]
Sent: Tuesday, June 18, 2002 7:43 AM
To: TIC-TECH (E-mail)
Subject: tictech: FW: www.asianavenue.com
-tictech message:
Hi Everyone,
Below is a website we should all be watching out for.
Hope you all have a wonderful summer.
Paula Tortorice
ptortorice@seattleschools.org
Schmitz Park Elementary
Computer Lab I.A.
www.seattleschools.org/schools/spark
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Chambers, Nina
> Sent: Monday, June 17, 2002 4:43 PM
> To: Tortorice, Paula
> Subject: www.asianavenue.com
>
>
> Just a heads up that innumerable SSD students have accounts on this
> website from which students are going to chatrooms, email & updating
> "their" websites, all of which is free if you register, giving ad nauseum
> personal info. And it's growing by leaps & bounds through word-of-mouth.
> Until last week, they could access it from any networked computer in the
> district. Either BESS had some issues with blocking it, or they had
> technical problems blocking it. So the school district has blocked both
> the www.asianavenue.com & asianavenue.com (without the www) If you see a
> student getting into this site then there is a glitch in the software &
> you might want to let HelpDesk know.
> You might also want to print out the screen, before chatting with the
> student. Once they log out, You can't get into it without registering
> with an extremely long list of confidential data. Nor can you leave this
> info blank or it throws it back to you. So you have to take some time to
> give it erroneous info. Once they logout, you can't review what they've
> done unless you have an account, too (ingenious!)
>
> The bottom line is: It's good to know that we can ask the Helpdesk to
> escalate a block & do it locally, if BESS can't or won't. I had tried to
> block it the previous week to the incident I mention below, via BESS.
>
> This website rejects your request for membership registration, if you
> leave out anyone of the following: gender, address, zip, family income,
> email address, among others. And it's exclusive--won't let you in unless
> you register. Of course you could make it all up, but frankly, it takes a
> lot of time to be devious, which is not to say they have more time than I
> do. But my guess is that 90% are just inputting what they are requested
> to by the website.
>
> These students are making some dangerous choices quite thoughtlessly,
> because it's such a "legitimate" website, all their friends are on it so
> why not! And the school district doesn't block it so it must be OK.
> These were students who are bright & have potential. This is so
> dangerous.
>
> A concerned teacher tipped me off to this site & I tried to get it
> blocked. But it didn't hit home until I saw the T.A. inputting her age
> (fourteen), height, weight, gender & email address! How much more info do
> you need to get into a really dangerous situation! Even if you make up
> everything else, if they know your email address, that seems a little
> dangerous. Plus it just gives kids more opportunities to chat with
> strangers, which means more opportunity to devulge personal data, evn
> unintentionally.
>
> So if you see a student using this site, you want to print immediately
> should you see a student inputting their personal data, updating their
> website, or using the email or chatroom functions--then explain the
> personal safety issues. Then you have evidence should you need to have a
> conversation with pertinent parties. Next year when I do Internet
> orientation, I'll use this as an example, & tell them we are calling their
> parents, etc., should we find them there, if N2H2 drops the ball on this
> one.
>
> Incidentally, the book: Katie.com, is an excellent book to steer kids to
> who are giving out their personal info freely. I tell them, if they know
> your email, that's too much!
>
> Good luck.
> Nina
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