Friday 9 August 2024

Sex Education Training for High School Kids and Appropriate Use of Mobile Phones

I passed by a bus stop teeming with high school students waiting to board bus to their home. They were noisy, energetic and clamoring for attention from girls. The girls enjoyed and mingled freely with the boys - something that this generation has taken for granted. 

In this context I was thinking of how much control parents have over the kids. Do they know if their son's and daughters are sexting or engaging in risky behavior of sharing revealing pics to their friends or more than that.

 In this context, I was thinking of the utility of parental control app in mobile phone, I searched online for such apps. 

It looks like there are few apps like Canopy which uses AI feature to stop people from sharing nude pictures online or warns parents of inappropriate images being shared. However, no app can stop from people from sharing pics! The kids are the custodians and they themselves hold the key!

And, So, I was thinking if schools conduct any training by experts who provide extensive training on dos and don't of image sharing. Also, they can teach students on how people use certain chat to befriend them and they they take advantage of their friendship for other motives. 

Such training and classes is essential in this era where the use of mobile phone is common and it's a way of life for young people. 

ChatGpt has this answer on how sex educator can train adolescent kids on the right behavior and how they can flag certain behavior from people as inappropriate.



Steps a Sex Educator Can Take to Train School Kids on Using Mobile Phones Appropriately
Understanding Digital Citizenship:

Teach kids about being responsible digital citizens, focusing on respect, empathy, and proper behavior online.
Discuss the concept of a "digital footprint" and how everything shared online can have long-term consequences.

Safe Online Behavior:

Emphasize the importance of privacy settings on social media and messaging apps.
Educate kids on what personal information should never be shared online, such as their location, school, or private images.

Recognizing Grooming and Online Predators:

Explain how predators may try to befriend kids online by pretending to be their age or showing interest in their hobbies.

Teach them to recognize red flags, like when someone asks for personal photos, wants to meet in person, or tries to isolate them from their friends and family.

Real-Life Examples:

Use age-appropriate stories or case studies of incidents where young people were targeted by online predators. This could include high-profile cases that are well-documented, but the focus should be on the lessons learned and how to avoid similar situations.

Spotting the Signs of Blackmail or Revenge Porn:

Discuss the emotional and behavioral signs of someone who might be experiencing blackmail or revenge porn, such as anxiety, depression, secrecy, or withdrawal from social activities.

Emphasize the importance of seeking help immediately if they feel threatened or if someone is trying to manipulate them with private content.

How to Avoid These Situations:

Teach kids to never send explicit images or messages, even to someone they trust, as these can be used against them if the relationship sours.

Encourage them to block and report any suspicious behavior or unwanted advances to the platform and to a trusted adult.

Stress the importance of speaking up without fear of judgment if they find themselves in a difficult situation.

Examples of Men Who Prey on Young Girls
While real-life cases should be presented sensitively, they can include:

Online Groomers: Men who pose as teenagers to befriend and manipulate young girls online.

Revenge Porn Cases: Situations where intimate photos shared during a relationship were later used for blackmail or public humiliation.

These examples can be annonymized or generalized to avoid triggering or scaring the students, while still conveying the seriousness of the issue.

Tell-Tale Signs of Blackmail or Revenge Porn

  • Emotional Distress: Unexplained anxiety, depression, or panic attacks.
  • Secretive Behavior: Being overly protective of their phone, avoiding certain online platforms, or sudden withdrawal from social circles.
  • Drop in Academic Performance: Declining grades, lack of focus, or missing school.

How Kids Can Avoid These Situations
Be Cautious with Online Interactions: Only communicate with people they know in real life, and avoid sharing personal details or photos online.

Use Strong Privacy Settings: Ensure social media profiles are private and regularly review who has access to their information.

Speak Up: Encourage open communication with parents, teachers, or counselors if they feel uncomfortable or if something doesn’t seem right.

These steps aim to empower young people to use their mobile phones safely and confidently while being aware of the potential risks and knowing how to protect themselves.


Curious Konnections


P.S - In many cases school don't have the infrastructure and manpower to provide training on cyber sex, or practical tips to avoid traps from sex predators. In that case, schools can create online training videos which will cover all aspects of mobile usage, sex education and how to set up privacy in social media and in mobile.

Every govt school can use a common online training program which each student has to attend at their time. As a proof that they have attended this sex education training, they will have to provide answer or write about it. All this has to monitored that they don't just copy some answer, without going through the recorded training program. 


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