Facebook’s new format –“Timeline” — was rolled out in September and will go full scale soon — maybe before you read this blog post. (You can even access this blog post on my Facebook page! It’ll be there for years and years.)

What does this mean? Every single post, ‘like’ link, friendship, and photo you have ever published on Facebook will be kept in an endless stream . . . for anyone to access.

Think about this:  Your nine year old has a Facebook account and ‘likes’ certain pages and bands; has photos of friends and herself up, makes comments about her life and family, and shares her views and opinions, and she continues to do so as she grows.  When she is 18 and applies for jobs and colleges, her Facebook page will still show a history of what she posted from age NINE.  When she is 35 and up for a job review or decides on a career change, her new employers can still see what she was doing every year since she was nine years old.  Anyone with any sort of authority can access Facebook accounts — police, lawyers, employers.  They will have access to an incredibly extensive record, won’t they? Plus, the potential for misuse of information is mind boggling.

“Timeline” is mandatory. It started on December 15. Once you upgrade to Timeline, if you don’t like the way Facebook is publishing your information, you have seven days to make changes. After that, it’s too late.

Frankly, Facebook continues to make changes, and I am confident this is not the last change it will make. Our children are comfortable in this worldwide arena, but we adults know that sometimes youthful indiscretion can come back to haunt. Facebook is making it easier for all to see those youthful indiscretions – for a long time.  The bigger message is that we need to figure out ways to help our kids figure it out so they can stay safe and preserve as much privacy as there is left.

ANYTHING YOU SAY CAN AND WILL BE USED AGAINST YOU IN A COURT OF LAW.”

You have probably heard these words hundreds of times in movies and read them in books. These words – or some version of them – are part of what we have come to know as a “Miranda Warning,” named after Miranda v. Arizona,  a 1966 U.S. Supreme Court case.

Although Miranda dealt with rights of someone in police custody, we ought to teach children that what they SAY online can be used against them in many ways. I recently read a blog written by a man who was a juror in a case that was decided based on all kinds of social media evidence.

Jon Mitchell, a writer for ReadWriteWeb.com, wrote about his recent jury duty experience.  The jury had to decide who was telling the truth by comparing what live witnesses said in court with what they had written on MySpace, Facebook and in emails, some of which were written years before.

Mr. Mitchell’s advice was to “write like what you say will be read to a jury.” For teens and children, maybe a better test would be, “write like what you say will be read by your grandmother.”

We are living in a wired world. Boundaries between public and private lives are becoming blurred, and what children and youth “say” online can follow them for the rest of their lives.

Walk down any toy store aisle, browse through any catalog or check out any online business and you will see that electronics are common everywhere — along with numerous small pieces to attach (and detach) to all of them. Electronics and small pieces each have hidden dangers  for children of all ages. And while most children seem to be born with some innate understanding of technology, it’s still a good idea to remember the basics:

1. Be sure you are using the proper battery, charger, and plug outlet for the toy.
2. Make sure your child knows how to store the toy properly (e.g., keep it dry and at the right temperature).
3. If the child’s toy links to the internet or has an online play aspect, make sure the site is secure before you let the child access the internet.  (Make sure your computer safety settings have been adapted for these sites.)
4. Be sure video games and site links are age appropriate for the child. (This goes for on-lookers, too!)
5. Set rules so the child understands that her laptop and IPhone are different from yours.
6. Replace all batteries yourself.

Keeping these simple things in mind will allow your techno-savvy youth to enjoy their gift responsibly and safely.

The website has an expert on internet safety, Katie L. Greer.  She answers questions in the Parent’s Resource Center.

A recent question from a parent was about how to monitor a child’s cell phone texts. Here are her suggestions:

• If the child’s cell phone has an app that allows you to track your child’s activity on their phone, get it.
• If it doesn’t, other phones have settings that can block what the child is not allowed to do.
• Call the cell phone service provider and ask what they can do to help make your child’s phone safe.
• Some companies offer tracking services for a small fee.
• Most companies won’t give you a list of all the text messages; however, you can ask for a detailed bill that shows the text messaging activity.

You pay these companies a lot of money every month. Call them up and ask them what they can do to help you keep your child safe. If they can’t help you, switch cell phone companies.

Businesses react to the market. Good companies give the market what it wants. There are plenty of companies that have parent-friendly phones and options. So take your business to the company that can help keep your kids safe.

• It’s protected, it’s monitored, and it’s secure.
• It’s a place where tweens can go and “friend” other kids within their grade, one grade above and one grade below.
• It’s professionally moderated.
• It doesn’t use or sell the content.
• Parents sign up with their children.
• Facial recognition software is used at sign up and to verify every login.

Basically, it’s a place where children can learn about using social media and do it in a safe environment.

We all know how scary the internet can be for our children. This site offers a great alternative for parents and their tweens.

A short video ad encouraging internet safety for the internet’s youngest users has just been released by the UK Council for Child Internet Safety and the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre.  The ad is aimed at children in this age group and is meant to teach them what information is private and that they are not to share this with unknown individuals.

One short video ad can’t do it all; you must be involved. Here are some accompanying activities for you to complete with your child.

This publicity push is in honor of Europe’s Safer Internet Day on February 9, 2010.  This year’s Safer Internet Day theme is “Think Before You Post.”  Not just today, but regularly and often, talk to your children openly about making safe choices on the internet.

However, some apps have devious purposes.  Growing numbers of apps provide Caller ID Spoofing. We rely on caller ID and don’t question that the person on the phone is the name that appears on the screen.  However, spoofing apps allow the user to choose any number they want to appear on caller ID instead of their own, to completely disguise their voice so as to remain unrecognizable, and one spoof app allows users to fake texts and emails. Our children are trusters, but they can no longer automatically believe what the caller ID tells them.

The Wall Street Journal recently published an article (along with a 6-minute video) that featured SpoofCard, one of the most popular of the spoofing software versions, that told stories from users about how they use the device.  Even though the site details useful applications of the device in the section on legality, not one legal use is included as an actual example.  The examples from customers are all personal pranks or spying on “loved ones.”

Possibly the most dangerous use of this technology is that the spoofer is able to check another person’s voicemail without their knowledge.  Many cell phone carriers allow the user to check their voicemail without a password by calling their phone number from their own phone.  If a spoofed caller ID of your number calls your number, the spoofer is also connected directly to the voicemail box.  To keep this from happening to you, make sure you have use a password to access your voicemail.

Congress is moving forward in making this practice illegal.  The House passed the Truth in Caller ID Act of 2007, but it was never made into law.

The Federal Communication Commission has detailed its current view on caller ID and provides a number to call if you believe a caller ID has been falsified.

Find out all you can about caller ID spoofs. I know it may cause eye rolling by your children, but please talk to them about not assuming the caller whose ID they see on their phone may not be who they think it is. This spoof is no joke.