Our goal is to educate and inform Northern Sandhills area residents about ways to stay protected when using smart phones, using social media platforms and while using the internet. We have many goals and more information will be coming soon. Please like and follow our social media pages to stay connected to upcoming events and for further information.
The beginning…….
The Valentine Public Library began the thought for Online Snare-Cyber Smart after we had a young woman we viewed in the library on her personal devices using the library Wifi many years ago. Between what the staff and other concerned library patrons viewed and overheard, it was clear what was happening. She was being groomed online by a predator. This was reported to local law enforcement and the situation did finally improve but it took time and awareness for all parties involved.
This was many years ago, but the vulnerability of the victim and how easy it was for this to happen was something we never forgot. After this, we quickly realized that with ever changing and growing technology we had the potential for more victims in our community. It wasn’t a matter of if but when.
Online Snare-Cyber Smart was developed with online safety, security, and the ultimate goal was to educate people to reduce victimization. Period…..That it! Less victims and a smarter safer community using technology!
We consider our mission a success even if we have only reached one person in any of the following scenarios.
- For every person who is able to recognize a potential unsafe online interaction and stops corresponding or reports it.
- For every person who places security protocols on their apps to avoid having your location shared or tracked.
- For everyone who waits to give their first grader a smartphone
- For every parent who asked “who are you REALLY talking to”
- For every person who looks at an email and thinks “Hmmmm, this might be a scam” and doesn’t click on it.
- For every person who thinks before they post or shares a compromising picture.
- For everyone who may have been a victim and reports it.
Please like and follow our social media pages to further support our message to reduce victims.
The Online Snare-Cyber Smart project is a collaborative effort with Valentine Police Department, Cherry County Sheriff’s Office and Valentine Public Library to increase the sharing of information regarding cyber security and raise awareness to decrease victimization. Use hashtags: #onlinesnarecybersmart #vplcares
Here’s a link to the Online Snare-Cyber Smart Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/OnlineSnareCyberSmart or
follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/onlinesnare_cybersmart/
The Valentine Public Library was awarded a Libraries Transforming Communities Grant in 2021 to help facilitate this project.
“Libraries Transforming Communities: Focus on Small and Rural Libraries is an initiative of the American Library Association (ALA) in collaboration with the Association for Rural & Small Libraries (ARSL).”
#LibrariesTransform #onlinesnarecybersmart #vplcares
Here are some great resources
Resources for protecting your kids:
https://laurenskids.org/?s=digital
https://www.safety.com/internet-safety/
https://www.cisecurity.org/newsletter/cybersecurity-tips-for-k-12-kids-family-and-friends/
https://www.cisecurity.org/blog/6-educational-cybersecurity-resources-for-kids/
https://protectthegoodlife.nebraska.gov/kids
https://usa.kaspersky.com/resource-center/preemptive-safety/cybersecurity-for-kids
https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/publications/Kids%20Cybersecurity%20Presentation.pdf
Resources for cyber security for adults
https://www.cyberwise.org/online-security-hub
https://cybersecurity.sd.gov/trainingandeducation.aspx
https://protectthegoodlife.nebraska.gov/
https://www.cellphonedeal.com/blog/security-and-your-phone-what-are-the-risks-and-how-to-stay-safe
New Books at the library to help you stay informed.
These new books have been added at library to help you stay informed about cyber security and safety in cooperation with our Online Snare-Cyber Smart project. Be sure to check any of these titles out today.
