MCC Newsletter

IT NEWS

A Personal Safety App

'THREAD' is a personal safety app for children (aged from 8 years) that combines the benefits of contemporary technology with clever design and personal devices. In stressful situations, where only one action can be taken, THREAD provides an immediate connection between: a user’s location, trusted contacts and emergency services.

 

This app was developed by the Carly Ryan Foundation to help Australia’s youth stay safe. It is a personal safety app that allows users to communicate with friends, family and carers. The app came about after the death of Carly Ryan in 2007, a 15 year old girl who was murdered by an online predator in South Australia.

 

Thread allows users to send a check-in with the touch of a button, chat about their concerns and, in the event of an emergency, send a message to their contacts while dialing emergency services.

 

Thread offers the following features to users,

  • Alert: When you only have time to make one call in an emergency, use Thread to call 000 while at the same time, notifying your contacts of your distress. When activated, the alarm sends the users’ location to their trusted contacts, launches the phone and dials 000.  The Alert function can be activated from the PIN screen. 000 can be dialled in as little as three taps on an unlocked phone.
  • Threads: Create check-in deadlines with friends and family. If you miss your check-in, your selected contacts will receive a notification. Don't want to set a deadline? Simply send a check-in from the Home page to let your contacts know you're OK. 
  • Updates: Thread allows users to discuss their concerns along with images. This component encourages users to communicate with their trusted contacts through an informal chat medium that is locked down to trusted contacts.

 

Available for both Android and iOS on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store

 

For more information please visit http://www.thethreadapp.com/

Games, Apps & Social Networking

Technology is an important and integrated part of our everyday lives. From mobile phones and iPads, to laptops and gaming systems. Our children are using the internet daily to connect with each other and the world around them. It is important to empower students to make wise choices, to look after their digital reputation and keep themselves and others safe while navigating the internet, apps and forming their own relationships both online and offline.

 

Please find below a link to the Australian Government’s e-safety website. In particular, it’s a link to some of the more popular apps, games and social networking sites that students (and adults) are using in today’s society.  

 

The website provides information on some of the latest apps where you can learn about what they are, how to protect your information and where to get more safety guidance.

 

These are common apps that students are using today, and as teachers and parents, we need to become more aware of what these apps actually allow you to do, and also, what information these apps have the potential to access to on your phone.

 

All information provided is factual and it is up to each individual to decide whether an app, game or social networking site is appropriate for themselves and their family.  

 

As parents and teachers, we need to teach our children/students, to be more aware about the apps they use, and more importantly, what kind of permissions are given in apps that could potentially allow them to access sensitive information on their phones.

 

Any app or game that allows users to interact with others, including people they may not know, also presents a potential risk of unwanted contact. This happens more often than people may be aware of.

 

For more information on some of these apps, Please click here to visit the Australian e-safety website