While the internet has opened new avenues for communication and has transformed the world into a global village, it also has a dark side that people with bad intentions take advantage of. The internet might have made online shopping, photo-sharing, and academic research easy, but at the same time, it has made it easy for cyberbullying to take place.
As per a study by the US National Bullying Prevention Center, the prevalence of cyberbullying has almost doubled in recent years, as more and more children have gotten access to a personal phone or a tablet. Let’s take a closer look into how serious this problem is and what you can do to keep your children safe:
How does cyberbullying take place?
As a parent, you need to understand that cyberbullying isn’t confined to threatening messages and mean comments. The act can take a myriad of forms, each as nasty as the last.
Even if someone isn’t directly messaging your child but is spreading rumors about them online, posting derogatory remarks, or making comments about their ethnicity, sexual orientation, or religion, it’s still cyberbullying.
Other tactics include encouraging someone to inflict self-harm and forcing them to commit suicide by repeatedly asking them to do so via Facebook comments. A common reason for cyberbullies picking on kids is when someone disagrees with them online over their opinion about a game or a social habit.
Cyberbullying also entails someone making a fake profile for your child on social media, posting their pictures without their consent, or leaking screenshots of their conversations.
The link between cyber-bullying and mental health
According to a report by Reuters, the effects of cyberbullying among teens and kids are much more severe compared to bullying done in person. Cyberbullying has been directly found to be associated with mental health issues like depression.
The reason’s fairly simple. If someone’s posting derogatory remarks about your child online, they might have also asked them to not to share them with you—whether through a threat or otherwise.
In addition, when something is posted online against your will, there is a fear of your image and reputation being tarnished. All of this affects a child’s self-esteem. This makes your child become socially distant. They tend to avoid going out to play and socialize. It may also affect how well they do at school.
Your job as a parent
As a parent, the first thing you need to do is look for signs. Always take note of the slightest change in your child’s behavior. If you feel like they’ve become quieter, distant, or look upset, always ask. Never ignore any signs of deteriorating mental health—it’s as important as physical health.
Keep a keen eye on who your child hangs out with. Please note that a child’s company has a huge role to play in what they go through. Always have an open relationship with your child. Make it easy for them to open up to you about people they like and people they don’t like.
For additional monitoring, keep a phone spy app like Highster Mobile installed on your child’s phone. This is mobile tracking software which is compatible with both iPhone and Android devices and gives you remote control access to your child’s online activity.
The app tracks all their messages, chats, calls, and social media usage. To get yours, contact Highster Mobile online.
When considering the consequences of workplace surveillance, employers are mostly concerned about whether they’re complying with privacy laws such as the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA) and the Federal Privacy Act.
However, the means of implementation and monitoring policy should not only consider the legal ramifications, but also ethical dilemmas pertaining to employees’ right to privacy.
Workplace Surveillance Devices Best Practices
Both ethical and moral responsibilities demand that an employer should establish clear parameters to monitor their employees.
Here are some best practices for workplace surveillance.
Transparency
Employers should disclose to employees that their activities are being monitored. Moreover, they should also be educated on workplace monitoring policy.
This may include communicating devices that are subject to monitoring, to which extent, and the reason why they’re being monitored.
Respect Personal Space
Employers should only keep tabs on corporate devices such as laptops or smart phone devices provided by the company.
Companies should refrain from monitoring personal material such as online banking access or employees’ social media profiles.
Though there is no federal law that prohibits the employer from checking their employees’ social media accounts, some states forbid employers to do so.
Nevertheless, considering the ethical aspects, it may come across as an invasion of their personal space, thus should be avoided, unless necessary.
Restricted Access
The data collected from the activities of employees must be protected. Only authorized personnel who are responsible for monitoring the activities should be granted access.
This means that no other personnel, despite their grade or seniority, should be provided access to their personal activities, unless an action needs to be taken.
No discrimination
A workplace surveillance policy should be consistent for all employees. It should never be directed toward a specific individual or group as it will constitute as discriminatory and unethical behavior.
Taking surveillance measures to monitor all employees will also enable the company to cover maximum potential threats and deal with them accordingly.
Use analytics
Analytics—behavioral analytics, to be precise—can eliminate human subjectivity from the surveillance process and improve the monitoring process.
The analytics uses different variables to identify any potential threat and promptly alerts the authorized personnel to review the matter.
This protocol minimizes the amount of data that needs to be reviewed and, as a result, enables employers to offer maximum level of privacy to their employees.
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Although mobile spy and monitoring apps have now been regarded in the public eye as a tool that helps them through thick and thin, there are still people who do a double take when they hear of one. It’s a gag reflex, coming naturally to humans when such an eon was spent in experiencing “spies” only in the wrong places.
The Lofty World of Language
“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose. By any other name would smell as sweet.”
True, Tom Cruise would be Tom Cruise even if he were called Bob or Mike, and yet names are accorded great significance in today’s world. Parents spend months deliberating over what their child should be called.
The names we give to things and the words we use for them make a great difference in the way we perceive those things. Words don’t exist in a void: they have histories, they have connections, and they have contexts. If you name your child Shylock, there’s a good chance that he’ll be seen as a conniving character for the rest of his life; because the context is all that matters.
Similarly when it comes to the term “spy app,” you have the setback of the history that has been associated with the word. The term is itself laden with a negative connotation—which is not the case when you think of a different word, such as “keep an eye out.” Although when you’re using a spy app, you’re simply “keeping a lookout,” which doesn’t sound half as bad as “spying.”
How to Get Over It
Getting over the limits and constraints of language is fairly easy once you understand the mechanics of meaning. Once you understand that your disdain toward “spy apps” is being caused by your subconscious indoctrination of the negative history of the word, you can change how you think about the app.
Stop thinking of it as a “spy” or a “monitoring” app, and start thinking of itself as a helping aid that lets you keep an eye on your child.
If you think of it as “investigating,” “inquiring,” or even “scrutinizing,” there’s an element of authority involved. Law enforcement agencies use those words all the time, and they’re meant to reassure us, to make us feel safe. Yet when we use “spying” as a substitute for the same phenomenon, we tend to be caught off our moral signals.
Why the Negative Connotation?
Historically, spying has been associated with sinister agendas, devious murder plots, assassinations, and political dominion, so on and so forth. This attitude toward spying has further exacerbated in the past few decades since the Second World War and the Cold War.
Even the Central Intelligence Agency (C.I.A.) finds the ethical dilemmas to be counterproductive in their services, which demand protection for the American population but are unwilling to stand up for a breach of ethical values.
In the end, you know that your intentions are clean and that you’re using the app for a good purpose. Tell yourself that, in no less than a positive tone, and you’ll successfully evade the ethical dilemmas of spying.
Highster Mobile is a premium mobile tracking and spy software, free of monthly charges and with free upgrades for a lifetime. Get calls, text, and GPS locations; recover lost data, monitor your loved ones, and more. Download the app today and live a hassle-free life.
Many Oppose Spyware: But It’s Actually Positively Useful
The word “spy” has much cause to mourn for its current status as a negative connotation. Nobody thinks something related to the word “spy” can harvest anything good. Not even Sean Connery playing the legendary James Bond could manage to allay the general distaste felt towards the word.
Why so Serious?
It’s natural to find fault with anything that contains the word “spy.” Since time immemorial, the act has been used on enemies and rivals. Sun Tzu talks about it in his Art of War and every civilization from the Ancient Egyptians to the Aztecs rallied for military intelligence—through spying. From real life incidents (such as during the World Wars) to fictional descriptions (such as the spies who steal Willy Wonka’s secret recipes in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) espionage has always been eschewed.
It’s natural then for you to feel flurries of discomfort over the idea of using a spy app. However if for once you forget all that history tells you about ‘spying,’ your perception will change for good. It’s not the working of the phenomenon that distresses us but the word. Substitute the word “spying” and “surveillance” with “supervision” and “lookout,” and the nature of its meaning changes likewise. Similarly if you stop thinking in terms of “tracking” and think instead of “keeping watch,” you’ll see how the meanings change.
The general antagonism towards spyware makes little sense when alternate words are used—and its benefits become more prominent with this understanding.
Spyware Versus Spying
It’s important to understand that when you opt for spy apps or tracking apps for your phone or for your children, you’re not spying on them. Again, understanding the semantics is crucial because what you’re doing isn’t negative or villainous in any manner. You’re in fact keeping an eye out—you’re the sentry in this case, not a spy.
There’s no secret formula or matter of the state which you’re looking to steal here—you’re guarding your own children. And that in effect is a duty and obligation on part of every parent. You’re just doing your job.
The Takeaways
Now that the ethics of monitoring your kith and kin are done and dusted, we can talk about what you gain with spy and tracking apps. Contrary to popular opinion there’s more good than bad to be had. Some of the major advantages include:
Locating with pinpoint accuracy the position of a person in case they’re vulnerable
You can visit the information history on a portal and keep track of their movements
Check the reliability of your partner and secure your future against heartbreak and remorse
Be assured of the safety of your children, spouses, and old parents when not with them
Monitoring potentially harmful online activity on part of kids
Safeguard your children against risks of cyber bullying and harassment
Ensure that your children aren’t talking to potentially violent and misleading individuals
Make sure that your children aren’t involved in dastardly acts online
Share your location with a friend or family member when traveling alone
Guard yourself against the possibility of getting lost and losing contact with acquaintances
Get the Ultimate Phone Tracking App Today
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The app is completely compatible with iPhones, Android devices, and other advanced phones and tablets. The Highster mobile monitoring software is quite easy for use, it can be installed effortlessly, and it comes equipped with some features which are to be found nowhere else in the industry. Their highly skilled team is customer-friendly and receives calls for assistance at 1(866) 611-9506.
The use of workplace surveillance and tracking programs are becoming increasingly popular in corporate settings. According to a survey by the American Management Association, 43% organizations monitor emails of their employees today, out which an estimated 73% use monitoring software to do so.
Keeping a track of employees provides multiple advantages to an organization. Not only does it mitigate the possibility of internal security breaches, but also serves as a workplace productivity enhancer.
How does workplace monitoring help employers?
Overseeing an employee’s actions during work hours allows employers to assess the amount of time invested by their employees in productive activities and enables them to take measures to optimize workflow. The data from monitoring applications can also be used as evidence in litigation cases. Despite these benefits, companies are often wary of deploying monitoring systems due personal privacy concerns. While workplace monitoring does come with an ethical challenge, it is, in fact, possible to keep tabs on your workforce without transgressing their ethical boundaries.
Transparency is key
People typically feel more uncomfortable with the idea of being monitored unknowingly. Monitoring employees without their knowledge or consent could place you and your organization in a difficult position, both ethically and legally.
To ensure that your surveillance does not cross ethical limits, maintain full disclosure with your workforce about the employee tracking system implemented in your organization.
Establish a code of ethics
Workplace monitoring can easily get out of hand without establishment of a written code of ethics. This document can be used to outline certain boundaries for both employers and employees, which will ensure that monitoring exercises remain moral and do not violate the fundamental rights of either party.
Encourage employee participation
Your workforce will be more willing to subject themselves to monitoring and tracking systems if you encourage them to participate in the decision to maintain surveillance. Post-implementation, ask your employees to provide suggestions to improve the system. This will establish a relationship of trust between you and your workforce as employees will feel more in control of their data.
Use reliable tracking applications
Monitoring activities of employees can help combat cyber-attacks and has the ability to scale the growth of your business by boosting productivity. However, to ensure that the data of your employees stays safe, it’s important to use tracking applications from reliable providers, such as Highster Mobile. The high-end mobile tracking application from the company has unique features which enable employers to keep tabs on messages, call, photos and video logs of their team.
In addition to having wide set of features and a user friendly interface, Highster Mobile’s app is compatible both Apple and Android smart phones and tablets and is available at the most affordable rates.
For more details and queries, you can reach out to their representatives at (866) 611 9506.
The increasing disparity between the rich and the poor, lenient gun laws, and the impact of the drug culture are all factors that are contributing to the rising crime rates in the United States. According to data from the F.B.I, over 17,000 people were murdered across the country in 2016 as violent crime increased nationally by an alarming 4.1% from the previous year.
These ominous times have led authorities and law enforcement agencies from all over the country to increase their efforts to help and protect citizens. With technology and automation integrating rapidly through every aspect of our lives, law enforcement also looks up to the latest in technology to provide solutions that prevent violent crimes and other misdemeanors.
GPS tracking has perhaps been the most beneficial technology for both the authorities and citizens in their battle against crime. Let’s take a look at how GPS tracking apps and devices are helping to prevent crime.
Using GPS for Police Force Management
GPS technology has greatly improved the performance, response time and efficiency of the police force. Through GPS tracking, the police department can determine which of their vehicles is closest to the scene of emergency. GPS tracking also provides real time updates on traffic conditions, making it easier for officers to get to the scene of emergency as quickly as possible. Furthermore, the police department can also utilize the technology to ensure that police vehicles and officers remain within their assigned area.
Using GPS Tracking to Keep Tabs on Suspects and Paroled Inmates
GPS tracking is also an efficient and effective way for law enforcement agencies to keep tabs on the activities of suspects and prison inmates who are out on parole. GPS enabled bracelets and anklets provide coordinates and updates on inmates in real time, and authorities are notified immediately if inmates attempt to wander off to restricted areas. The police can also affix suspects’ vehicles with adhesive GPS units, which enables them to monitor the suspects’ movements. Furthermore, with GPS tracking apps now available, law enforcement authorities can monitor a suspect’s or inmate’s correspondence such as text messages and phone calls, all of which can be used as evidence.
The Legality of GPS Tracking
Although GPS tracking greatly facilitates the investigations of law enforcement authorities, a lot of legal and privacy rights issues have risen out of their use. An example is the United States vs Katzin case. The Fourth Amendment of the US Constitution provides people protection against unreasonable searches and invasion of privacy, which means that it’s necessary for law enforcement agencies to obtain a warrant before using GPS tracking to monitor a suspect.
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