Growing concerns over safety with virtual learning during the pandemic

As virtual school becomes the main way children will learn amid the pandemic, growing concerns over safety rise.

Parents are worried about hackers trying to record or gain access to their children's computers.

Fox 4 spoke to an expert who says it can be as simple as placing something over the camera while its not in use to prevent hackers from recording.

CHRISTINA EVANS DISCOVERED,WHILE DECREASING *THAT DANGER,USING ONLINE WEBCAMS FOR SCHOOLMAYONLINE SCHOOLING OPTIONS AREAPPEALING TO PARENTS WANTING TOLOWER THE RISK OF THEIR CHILDRENBEING EXPOSED TO THECORONAVIRUS.BUT AS 4 IN YOUR CORNER’SCHRISTINA EVANS DISCOVERED,WHILE DECREASING *THAT DANGER,USING ONLINE WEBCAMS FOR SCHOOLMAY INTRODUCE A DIFFERENTPROBLEM.(57-107)(124-138)THROUGHOUT THE CORONAVIRUSPANDEMIC, GOING ONLINE HASBECOME A WAY OF LIFE.

IT’S WHEREWE ALL LEARN, WORK, ANDSOCIALIZE.FOR CHILDREN, GOING ONLINE ISTHE NEW CLASSROOM.THIS UPCOMING SCHOOL YEAR, NEWPROPOSED PLANS FOR DISTANCELEARNING WILL BE ACTIVE FOR LEE,COLLIER, AND CHARLOTTE COUNTYSCHOOL DISTRICTS.

COUNTY, LEECOUNTY IS OFFERING LEE HOMECONNECT AND LEE VIRTUAL SCHOOL.PARENTS ARE CONCERNED ABOUTSAFETY IN THE HOME AS WEBCAMERAS WILL BE USED FOR CLASSINSTRUCTION.SECURITY EXPERTS SAYPROFESSIONAL HACKERS CAN ACCESSYOUR WEB CAMERA AND SPY INSIDEYOUR HOME WITHOUT THE CAMERAEVEN BEING TURNED ON.THE PRACTICE IS CALLED’CAMFECTING’AND IT IS A FEAR FOR ONE LEECOUNTY PARENTPeople can look at stuff in yourhouse and get ideas about thingsand learn things about youGWYNETTA GITTENS, WITH THE LEECOUNTY SCHOOL BOARD, AGREES THATHOME AND INTERNET SAFETY AREVALID CONCERNS FOR PARENTS.What keeps me up at night andbeing concerned about this arethe families that aren’t techsavvy that wouldn’t think aboutthisTO SEE HOW TO BETTER PROTEYOUR HOME AND BETTER PROTECT TOSEE HOW TO thiswouldn’t think about thisTO SEE HOW TO BETTER PROTECTYOUR HOME AND CHILDREN FROMOUTSIDERS, I SPOKE TOCYBER-SECURITY EXPERT EVAN LUTZON WHAT FAMILIES CAN DO TOPREVENT HACKERS FROM SEEINGINSIDE THE HOME.By using a camera slider that’smeant to slide over your camerawhen you’re not using it or bysimply using a piece of blackelectrical tape either of thosethings will completely mitigatethe risk all together.LUTZ ALSO EMPHASIZED THEIMPORTANCE OF EDUCATING YOURCHILDREN ABOUT ONLINE DANGERS.The very best thing that you cando as a parent is to teach yourkids what it means to beresponsible on the internetADDITIONAL PRECAUTIONS THAT CANBE TAKEN ARE TO COMPLETELY TURNOFF DEVICES WHEN THEY ARE NOTBEING USED.

THAT WAY YOU CANENSURE NO ONE IS ABL