Proxies+-+Bypassing+Filters

Jennifer and Kennedy
 * Proxies-Bypassing Filters **

A proxy gives people a way to bypass filters on a computer, usually at work or school, in order to access blocked sites on the internet. There are many different types of proxies, but all of them provide online anonymity. In addition to allowing access to restricted content, they also block the IP address of the computer, so the visit to the blocked site is masked and the filter cannot monitor what content is being viewed.
 * Description:**

One of the main uses of proxies is to visit restricted websites on school computers. Doing a Google search for "proxies in schools" reveals hundreds of thousands of websites providing students with information about how to use a proxy to bypass filters at school. There are many questions on Yahoo! Answers from students asking how to access Facebook or other restricted sites at school, and YouTube has many videos showing students exactly how they can do this. The use of proxies is obviously well-known by students and any teachers who have their students use the internet at school should be aware of their use. Proxies can lead to many problems for schools. All schools must comply with the Children's Internet Protection Act by blocking obscene and harmful internet content, and failure to do so could lead to legal problems. Proxy use can also lead to cyberbullying because it provides students with anonymity. Finally, the use of proxies can be harmful because it can expose computers to malware or allow personal information to be stolen. Educators should ensure that students are not using proxies to view inappropriate content and that they are aware of the potential risks of using a proxy.
 * What is the impact of this issue on K-12 schools, educators, and students?**

3-5 I think this is the age that children begin to really get a grasp of the internet. Unfortunately, many parents do not teach their children how to be safe and smart on the internet. It is a great tool, but only when used in the right context, especially for children. So, teaching these kids about why a website is blocked on a computer can create an awareness of 'good' and 'bad' things out on the internet. If the students can start discerning (based on what the proxies block) what is safe and unsafe to view, it can lead to very healthy strategies online for the students. 5-8 In 5th-8th grade, the students are well aware of the blocks their schools have on websites. Many of them will know how to bypass them by now, and this is where bad habits can become dangerous. So, it is important that we make sure the students know that proxies are there for a reason, that cyberbulling, identity theft, certain addictions, and all sorts of other dangerous things can happen on the internet. In this stage, it is often a 'this won't happen to me' way of thinking, so providing real world examples to the students would be most effective. 7-9 This grade level is very similar to the last. We need to make sure that students remain aware of why certain sites are blocked and what they may do to harm themselves, the school, and their classmates. Social networking has probably also begun, so beyond proxies these students must understand the safety of putting their information online, but that is the focus of another section. Basically, I think the most effective way to use proxies in the classroom is to make the students aware that these sites are truly blocked for a reason; many of the sites can cause serious harm to the computers or the users. 9-12 By this time, the students have their internet habits, and not much will change them. We need to be a guide and/or mentor to the students, making sure we offer any help we can to them about internet safety. Whenever they are signing up for new websites, searching for media, or posting media of their own, etc, we need to reiterate safe practices with doing so. I believe that proxies can now be somewhat encouraged to be taught, because I think students should know how to use them and how they can be useful. If a student knows that a site is blocked for false reasons (as many sites are if they fall under certain categories) then the student should be able to bypass that block using a proxy and find what they need. If you give the students the tools and the trust, I think it is less likely that they will be dangerous or violate the rules.
 * Integrating this topic into Daily Instruction:**

[] The Wikipedia article about proxy servers gives a lot of technical information about how a proxy works and the different types of proxies, which may be of interest to some people with more advanced knowledge about technology.
 * Additional Links:**

[] This article provides more information about proxy use in schools and offers suggestions about how to address this problem.

[] This website offers tips in internet safety, and I think something important about it is that it doesn't leave out the details that could benefit the student. In other words, it is not treating the students like naive children, which I think is always a reason to rebel for them.

[] This link is for teachers and simply lays out how to keep the classroom safe.

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 * References:**