High School Internet Use

We’re inviting you to be in a research study.  A research study is a way to learn new things. In this study we are trying to learn more about how we can best make young people, like yourself, safer online. We know that the Internet can be a dangerous place, and that is why our friends, Operation250, spoke to you today. What we are doing is testing if Operation250 is helping people become safer online.
 
If you agree to be in this study, we will ask you to fill in a small survey. This survey will take about 15 minutes, and will ask you a series of multiple-choice questions about the Internet, what you think about the Internet, and how risky (dangerous) you think some behaviors on the Internet are. These questions are not designed to be upsetting, but if they are, you can skip them.
 
A risk is something bad that could happen to you.  Being in this study might have some risks. It might be that some of the information that you hear is upsetting, or you did not know that dangerous people use the Internet to harm people. We have worked with your teachers to make sure that we do not say anything that is upsetting to you, but if that does occur, please tell your teachers, or one of the members of Operation250 so that they can make sure somebody helps you.
 
A benefit is something good that happens. We know, from our other schools that we have worked with, that people enjoy Operation250 and that it does help them learn about the Internet. We hope you will too. The survey that you complete will not have any benefits for you, but your answers will help us use Operation250 in the future to make other children safer online.
 
If you agree to join this study, you will be asked to complete a 20-minute survey. The questions in the survey will cover various topics including your use of the Internet and experiences you might have had with different types of content.
 
You don’t have to be in this study. It is up to you. No one will be mad, no matter what you decide. If you say yes now, but change your mind later, that’s ok too. Just let me know.
 
When we are finished with this study, we will write a report about what we learned. This report won’t have your name in it, or that you were in the study.
 
We can answer any questions you have about this study. You can write your questions to the research team anytime: neil_Shortland@uml.edu