Internet Safety
This is the guide to a happy and safe time on the internet.
Being Safe on the Internet
Teenagers that get on the internet every day are most likely going to get bullied at some point. Some kids that get cyber bullied every day can develop serious problems, like depression or anxiety. My page will also tell you a few other things about internet safety, so if you want to know how to be happy and safe on the internet read this page.
Be aware!
Statistics show that only 7% of parents are concerned about their children getting bullied online. If you are getting cyber bullied, the best thing to do is tell someone, and destroy your account on whatever website your on.
Privacy
Barbara Simons one said, "There is no law of physics that says that it is impossible to have privacy. We can have privacy if that is what we as a society choose." This is absolutely true, but that is not what society has chosen.
Stranger Danger
If you ever talk to someone you don't know over the internet, never give them any information about yourself. Never tell them your full name, where you live, or your phone number/email. Most importantly NEVER plan to meet them in person!
Changing Your Password
Only 23% of people online think that their online information is "very secure." That's a lot of people who are worried that their personal information is not completely secure. If you are one of those people who think that their information might not be safe, here are some pointers to help with that. Your password should have a wide variety of numbers and letters, capitalized and lower case. You password should also be at lest 8 characters long. Finally you should change your password on a work computer every several days, and a home computer at least once a month.
Avoid Talking to Strangers
Don't ever talk to people you don't know online. There are a lot of people out there who aren't who they claim to be. If you think you are talking to another girl you age, you could actually be talking to a 50 year old man. You should never, ever agree to meet someone that you only know from the internet! There have been many reports of kidnappings because of this issue. Below is a little clip about what could happen.
Don't talk to strangers
Don't Share Any of Your Personal Information
When you are on the internet you should never post anything like you phone number, address, full name, age, or email address. If you do share these things, you should tell you friend in person. Never plan to meet a stranger and give it to them either. Only share this information with people you know and trust. If you share this information it can be very dangerous to you and the people around you.
online predators
Don't Open Messages From People You Don't Know
If you receive a message from an unknown person or company, do not open it. Click the box and move it strait to the trash. Same goes for people you do know, but don't usually talk to. If they send you a link it is best to not open it. It could be a virus or something else very bad for you and your computer. Just move these messages to the trash. You can receive these viruses through text messages too. If someone sends a suspicious link to a website you don't know, don't open that either.
If you see a virus message it might already be too late...
These little guys will go into you computer...
They will eat at the contents of your computer...
Your computer might get angry...
Then it will get very sick and work very slowly...
Then CRASH!!!! The virus has accomplished its mission, your computer has crashed and has now ceased to work.
Don't Show Obvious Signs of Where You Live
Never put an obvious sign of your address on any kind of social media or anywhere on the internet. The name of your town is okay most of the time, but when you put your home address on the internet you are basically screaming for someone to come kidnap you. You are making it way to easy for those internet stalkers to come find you and do harm to you or your family. This is very easy to avoid, here are some simple steps to avoid this situation.
- Don't post pictures in front of your house, or house number.
- Don't post pictures of your street address.
- Use common sense.
Respect Other People's Privacy
You would never go through someones locker, desk, or drawer, right? When you look at someones personal stuff on the internet, you are doing the exact same thing. Even if you have the power, don’t go through other people’s emails, or any other personal information. A lot of companies actually do this on a daily basis. They collect information about you that you post on that website or app. Every time you click on a link or post something that company, most of the time, has free range to take whatever they want to about you.
Why Care About Internet Privacy?
"Private" on the Internet Isn't Always Private
When you're on social media it is best to have your account set on "private." This will keep most people that you don't know off of your page. However putting your page on this setting does not ensure your privacy online. There are always hackers that can find a way to break the barrier, get onto your page, and see everything you have posted. To avoid anything bad happening, be careful about what you post, and make sure you would not regret posting it if someone saw it.
Cyber Street - Your Social Media Privacy Settings Need Checking!
Remember the Human
Even though you can say anything you want on the internet, there is still a real person on the other side. Don’t say anything online that you wouldn't say to that persons face. If you have ever been cyber bullied you should know this tip better than anyone. You never know what's going on in someones life, and you don't know how close they are to the edge. How would you feel if you were the person to push them over? To avoid this, simply just be nice on the internet.
Cyberbullying: there is a way out!
People Can Copy Anything You Post on the Internet
Be careful about what you put on the internet, because anyone can copy it and show other people, or use it against you. Do not say anything that, if seen by people off the internet, would make you uncomfortable, or get you in trouble. Even if you delete what you have already sent, it can still be recovered. Anything you do on the internet can be recovered after you have "deleted the history."
Be careful what you put online
Make Yourself Look Good Online
When I say make yourself look good I don't mean taking the best selfie, I mean having a good reputation online. Be sure to use good spelling, grammar, and punctuation while posting on the internet. It will make you look smarter and more appealing to the other people on the website. Before you post something, make sure you know what you are talking about, and make sense. If the people don’t know what you are talking about they won’t want to come back and read other posts from you.
Thank You For Reading!!
Thank you so much for reading and watching everything I had to say. I hope it helped you make smarter decisions when you are online.