CybersafetyHow to enjoy all internet can provide – with no harm!

What is “Cybersafety”?

Cybersafety is the ability to act in a safe and responsible manner while using connected technology.

These behaviors protect personal information and reputation and include safe practices to minimize danger from behavioral-based, rather than hardware/software-based, problems.

Teaching Cybersafety

Some rules must be followed to guarantee the success of online navigation.It is important for parents and educators to teach children to follow these rules.

The main goal in teaching cybersafety is to help children recognize online risks, make informed decisions, and take appropriate actions to protect themselves.

How to get to children?

Parents can talk to children anytime, during the dinner, in the car, in family meetings...Educators can give tips during online activities or tasks.

Here are some of these rules

1. Research before you register.2. Discriminate. 3. Think before typing.4. Require ID.5. Trust your gut.

It is important to remember these rules are for everyone! Not only kids!

1. Research before you register

Before joining any online community, find out if the host site offers settings that will allow you to control who can view your profile, because different sites offer different levels of protection.

2. Discriminate

Stick to online activity that doesn’t require your full name or contact information. Always be skeptical of a site that asks for your e-mail, credit card number, or home address. Hackers can only access the information provided over the web.

3. Think before typing

While connected, avoid mentioning any information that a third party could use to locate you—your school name, and the model of your car are all examples of things not to discuss online.

4. Require ID

As a rule of thumb, stick to messaging with people you actually know, and never agree to meet in person with someone who found you online.

5. Trust your gut

If you encounter a situation that feels uncomfortable or wrong, there’s a good chance that something’s up. Any time you feel threatened by a person or situation on the Web, don’t hesitate to report it to your parents, the police, or site administrators.

Important!

Parents and educators need to learn how to deal with cyber environment so that they can provide support to the children.They also need to communicate with kids and check when they are online.

It is necessary to show the benefits and risks for the child to be able to use the tools in a smart way, enjoying what is good and being ready to deal with possible issues.

References:

Internet Safe Coalition. (2009). C3 Matrix: Digital Citizenship. http://www.curriki.org/xwiki/bin/download/Coll_iKeepSafe/iKeepSafeC3Matrix/C3%20Matrix.pdf

http://www.collegeview.com/articles/article/smart-students-in-a-digital-world

http://www.ikeepsafe.org/articles/cybersafety-digital-citizenship-101/