digiteen2008 » Digital Security and Safety

02 Oct 09

Brody C

Safe things to do online

digital_safety

Digital Security and Safety is an issue that relates to a person's well-being and safety on a computer. Safety and security are two topics that are closely related. Security is the condition of being protected against danger, loss, and criminals. Safety is the condition of being protected against non-desirable events. Some studies have shown "The odds of becoming a cyber victim have dropped to 1 in 6, from 1 in 4 last year.^[1]

Some examples of potentially unsafe sites online are Facebook and Myspace, which can sometimes can be dangerous because there can be bullying online. On facebook and myspace you can put your picture or pictures on and some people put inapporaite pictures on, which is not safe because thier are always predators out there on the internet and they could see your picture and ask to meet. If you agree to go and meet them then you could be injured.
Middle/ High School Aged Students

A lot of middle and high school students are members of websites like Myspace and Facebook. To some teens, these websites become addictive and they become so obsessed with talking to people that they start talking to anybody. They need to learn to not put personal information on their page like their phone number or their address because some of the people who look at that would want to hurt them.

Another problem with teens is that some of them download illegal music and videos. Two of the most common sites are Frostwire and Limewire.

Another thing some teens do is download free software and then their computers run really slow. That's because spyware is usually packaged with the free software. Three ways to keep your computer safe is "only download free software from reputable sites, kids and teens should be told to ask permission before downloading anything, and you can eliminate most spyware by downloading the free Microsoft Windows Defender and scanning your PC." ^[2]
8 more annotations...
- Blogging Tips for Teenagers
  
  Being safe on blogs and other websites is very important. I have found some tips to help us be safer on the Internet, which is an important part of a teenager’s everyday life. The first way to be safe is to avoid posts that enable online predators to find and locate you. This means to not give information out like where you go to hang out, your name (last name especially), where your school is and its name, and especially where you live, because everybody can see what you write including the predator. Most people don't know this, but if you give out your phone number, than anybody, including a predator, can type your phone number into google and then they can see where you live. This helps a predator lead straight to you.
  
  If someone asks you for private information, DO NOT give it to them. It should be a red flag for you to ignore him or leave the chat room. Also, in chat rooms, if you feel something is going wrong and you feel uncomfortable with anything, leave the chat room immediately. Never have your screen name the same as a nick name. Online predators can sometimes track you down by screen names, which are private unless you give them out. Remember, if your going to have a blog or belong to a chat room, be safe and follow the rules. Also if you find something abnormal online, tell an adult you know and someone you can trust 100%.
  
  Always be yourself when on an online blog, which means never put fake information about yourself. In addition, always be respectful to others. If you write a bad comment, it might come back to you. Also, don’t put many pictures about yourself unless you can trust who your sending pictures to. It only helps online predators having a picture of you. Never, never have an in-person meeting. You never know if the person you are meeting has bad intentions. Be honest about your age. If there is an age limit on a chat room then there is probably a reason for one. You never know what you are getting into on the internet.
  
  The last tip is that you shouldn't meet anybody without your parent's permission. The reason is because even though you think you know very well the person by catting with them online for few years, it might be the predator that wants to harm you. The predator might told you the false information that he/she is the same age as you or live near your house. So you have to be careful if you are meeting the right person.
  
  Adults
  
  Although adults are able to have a form of independence, safety and security is very important. They have to be cautious about doing things like online banking or putting personal information online. Adults who put credit card numbers and other personal information should be aware of pharming and phishing. Many adults believe because they are experienced, they know how to be safe. They need to make sure the website they are putting personal information on is secure. You need to look for the "https" at the link of the website.
  
  When adults commonly think of online safety they think of online fraud. Identity takers feed off information given out online. If you are a victim of identity fraud it could have an effect on your future. Other than just internet fraud another thing adults have to worry about while online is cyber stalking. Cyber stalking is another way of harassment through the computer. Cyberstalking includes threatening emails, people posting private information about you for others to see, and posing as you online. Many adults seem to feel like they're older so they are less likely at risk for having predators after them. This is not the case. Websites such as eharmony.com and match.com are websites that leave predators open to find people. If you do plan on meeting someone you meet at one of these sites you should make your date at a public place and make sure not to be alone.
- Many people don't realize how important it is to have a secure password. A password is like a key to the door of your personal space on the internet. It is extremely important to keep your password safe. Some ways to choose a secure password are to use a word(s) that is totally unrelated to you. DO NOT use your maiden name, your dogs name, your phone number, your birthday, or any other things that could be related to you. A word on its own isn't very strong, so to increase strength you can add numbers and or symbols. An example of this is if you use the word " apple ", on its own it won't be very secure. If you were to put some numbers and symbols, then it would make it " apple321 " and it would be more secure. If you were to make some of the lower case letters capitals, "aPpLe321 " then it would be even stronger. If you wanted the most secure password possible, then you could insert some symbols, making it " (aPpLe321) "After 30-60 days of using the same password, it would be wise to alter or change your password. You should also use different passwords for different applications. If you would like to test your password, click here
- Cyber Stalking:
  
  This one of the most dangerous things on the internet; people every day are blackmailed into giving personal info like Accounts, credit card numbers, and others info. If you receive or see:
  
  · Threatening E-Mails
  
  · Post showing you differently to destroy your character
  
  · Info About your life posted on the internet
- 2. How safety and security positively and negatively impacts people
  
  How safety & Security positively impacts people
  
  you can know where you can rely on some of the website or blogs
  you feel comfortable to talk to each other sometimes when you are in a reliable website
  you don't have to tell every single thing about yourself to people online
  sometimes strangers can put weird/inappropriate pictures online of you in other sites without your permission
  you may accidentally reveal your personal information to other strangers and might get in danger
  people sometimes bully other people they don't know
  sometimes, the predators make websites to attack you. They make you think the website is reliable and forces you to tell them your personal information
- Middle/ High School Aged Students
  
  Teenagers everywhere use blogs such as Myspace and Facebook. They need to be safe and secure while they do these, as online predators with bad intents can find you if you give to much information. We as teens must obey online laws and common sense.When online teens usually disregard things there parents tell them. Sexual and online predators can ruin a person's childhood if they are able to find them. They can also put the wrong ideas into the minds of children, making them unwanted and bad for your health.
- Middle/ High School Aged Students
  
  Teens use Myspace and Facebook to talk to their friends and stuff. Although, others that they don't know just might become interested in them. Online predators try their best to find out where you live. If they do, it can be bad for your health and childhood. On one website, I found a story in which a real life person fell in love with someone on the Internet. It turned out she left with him for a while and it turned out he was a sexual predator. Always be safe on the Internet.
- Middle/ High School Aged Students
  
  One possible solution is to be safe while blogging. Also, never have a personal meeting. Never include your full name, address, or school, as they can look up your name and find you. Never put pictures online that could help online predators find you. If someone who talks to you online does not seem right or makes you nervous just stop talking to them and tell an adult. Just let them handle it because they are smarter and wiser in those kind of situations.
- B. Middle / High School Aged Students
  
  Teens need to be safe and never give out information
  Be careful what they download.
  Be their selves because they don't need to be what they're not.
  Not talk to strangers.