In today’s world where everything is made online from
classes to shopping, children are more attractive towards the internet, but “Is
it safe for them?” So, here we are going to discuss
Few risks associated with children on internet
Bullying
On the Internet, cyberbullying (or cyberbullying) takes
various forms and is different from the face-to-face bullying that can be
observed within schools. The Cyberbullying includes, among others, send
messages of hate or threaten peers, spreading lies or make nasty comments
intended to humiliate. The main difference between this type of harassment and
the “traditional” one is the distance between aggressors and victims, something
that causes the usual inhibition mechanisms to not work. Anonymity that the
Internet allows attackers and freedom of having no adults around, are factors
that the cyberbullying is considered by many experts as the greatest risk to
children online.
Exposure
to Inappropriate Material
Today, it is possible to find practically everything on the
Internet, including content that is not appropriate for the youngest, even
illegal. There are various control and content block software, but the
so-called “digital natives” often find ways to bypass them.
Identity
Theft
The management of personal data is one of the most
important knowledge that users must have when browsing. For children, however,
that awareness is not so clear. Identity theft, via phishing or other methods,
is much more common than you might think, and while children's identities are
often of little value to hackers, their parents' identities are.
Abusive
Purchases or Charges
The ease of buying products and services online triggered
consumption through mobile devices and, with it, also abusive charges. The
acquisition of unwanted products and services is one of the biggest problems
parents face when sharing devices with their children.
Sexual
Predators
Different experts in pedagogy and technology defend that
there are no reasons for children to create profiles on social networks, but
the reality is that many do. This degree of exposure (with photos, videos and
personal details such as age and address), together with the anonymity of the
interlocutors, leaves children in a particularly vulnerable position.
Children
and Online Safety
So how do you manage these risks to ensure cybersecurity in
the classroom and at home when browsing the internet?
Technology has so many advantages. Break down barriers and
bring minds together in ways that were unthinkable less than 50 years ago. The
greatest advances of our civilization in recent years have come from
technological advances. However, the high speed at which we integrate
technological advances into our lives is, to a certain extent, responsible for
these cybersecurity problems.
Developers, companies and users sometimes make the mistake
of putting benefits before security. For this reason, it is not unusual to find
those responsible for the education sector who are committed to absolute
control, especially within the school environment. Such control would include
blocking websites, monitoring domains, restricting browsing permissions, or
limited use and even suppression of social networks.
In the United States, for example, many of these measures
have been implemented in schools, but the results have not been effective.
According to some experts, this happens mainly due to the lack of harmony
between the control exercised in the classroom and the permissiveness practiced
at home.
Strategies
for Safer Use of the Internet
A teacher is just one part of the equation needed to handle
this problem, but there are several strategies for approaching the topic in
class.
ENGAGING
PARENTS: Talking to parents about the dangers of inappropriate use
and encouraging them to talk to their children about it is an effective way to
ensure that students are safe online, both at school and at home. Directing
parents to readily available sources of information can help them in this task.
PROVIDE
RESOURCES TO STUDENTS: Responsible navigation is not, in principle,
a subject that students are passionate about. Instead of forcing them to watch
a one-hour video that they will retain little or nothing, they must look for
other types of resources that captivate their attention. Games and short videos
with testimonials from other children of a similar age who have had problems
with the use of the Internet are usually much more useful.
ENCOURAGE
STUDENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE DEBATE: Instead of limiting yourself
to explaining risks and making a list of precautions to be taken and situations
to avoid, creating fictitious scenarios and encouraging students to comment on
them is a good way for them to find out about hazards and better understand why
and how they should be protected. The goal is to allow students to reach their
own conclusions and figure out the answers for themselves. These scenarios are
very helpful in teaching students how to handle painful, uncomfortable, or
dangerous situations.
Teachers
and Parents as Guides
To achieve the goal of safer Internet use, teachers and
parents need to do their part. In addition to the strategies already mentioned,
there are other details that these guides can and should address:
MONITOR
ACTIVITY ON SOCIAL NETWORKS: We are not talking about
being always present and looking at everything they do, who they talk to or
what photos they send. But it is important, as friends, to follow the activity
on social networks and to be involved in the online relationships that children
maintain using a parental control that is provided by a good antivirus .Being patient
and not making too many judgments can be the difference between establishing
trust with children or not. The most negative thing that can happen is that a
child takes refuge in lies and deception.
MAKE
COMMITMENTS: A promise is a good tool to convey to the
little ones the importance of something. The commitments will serve as a
constant reminder of your knowledge of Internet safety and your duty to
implement that knowledge.
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