Internet Safety

     Today in class we learned a lot about the internet. We learned what we should and what we shouldn’t do while on the internet. Hopefully now we will all learn to be safe while using the internet and follow what we have learned today. The internet may seem risky because of cyber bullying, access to unwanted or inappropriate sites, stolen personal information, violence and violent graphics, sexual predators, promotional material about tobacco, alcohol, and drugs, recipes for explosives and other harmful activities, and information about cults or satanic groups. These risks may seem extreme but if the children chose to abide by the internet safety rules that we learned today then the internet can actually be a great source for learning and a fun place for children to go find educational games, activities, and a place where children can have social interactions.


     Some tips that we have learned in class that will help the children stay safe and use the internet for educational purposes are; never give out personal information on the internet (such as name, address, phone number, email, and password), if there is ever an unwanted or inappropriate site quickly exit out and consult an adult, when talking to others on the internet always speak kindly and how you would like to be treated, if bullied by others or if one receives a mean or inappropriate message or email save the information and tell an adult (no need to respond), never agree to meet someone that you don't know, also while using the internet for information scope out the site and make sure the author has credibility, the information is accurate and up to date, and that the site is appropriate for ones topic.

     As a teacher or parent the child’s safety is very important and we are responsible to help these children stay safe. Some ways we can help is to create computer rules, look into safety programs (monitoring or filtering capabilities), read website privacy policies, keep computer in an active room, be aware of other computers your child might be using, talk to your children, and if any suspicions to a site make sure they are reported.

     Now that we know how to be safe on the internet we can use it for what is important, which is educational purposes. There are many sites that are filled with useful information that can help a child learn more about a certain subject, but it is important the child finds a site that is accurate and useful for the topic chosen. How does one know a correct site? Well I am about to tell you! A few ways of checking that it is an accurate site is to have a critical eye. Check and see who the author is of the article, and establish their credibility, check dates to see how recent the information is, and make sure the information is valid and seems accurate (including accurate spelling), it is also important for the child to explore more than one resource. It is important to make sure the site is valid because we do not want to receive false information and we also don't want to jump to an assumption about something that may not be true.

     Now that we know all about the internet I feel that the internet will be a huge help in the children’s education, and they will be more prepared for the future. I hope that the children will receive the best information they can while using the internet in a way that is efficient for them!