What Online Dangers Exist?

There are lots of different online dangers that children should be aware of, including: 

Cyberbullying.

Cyberbullying is when a child uses technology to torment, threaten, upset, humiliate or distress another child. It is a growing problem, which leaves many victims scared to speak out. Educating children in how to prevent cyberbullying and what action to take if they are being bullied is very important. 

http://stopcyberbullying.org/

Strangers Online.

Not everybody online is who they claim to be. Never ever meet anyone in person who you have met online without a parents' or carers' permission, and a friend who can come with you. 

Spam. 

Spam is a term used to describe bulk commercial messages, normally advertising a product or a service. As well as being annoying, Spam may be an internet danger if it involves deception and fraud. 

Viruses. 

Viruses can damage a computer, and mean a loss of files, software and images. They can also give people access to your online identity and personal information. 

Safe Searching.

There are lots of things to consider when searching the internet, for example;

- Be clear when searching, use more than one word if possible and add detail. 
- Spell correctly to get the right results. 
- Beware of websites which may put you and your computer at risk. 
- Filter your search so you only get appropriate results. 
- Remember that not all the information online is accurate, so use a number of different sources. 

Teach Children using the Internet to be SMART.

E Safety is all about being SMART online, and the principles on the Kidsmart website captures this perfectly and simply for children. In brief they are; 

Safe
Do not give out personal information online. Keep email addresses, phone numbers and passwords secret. 

Meeting
Anybody you meet online is still a stranger, and they may not be who they claim to be. Only meet them with your parents' or carers' permission, and when someone is with you. 

Accepting
Do not open emails, messages, files, pictures or texts from people you do not know in case they contain viruses or nasty messages. 

Reliable 
The information on the internet is not always reliable. If you are researching something you should compare a number of sources. 

Tell
Tell an adult if you see something online which makes you feel uncomfortable or worried, or if you know somebody is being bullied online.


For more information see: 
www.kidsmart.org.uk