Online security is the skill of recognizing threats online and understanding how to avoid these threats. This includes safeguarding your personal information while avoiding malware, as well as recognizing dangerous or illegal content.
Cyber safety is essential for students, who are increasingly spending their time online. They must be aware of the dangers to their security and privacy, such as cyberbullying or identity theft. They should also be aware that careless or reckless Internet behaviour can result in serious consequences. For instance, a New Hampshire politician, for example, lost his job because he posted inappropriate photos and comments on social media about his opponents.
While shopping, playing or chatting with friends, there are plenty of things that can be wrong. For instance, it’s not difficult to click on a malicious link inside an email text message, online ads that can be a virus that can infect a device. Once an insulting or embarrassing comment or image is posted, it is nearly impossible to get rid of.
To help kids learn about the importance of cyber safety, teachers could include a variety of fun activities into their classes. For example, having students create an online comic about a scenario that involves cyberbullying, or meeting a person in person whom they have met online can spark discussions in the classroom on these issues and help develop critical thinking get more and media literacy skills. Similarly, creating a mock news story can be a good method for students to test their research and writing skills while learning about cyber security.