The Internet has radically changed the way we communicate. We can now interact with people across the world we may never meet in person. The Internet is indeed a great way to talk to people around the world; but with this new form of communication comes new concerns.

Bullying has always been a problem, and the Internet is not immune. All web users should be aware of cyber bullying. It takes many forms, from e-mailing mean statements to text messaging about someone behind their back. Online, bullies may be more aggressive than traditional bullies, believing they can remain anonymous. Sometimes these bullies are predators that may want to harm you; if you think that may be the case, tell someone.

One important safety measure is to treat your e-mail address as... (more)

The Internet has radically changed the way we communicate. We can now interact with people across the world we may never meet in person. The Internet is indeed a great way to talk to people around the world; but with this new form of communication comes new concerns.

Bullying has always been a problem, and the Internet is not immune. All web users should be aware of cyber bullying. It takes many forms, from e-mailing mean statements to text messaging about someone behind their back. Online, bullies may be more aggressive than traditional bullies, believing they can remain anonymous. Sometimes these bullies are predators that may want to harm you; if you think that may be the case, tell someone.

One important safety measure is to treat your e-mail address as important private data like a phone number or address, and only give it to people you know and trust online. Not only can publicizing your e-mail address put you at risk of bullying or predation--you might attract unwanted spam mail. Spam is junk mail delivered through e-mail. Sometimes spam contains viruses or adult content that is vulgar and inappropriate. It is a good idea to have a spam filter for your e-mail.

Some people send spam for the purposes of identity theft—this is called phishing. Identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in the United States, and around the world. You should be aware of all requests for personal information and never respond to spam. If you are storing personal or private information on your computer, be sure to use a firewall and keep the information protected by using a password.

Even with all these concerns about online safety and security, the Internet is not all bad. The are many great cyber citizens out there--people who use the Internet for positive change. You can be a good cyber citizen using tools like TakingITGlobal and the many other online communities devoted to positive social change. You’ll find many different ideas in our resources section [link].

TakingITGlobal theme page: Online Safety and Security