Is the Internet really dangerous? I mean aren’t my parents and teachers overreacting to the dangers that lurk on the interwebs?
Honestly, these adults in your life are being very truthful because online threats are real and they have damaged several young lives, dreams, and even families. That is why we will be showing you how to be safe online. Think of this article as your online bodyguard because it is able to protect you through some of the dangers lurking around the corners of the World Wide Web. We will be talking about three main threats to teens online so let’s deal with the biggest threat first. Do you know what the biggest online threat to you is?
Threat 1 – It’s YOU
That is right; you are your biggest threat. Actually, let me be clearer about that. The biggest online threat to you is your activities online, what you do, the sites you choose to visit what you post, or upload online. The Internet is like a spider web. I mean why do you think they call it the World Wide Web; it catches everything and once it’s online it can be there for years. so that picture of you kissing your dog will be there forever, that Facebook update about how much you enjoy bullying others will be there forever. So being smart about what you say and do online is frankly more than just a good idea, it will literally save you.
Recruiters, customers, and several other people that you may have business with now search about you online before they even consider you for that opportunity, so be careful of your online footprints. I know you may be saying that does not apply to me, alright fair enough but think about how much drama is started when people like, say, and post things online that they would never ever say to your face. Yeah, how many times have you seen your friends say or post something online that they now regret? Exactly! So to help you protect yourself against yourself here’s a general rule of thumb that might help you. Before you post or upload something ask yourself this, would I be cool with the outcome if what I am saying, posting, or uploading is displayed for everyone to see during the news on National television? The truth is that that is where that information is going, anyone anywhere in the world can access them. Your grandchildren can even find them several years to come. So here is the rule: if it passes the National Television filter of approval then you are good to go; if it doesn’t you probably want to reconsider it.
Threat 2 – Online Predators
The second thing you need to protect yourself against while online are online predators. I mean the word predator even sounds scary. So, if you are chatting online with someone, you need to make sure that you know for sure – like a hundred percent – who they are. If someone says he is a talent coach, does not make him one? The internet makes it easy for people to hide behind their devices (Computers or mobile phones and assume any identity they want). A recent study revealed that most predators used images of other people to get to their victims. In addition, never ever give out personal information online. If you are going to buy something online make sure it is a real site and secured (we will make an article on secured sites soon).
If you are in doubt about the security of the site in question, ask your parents. Always avoid the temptation to give information, you better tweet that right now because there are weird characters, stalkers and crazy people out there that you need to protect yourself and your friends from. Please do not share your personal information with anyone unless you know for sure they are safe or a legitimate business or organization. Remember what your parents normally say “Don’t receive gifts from strangers”. Giving your personal information like mobile numbers, date of birth, home address, is like dropping your house keys with a label of your home address at a location known to have criminals lurking around.
Threat 3 – Unpleasant Content
Now, the last threat is not very pleasant to talk about but the fact is that it’s true so we are going to look at it. Did you know that 12% of Internet websites are pornographic in nature? Yes 12%! You need to protect yourself from this stuff that causes serious psychological and relational harm. On the Internet these days, you may not even need to be seeking these pornographic sites to see them because they pop up on your computer especially when you do not have some filtering software to protect you.
A recent survey polled 1,200 teens and 70% of them said that they had accidentally stumbled on to porn online. In another recent survey of first-year University undergraduates, 82% said they had been exposed to pornography online by the time they were just 14 years old. So the point is an unprotected computer or device is like a loaded gun sitting in your bedroom or in your hands. You need to protect yourself or eventually, you will get shot, it is inevitable. Now get some filtering software on your computer to protect yourself, there are also programmes out there that work for different types of computers. Now I know what you are thinking, I know filtering software costs money but they cost about $50 for an entire year. Here is how you can make this happen. Go to your parents and tell them: “dearest parents, the world wide web is filled with vile stuff like pornography this filtering software protects me from all of this horrible stuff; could you buy it for me so I may live a virtuous life and be an upstanding citizen?” I doubt if your parents will object to that.
It is important to know that the Internet is a very helpful, important, and resourceful tool that can be used for different purposes. Like many tools, its outcomes depend on the user and the knowhow at his or her disposal. So use the Internet wisely and with caution and you will have a pleasant experience.
