Safer Internet Day

Safer Internet Day is a worldwide event that was held on 11 February 2020, to raise awareness about Internet safety. It is sponsored by the e-safety commissioner of Australia. There are many different areas of internet safety that are great to learn about. 

An important one, for example, is cyberbullying. Being cyberbullied means that you are getting bullied online. People often say things over the Internet that they would not say in person because they think that other people will not find out who they are. Some people even lie about their identity online to get access to your information. This is why it is so important to protect your personal information and not share this on the Internet. If you ever feel uncomfortable or unsure of anything online, talk to a trusted adult about it right away. Think of other people’s feelings when you are talking online. Before you type something, ask yourself how you would feel if someone typed this to you. Be kind. Also, if you see someone being cyberbullied, report it. Tell a trusted adult and ask the person saying unkind things to stop, just like you would on the playground. 

Another way of being not safe on the Internet is if your information is not secure. It is very easy for a hacker to reach into your data, and use it. This may sound impossible, but it is very likely that if you don’t have a strong password, somebody may use all of your data, and lock you out of a large number of your personal sites. They could also gain access to your banking details and your address if these are saved online or in your emails. A way to prevent this is to never give out personal information, and use very strong passwords. There are many strong password generators that will help you develop a password that is harder to hack. At our lunchtime Imaginarium club, we played a game that involved us coming up with some strong passwords. We learnt that the best passwords use letters, numbers and symbols.

As mentioned earlier, there are people who lie about their identity online and may try to talk to you, pretending to be someone you know. They may gain your trust and then ask for your personal information or may try to hack your computer. If you ever feel uncomfortable with a person you are chatting with online, tell a responsible and trusted adult right away. If you are posting something that involves other people, ask their permission before you do this. You would not want your friends sharing your information without you knowing about it, so make sure you do the same for them. 

We use the Internet for so many things these days, such as communicating with our friends and family, creating things, games and even shopping. The Internet is a great tool, but it is important that we understand the risks and we practice being safe on the Internet. Remember to always ask a trusted adult if anything makes you feel uncomfortable and to type with kindness. 

The Year 6 IT and Innovation Leaders