Internet Safety

Thirty years ago, kids in school had never ever heard of the internet. Now, I'll bet you can't find a single person in your school who hasn't used it. Many people use it regularly and we even use it in our homes! The ‘net’ in ‘internet’ actually comes from ‘network’. When two or more computers are connected, this forms a network. This network allows information to be shared between the two or more computers. There is a vast amount of information on the internet. You can use it to do research for your school or work project, listen to your favourite songs or chat with your family and friends. Companies, organizations and individuals can create web pages to share and post information. Since anyone can upload anything they want onto the internet, we must be careful and use cautious judgement along with common sense.

Just because someone writes something on a piece of paper and puts it on a bulletin board, this doesn't mean it is correct or true information. It is really important that we check to make sure the person who is writing the information really knows what they are talking about, especially when we are doing research! We should always use trustworthy and official online libraries which have been created by professionals. Even if you are just emailing someone, you still have to be very careful – especially if it is someone you have never met. Always keep your personal information safe and don’t give it out to anyone via email. This is also true for your name! We also can’t rely on the things strangers we 'meet' on the internet may tell us. People can make up anything they want about themselves and create a whole new person that is nothing like their reality. Remember to stay safe online and encourage your friends to stay safe as well!