How can you stay safe while using email and the internet?
As technology continues to become smarter and more accessible, teachers continue to incorporate technology and devices in the classroom and home for educational purposes. Students both young and old have access to the internet which houses an umbrella of information that is entertaining, purposeful and informative but can also be incorrect, inappropriate, and dangerous to users. In order to keep our students’ internet usage positive and safe, educators and society need to educate our youth on the potential risks involved when engaging in online activity. While the intent may be accidental, children should be aware of the potential harm found buried in the world wide web.
One avenue that has connected educators with students in a purposeful way is email. Emails allow quick communication between both parties, allowing for assignments to be submitted, questions asked and answered, and thoughts shared between groups. However, emails can also be targeted by spam sites, creating a level of misuse by explicit companies. Sites visited often have ‘bots’ that misuse information and create dangerous spam and viruses that can potentially harm software and present explicit messages. Likewise, emails can become an outlet for Cyberbullying and sexually explicit materials. Cyberbullying exists and can have severe effects on our youth’s mental health. It can be prevented through exposure, monitoring, and increased awareness. Creating a safe place for students to report this form of harassment or increasing the educator’s awareness and ability to track and protect students’ internet access is critical in fighting Cyberbullying.
While promoting email safety for all users, students also need to be educated how to be safe on the internet when exploring, whether for education, play, or research. Educators and administrators should equip their technology and internet services with protection software to block untrusting sites, limit pop ups and ads, and prevent sharing of any personal information. The sharing of personal information online should be one of the top priorities for staff to instill in their students. This is one of the most harmful sources of internet misuse and can lead to negative effects. Likewise, students must remember that information shared on the information is always traceable, no longer private, and accessible for everyone to see. And while blocking certain sites may hinder students’ access to information or of others connecting with students, it’s important for students to understand why such sites are of risk. Educating our youth on technology usage and the internet is just as important as their objective curriculum. Keeping our students safe is a priority for staff but students become more accountable, understanding, and less vulnerable of such risks when they are aware of the potential threats.
Let’s remind our students to treat technology and the internet in a SMART manner:
S- Be Safe.
M. Don’t Meet Up.
A. Accepting Emails can be Dangerous.
R. Reliable?
T. Tell Someone!
Be an advocate and educate yourself on ways to continue to promote internet safety with these additional helpful tips found below:
https://www.safekids.com/kids-rules-for-online-safety/
https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/net-safety.html
Want more resources on internet and email safety? Use these references!
Cybersecurity: 7 Ways to Keep Kids Safe Online. (2015, December 1). U.S. Department of Education. Retrieved November 12, 2020 from https://www2.ed.gov/free/features/cybersecurity.html
5 Internet Safety Rules to Stay S.M.A.R.T. Online. (2016, May 17). Online Sense. Retrieved November 13, 2020 from https://onlinesense.org/internet-safety-rules-smart-online/
Walton, Mary. (2017, August 21). A Teacher's Guide to Student Online Safety. National Cybersecurity Alliance. https://staysafeonline.org/blog/teachers-guide-student-online-safety/