Monday 14 January 2013

Do's and Don'ts in the Cyber Environment

Do's and Don'ts in the Cyber Environment
(I do not own this photo, it was taken from http://www.solobizcoach.com/the-dos-and-don%E2%80%99ts-of-starting-a-business-online-when-you-are-broke/ credit for the photo and all rights reserved for the owner of the photo.)
Do’s: 

 Do follow the rules that your parents/guardians have set regarding the time you are 
allowed to use the internet, the purpose of your use of the internet, the sites 
you are allowed to visit, and the limitations they have set. 

Why? Because parents know best and they have the authority over us since we live under their roof. Being a youth, we are prone to distractions and temptations that the cyberworld offers us and it can lead to things we should not get involved into so we should just listen to our parents/guardians regarding this matter.

 If you are using instant messaging or entering chat rooms, do stay on public, 
monitored and child-friendly rooms. 

Why? Because there are a bunch of criminal sex offenders on the internet trying to lure attention-hungry teenagers into having a private chat with them and getting them to do something they would soon regret.(like the case of Amanda Todd in 2012).

 Do tell your parents immediately if you have encountered any problem while 
using the internet or if you have engaged in an uncomfortable situation. 

Why? Because usually your parents will know what to do and be able to help you with your problem whenever you are faced in such a situation that you are uncomfortable in.

 Do use an alias or nickname every time you enter chat rooms and forums. 

Why? It is important to keep your identity hidden from people you meet on the internet. As it protects you from identity theft.

 Do avoid posting your personal profile on the web. This may be used by online 
predators against you. 

Why? Because the personal information you post may be used against you in the future(e.g. blackmailing). And again may be the cause of identity theft.

 Do close the web browser immediately if you see any images of violence, nudity, 
pornography, sex, and other contents that aren’t right for your age. Do tell your 
parents about this immediately. 

Why? Because in most countries it is illegal to view such materials under the age of 18 (21 in some countries) as it is inappropriate for a fragile mind of a person under those ages. Tell your parents/guardians so they may be able to help in securing you from malicious websites for our own safety and to prevent it from "corrupting" a youth's mind.


Don'ts:
 Don’t post statuses on social networking sites that try and indirectly harm or gossip about someone, just approach them and talk if you have a problem with their behavior instead of hiding behind a social networking site.

Why? To avoid misunderstanding and to avoid further problems. To be able to solve the issue right away.

 If you are using instant messaging or entering chat rooms, DON’T allow others to 
harass you or put you in an uncomfortable situation. 

Why? Because they don't have power over you, they are human just like us and have no right to harass others.

 Don’t reply to or start a conversation with people you don’t know. Don’t accept 
gift offerings from them. 

Why? As they may be cyber criminals and using you/manipulate you to do something you do not want to do.

 Don’t fill out any survey, membership, or application forms asking for your 
personal information from an unsecured site. 

Why? Because it may be a fraud and you end up losing money or they may even steal your identity to use for their own personal gain.

 Don’t disable any security settings your parents have set such as antivirus, 
firewall, filtering, and site monitoring programs. 

Why? To prevent viruses and malicious software from entering your computer and to protect you from cyber criminals online.

 Don’t open, reply or download attachments from spam or from unknown 
senders. These may contain viruses or other threats that can harm your 
computer. 

Why? Because these may contain viruses or other threats that can harm your 
computer. 

 Don’t download any files that are given to you by people you've met online. 
Don’t download any files from your e-mail unless they are solicited. 

Why? Even though you know them it is always good to check if the file is safe as not to harm your computer.

 Don't use free and downloadable peer-to-peer file sharing programs (e.g. 
Kazza and Grokster) These are spyware. 

Why? Because it is highly likely that a virus may enter your computer.

 And most of all…..Do practice honesty and DON’T hide anything from your 
parents. 

Why? Because it is always good to inform your parents with what you are doing so they can monitor you and protect you from any harm.

reference: http://learn.tkschools.org/is/Resources/Do's%20and%20Don'ts.pdf

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