Teaching Online Safety to Kids

Online safety is the ability of recognizing threats online and figuring out ways to prevent them. This includes keeping personal information private while avoiding malware and recognizing illegal or harmful content.

Cyber safety is essential for students who are increasingly spending their time online. They must be aware of the dangers to their privacy and security, such as cyberbullying or identity theft. They should also be aware of the fact that reckless or careless Internet behaviors can have serious consequences. For example, a New Hampshire politician lost his job for posting inappropriate photos and ad hominem attacks on his opponents on social networks.

If they’re gaming, shopping or chatting with friends, there are a lot of things that can go wrong. It’s easy to click on a malicious link within an email, text message, or online advertisement, which could create a malware infection on your device. And once an embarrassing or offensive post, image or comment is posted, it’s nearly impossible to remove it.

To help children understand the important issues surrounding cyber security, teachers can incorporate a variety fun activities into their classes. Students can make an animated digital cartoon about the dangers of bullying or Online Safety meet a person online in person to stimulate discussions in the classroom and help develop critical thinking and media literacy. Additionally, creating a fake news article can be a great method for students to test their writing and research skills while learning about cyber security.