Internet Safety

Internet Safety is more than being careful with your passwords and not talking to strangers in chat rooms. Internet safety is recognizing scams designed to put malware on your computer. Internet Safety is recognizing how to deal with problems on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or Snapchat when so-called friends start bullying or harrassing you. Internet Safety is especially recognizing that the Internet is basically just the same as your neighbourhood. You wouldn't say certain things to your neighbours and you wouldn't want your grandmother or mom to see you behaving badly or in embarrassing ways. If you put it out on the Internet, chances are someone you know will see it, or share it or use it against you if it could put you in a bad light.

The key to remember is that the Internet is very public, no matter how many privacy settings you try to set up, there are ways around it and it's easy to forget how many people can see what you've put up, or what others have shared about you. Internet Safety is also about how to remove things that other people write, say or share about you.

Watch the following video as a class.  After watching, take 5 minutes to talk at your table about:

•  experiences you've had, especially if you've had the opportunity to be really smart about your privacy and safety. 
• What have your parents and others taught you that you think everyone should know. 
• Is there anything you're not sure of that you want to know or get better at?

One person in the group should be the note-taker for your group and write things on a big sheet of paper with a marker. Put the names of everyone in your group. (Spelling doesn't matter for this assignment, except the names.) Hand in the sheet to Mr. Erickson, the substitute teacher.

After your group chat, please take the rest of the period to write down your ideas for how you're going to be Cyber smart and protect yourself. Consider:  

• Social media (Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Gaming, Youtube)
• Picture sharing/Video sharing
• Scams/Spam/ Malware
• Password safety and online shopping safety

This is a draft and we'll work on polishing this writing in class on Friday using Google Docs! You will need to have at least 5-10 sentences for Friday!

Thank you, Mr. Erickson, for being my Teacher on Call today! I hope the students made you feel welcome in our class!