It is common as well as necessary for teachers and guardians to educate their children about navigating safely in the physical world around them ? avoiding conversations with strangers, setting their boundaries, and distinguishing one?s personal space from the public one. However, in today?s digital era, it is also equally imperative for parents and teachers to guide children about navigating through the online world, which can be equally daunting and dicey.
Today, much of the world embark on a tightrope walk between managing the tangible world around and the intangible one within digital screens. And children are increasingly being exposed to this dichotomy at an early age. Since the technological revolution is inevitable and also hugely beneficial in several ways, it works best if children gain access to gadgets upon knowing about the flip side to these.
Here are some aspects that you may want to discuss with your children while teaching them about internet safety:
When Sharing is Not Caring: Confidential Online Information
One of the most essential internet safety aspects to teach children is about the confidential information they may have access to. For example, if they open their email IDs or set up their accounts on online portals, they would typically need to create passwords for the same. Thus, before children obtain access to such platforms, parents and teachers must teach them why such information must never be shared with anyone, no matter how trustworthy s/he may seem.
What Not to Post Online
While every individual has the freedom to express oneself on public platforms, s/he must also be aware of what information may be potentially dangerous to publish online. Such information may include (but is not limited to) one?s residential address, telephone number, bank details and so on. Many international schools in Tokyo and other cities conduct workshops and seminars to enlighten the students about internet safety and what information must not be posted online.
Privacy in the Public Domains
Just like one builds fences around one?s home to ensure safety even while being accessible to the world, it always helps to avail of the basic privacy options while creating online profiles. Schools must teach students the significance of going private on public platforms so that their activities and personal details are visible only to their friends and family members. Having a private profile ensures that nobody misuses the children?s personal information or gets over-familiar online.
Conclusion
Many parents and teachers are often apprehensive about their children and students browsing through the internet and online portals as this entails potential risks. However, in a rapidly advancing world like ours, it is impossible and unnecessary to deny access to these platforms. The best strategy to help children enjoy the best of both the worlds is to empower them by explaining to them the significance of internet safety and privacy. This would enable them to make the most of technology to supplement their learning process while also not compromising on their safety and well-being.
As the editor of the blog, She curate insightful content that sparks curiosity and fosters learning. With a passion for storytelling and a keen eye for detail, she strive to bring diverse perspectives and engaging narratives to readers, ensuring every piece informs, inspires, and enriches.
