Digital Security

Students today assume that everything is safe on the internet. They know that there are websites that they should not go to, and in theory they understand that there are viruses that can get on their computer. However, they have the typical teenage syndrome of “that won’t happen to me.” There needs to a conversation about the potential dangers of the internet. Teachers and parents need to be discussing the importance of passwords, privacy, and sharing information. Students often go online and view all people that they meet as a potential friend. They freely give out their information. Students need to understand the significance of keeping their information private, and that information should not be given to anyone that they meet online. If honest conversations are taking place about the consequence of giving out their personal information online, then students will protect themselves when they are online.

There are some items that students can do that are common sense. They need to keep their passwords in a secure, private location where no one can get to them. Students should never give out their passwords to others, not even their friends. Students should be taught how to protect their computer and other technology with virus protection software and strong passwords. They also need to understand the possible pitfalls of the internet such as spyware or malware. Information is power. The more information that we give our children or students, the more ability that they have to be able to protect themselves and their technology in today’s digital society.