I-Safe is a great certification that everyone should be required to learn. Students, parents, and educators should all learn about Internet safety.
Every online user should be responsible and Internet literate. People need to know of the dangers that are out there in the cyber world. Predators, hackers, identity theft, worms and viruses, and other Internet breaches can harm Internet users. It is so important to be educated and prepared prior to accessing the Internet.
I-Safe has really made me aware of Internet prowlers. I did not realize how easy it was for savvy prowlers to find out so much information about youth with so little information given. These prowlers use the Internet to disguise themselves to minors and are so dangerous. I plan on sharing this information with my children in my own home and incorporating i-Safe into my lesson plans as an educator.
I also think it is critical to be savvy about Internet safety. Even if spam filters are set up and I am very cautious about content that is downloaded, it is inevitable to never receive harmful spam containing viruses or to never come across sites that have harmful executable files. Because of this it is so important to be educated on Internet safety so I do not open harmful attached files and so that I am not involved in the spread of damaging viruses and worms.
I think it is very important to teach students and parents about violations regarding illegal file sharing. Downloading music and other files without paying for the files is a common abuse that is morphing into a Norm in today’s society, especially among teenagers with limited funds. It is important that they realize that illegal downloading is wrong and it is crime. Students also need to know that there are harsh penalties if they are caught. Parents need to be aware of the free harmful, illegal content that can be downloaded by anyone, including children and teenagers. This can make youth susceptible to unwanted, disguised material associated to pornography and predators. Education and awareness for parents and students is very important when dealing with the Internet.
The Internet offers so much good to society. However, without education on Internet safety, the Internet may cause more harm than good. I plan on passing on this i-Safe information to my children, extended family, and future students and parents. Hopefully, this information will make a difference in the lives of others.