Online safety, also known as internet safety, e-safety, or cyber safety, refers to the act of staying safe online and protecting oneself and others from online harms and risks that may jeopardize personal information, lead to unsafe communications, or even affect mental health and wellbeing. It involves maximizing a users awareness of personal safety and security risks to private information and property associated with using the internet, and self-protection from computer crime. Online safety is important for everyone, especially children and teenagers, as the number of internet users continues to grow worldwide.
Here are some basics of online safety:
- Understanding and recognizing threats that exist on the internet
- Knowing how to keep personal information private and secure online
- Protecting devices from malware
- Avoiding harmful or illegal content
- Managing online relationships safely
To stay safe online, it is important to be aware of the nature of possible threats that one could encounter while engaging in activity through the internet, such as security threats, protecting and managing personal data, online reputation management, and avoiding harmful or illegal content. It is also important to keep online friendships in the virtual world and to avoid meeting online friends face to face, as it carries more risks than other types of friendships.
Overall, online safety is an all-encompassing duty and something that everyone must be vigilant of, and it is important to practice online safety to prevent and mitigate the risks that are inherently involved with using digital technologies, platforms, and networks.