Lesson 2: Online Safety, Security and Netiquette

By the end of this lesson, you are expected to:

1. Identify what constitutes appropriate and inappropriate online behavior.
2. Apply internet online safety, security ethics and etiquette standards and practice in
the use of ICTs.
3. Discern possible deceptive information and wrongly evaluated data.

The internet is the guiding technology of the Information Technology Age just as
the electrical engine was of the Industrial Age. In these times, more and more people
are already engaged in the use of technology. These people who are raised in a
digital, media-saturated world are called digital natives. No doubt, the Internet has
been very useful to us but with the rise of instant messaging, chat rooms, emails and
social networking sites, it can also bring trouble - from cyberbullying to more serious
Internet dangers, including exposure to sexual predators. Thus, internet safety is always
our primary concern.

There's almost no limit to what you can do online. The Internet makes it possible
to access information quickly, communicate around the world, and much more.
Unfortunately, the Internet is also home to certain risks, such as malware, spam, and
phishing. If you want to stay safe online, you'll need to understand these risks and learn
how to avoid them.

1. How many of these information have you SHARED?

_______________________________________

2. How many of these information have you NOT SHARED?

_______________________________________
 3. Based from your answers above, do you think you are safe when using the
Internet? Why?
______________________________________________________________

There are numerous delinquencies that can be committed on the internet such as
stalking, identity theft, privacy violations, and harassment.

To avoid these online crimes, follow the following online safety measures:

• Never give any personal information out about yourself over the internet.
• Do not give any banking or sensitive information unless you are sure that it is a
reputable business having a secure service. To make sure that you are in a
secured network, the website address should begin with “https://’ as opposed to
“http://”. Never access your accounts by following an email link, instead type
your URL by yourself.
 • Never open messages or attachments from someone you do not know.
• Regularly review your privacy settings in your online accounts to make sure you
are not sharing important personal information.
• When using a public computer terminal, be sure to delete your browsing data
before leaving.
• Keep your software updated to avoid security holes.
• Do not download or install software or anything on your computer or cell phone
that is unknown to you.

Netiquette

Netiquette is a combination of the words network and etiquette. It is a set of rules for
behaving properly online. Below are the 10 rules of netiquette:
Kinds of Online Threats

There is no doubt that you need to be vigilant online. As the World Wide Web evolved
over the years, many internet predators have been playing on vulnerabilities to attack
computers and retrieve sensitive data from individuals. Half the time, we aren’t even
aware it is happening until it is too late.

Online threat is deemed any malicious act that attempts to gain access to a computer
network without authorization or permission from the owners. These are usually done by
computer hackers who uses the World Wide Web to facilitate cybercrime. Web threats
use multiple types of malware and fraud, all of which utilize HTTP or HTTPS protocols, but
may also employ other protocols and components, such as links in email or Instant
Messaging apps, or any malware attachments on servers that access the Web. They
benefit cybercriminals by stealing information for subsequent sale and help absorb
infected PCs into botnets. Web threats pose a broad range of risks, including financial
damages, identity theft, loss of confidential information/data, theft of network
resources, damaged brand/personal reputation, and erosion of consumer confidence
in e-commerce and online banking.

The following are the top kinds of online threats that you should be aware of: