Safety On The Internet

Prepared by the students:

Foteini Lazaridou,
Nikoleta Mosxou,
Emmanouela Balatsou

Supervised by the teachers:

Georgia (Julie) Mastoropoulou, Eugenia (Tzeni) Katsa
Lecture on Internet Safe Use
Some Trivial Information

 Under auspices of Comenius, our school organized a lecture on the topic of

Internet Safety.
 Place : Anixi’s High School
 Date: 22nd February
 Lecturer: Mrs Dimitrakopoulou (psychologist, specialised on teenagers and
Internet Safety)
 Overview: Discussion on the Risks and Safe Use of the Internet and questions
posed to the psychologist on the topic.
 Preparation: Comenius students gave out questionnaires on Internet safety before
the lecture to increase motivation among the students. (The results were
discussed after the lecture and are included in the presentation).
 Based on this lecture the participants of Comenius synthesized the following
presentation.

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Internet

 The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer

networks that serve billions of users worldwide. It is a network
of networks that consists of millions of private, public,
academic, business, and government networks, of local to
global scope, that are linked by a broad array of electronic,
wireless and optical networking technologies.

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Advantages of The Internet

 Information
There is a huge amount of information available on the internet for just about any
subject. Whether you’re interested in politics, market information or the social life
you can find the type of data that you’re looking for just by using search engines
like google, yahoo etc.
 Communication
Communicating with your friends and loved ones has been easy through e-mail
and social communication sites like Facebook and MySpace. Internet gives you
the opportunity to contact a person who is physically present thousand miles away
within the fraction of a second’s time.
 Software Downloads
You can freely download innumerable software packages (utilities, games, music,
videos, movies etc.)

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Advantages of The Internet

 Entertainment
Entertainment is one of the most popular reasons why many people prefer to surf
the internet. There is a wide range of things to do including video games, music,
movies, chat room, news etc.
 Services
A variety of services are provided on the Internet, such as job searching, online
banking, purchasing tickets, hotel reservations and consultation services.
 Ecommerce
There are many online stores and sites that can be used to look for products as well
as buy them using your credit card.
 Communities
Communities of all types have sprung up on the internet. Its a great way to meet
up with people of similar interest and discuss common issues.

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Disadvantages of the internet

 Addiction
 Isolation
 Cyber-Bullying
 Inappropriate Content
 Sexual Predators
 Identity and/or Personal Information Theft

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Internet Addiction Disorder

 Internet addiction disorder (IAD), or Internet overuse: the excessive computer

use that interferes with daily life.
 Online activities which, if done in person, would normally be considered
troublesome, such as compulsive gambling, or shopping, are sometimes called
net compulsions.
 Other habits such as reading, playing computer games, or watching a staggering
amount of internet videos or movies are all troubling only to the extent that these
activities interfere with normal life.
 One of the major reasons that the Internet is so addicting is the lack of limits and
the absence of accountability.
 It has grown in terms of acceptance as a legitimate clinical disorder often requiring
treatment. It is estimated that between 5% and 10% of Web surfers suffer some
form of Web dependency.

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Signs of Internet Addiction

 Increasing amounts of time spent on computer and internet

activities.
 Failed attempts to control behavior.
 Heightened sense of euphoria while involved in computer and
internet activities.
 Neglecting friends and family.
 Feeling restless when not engaged in the activity.
 Withdrawing from other pleasurable activities.

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Signs of Internet Addiction

 Being dishonest with others.

 Computer use interfering with job/school performance.
 Feeling guilty, ashamed, anxious, or depressed as a result of
behavior.
 Changes in sleep patterns.
 Physical changes such as weight gain or loss, backaches,
headaches, carple tunnel syndrome.

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Cause and Effects

 Research links IAD with existing mental health issues, most commonly
depression.
 This may be due to that virtual engagements do not stimulate the release of
neurotransmitters responsible for feelings of satisfaction and relaxation,
such as oxytocin and endorphin, the way real interactions do.
 The disorder has significant effects socially, psychologically and
occupationally. Addicts were known to use the internet an average of 38
hours a week for non-academic and non-employment purposes resulting in
poor grades among students, discord among couples and reduced work
performance.
 Pathological use of the internet results in negative life consequences such
as job loss, marriage breakdown, financial debt, and academic failure.

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Ways of Prevention or Correction

 In many cases, though not all, Internet overuse corrects itself.

In studies of heavy Internet users, the majority had sharply
reduced their time on the computer over the course of a year,
indicating that even problematic use was self-corrective.
 Content-control software
 Counselling
 Psychotherapy
 Cognitive behavioural therapy (it changes how we think and
therefore how we act. It focuses on the patient learning to
monitor his/her own behavior).

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Inappropriate Content

 On the Internet all of the content may be equally accessible;

websites about history and websites featuring inappropriate
content are both a click away.
 Children do not have to look hard to find inappropriate content; it is
as easy as typing a word into the search bar on Google.
 Even blocking, filtering, and monitoring software can be overcome
by a determined child.
 A child may also accidentally click the wrong link or misspell a Web
address and be led to websites with inappropriate content.

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Inappropriate Content

 Sexually explicit material, such as legal adult pornography and

illegal child pornography, are easily available online.
 In addition, children may be exposed to materials which glorify
risky and illegal behaviors, making teens think it is “cool” to
copy these activities.
 Some sites offer text or video instructions on anything from
picking locks to playing alcoholic drinking games to making
bombs.
 Other sites encourage dangerous behaviors such as cutting,
anorexia, and suicide.

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Avoid Inappropriate Content

The most effective ways of avoiding inappropriate content

are:
 Using filters when working with an online search engine.
 Avoiding any questionable links or e-mails that might be sent
to you by an unfamiliar user.

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Cyber-bullying

 Cyber-bullying is a relatively new — yet potentially very harmful

— phenomenon in which youth use technology such as
computers or cell phones to harass, threaten, humiliate or
otherwise hassle their peers. It is officially defined as “willful
and repeated harm inflicted through the use of computers, cell
phones, and other electronic devices” (Hinduja, S., & Patchin,
J., 2009).
 Cyber-bullying is difficult to monitor or supervise because it
often occurs on home computers and personal phones. That
way cyberbullying victims can be targeted anywhere, at any
time.

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Forms of Cyber-bullying

 Harassment
Repeatedly sending offensive, rude, and insulting messages
 Flaming and Trolling
Sending or posting hostile messages intended to “inflame” the emotions
of others.
 Happy-Slapping
Recording someone being harassed or bullied in a way that usually
involves physical abuse, then posting the video online for public viewing.
 Identity Theft/Impersonation
Stealing someone’s password and hijacking their online accounts to send
or post incriminating or humiliating pictures, videos, or information.

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Forms of Cyber-bullying

 Denigration
Posting untrue information about someone on a Web page, sending it to others
through email or instant messaging, distributing digitally altered photos of
someone.
 Outing and Trickery
Sharing someone's secrets or embarrassing information.
 Cyber Stalking
Repeatedly sending threatening messages or engaging in other online activities
that make a person afraid for his or her safety
 Rumor Spreading
Spreading gossip through e-mail, text messaging, or social networking sites.

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Characteristics of Cyber-bullying

 The reasons why cyber-bullying attacks are becoming all the more common are:
 The Anonymity
As bad as the "bully" on the playground may be, he or she can be readily identified
and potentially avoided. On the other hand, the child who cyber bullies is often
anonymous. The victim is left wondering who the cyber "bully" is, which can cause
a great deal of stress.
 The infinite audience
Traditional bullying occurs in the presence of other people who assume the role of
bystanders. The phenomenon of being a bystander in the cyber world is different
in that they may receive and forward emails, view web pages, forward images sent
to cell phones, etc. The number of bystanders in the cyber world can reach
millions.

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Characteristics of Cyber-bullying

 Disinhibition
The anonymity afforded by the Internet can lead children to engage in
behaviors that they might not do face-to-face.
 Permanence of expression
Most children who use traditional ways of bullying terrorize their victim at
school, on the bus, or walking to or from school. Although bullying can
happen elsewhere in the community, there is usually a standard period of
time during which these children have access to their victims. Children
who cyber bully can wreak havoc any time of the day or night.

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Signs of Being a Victim of Cyber-bullying

Common signs are:

 avoiding the computer, cell phone, and other technological devices
or appears stressed when receiving an e-mail, instant message, or
text.
 withdrawing from family and friends or acts reluctant to attend
school and social events.
 avoiding conversations about computer use.
 exhibiting signs of low self-esteem including depression and/or
fear.
 having poor eating or sleeping habits.

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Dealing with cyber-bullying

 If targeted by cyber-bullies, do not respond to any messages or posts

written about you, no matter how hurtful or untrue. Responding will only
make the situation worse and provoking a reaction from them is exactly
what the cyber-bullies want.
 Do not seek revenge on a cyber-bully by becoming a cyber-bully yourself.
(it will only make the problem worse and could result in serious legal
consequences for you).

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Dealing with cyber-bullying

 Instead, the proper way to respond to cyber-bullying is by:

 Saving the evidence of the cyber-bullying, keep abusive text
messages or a screenshot of a webpage, for example, and then report
them to a trusted adult, such as a family member, teacher, or school
counselor. If you don't report incidents, the cyber-bully will often become
more aggressive.
 Reporting threats of harm and inappropriate sexual messages to the
police. In many cases, the cyber-bully's actions can be prosecuted by law.

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Dealing with cyber-bullying

 Being relentless. Cyber-bullying is rarely limited to one or two incidents.

It's far more likely to be a sustained attack on you over a period of time.
So, like the cyber-bully, you may have to be relentless and keep reporting
each and every bullying incident until it stops. There is no reason for you
to ever put up with cyber-bullying.
 Preventing communication from the cyber-bully, by blocking their
email address, cell phone number, and deleting them from social media
contacts. Report their activities to their internet service provider (ISP) or to
any web sites they use to target you.

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Safe Use

Being informed is valuable in order to:

 put boundaries and limitations in order to enjoy the positive
aspect of technology and not its negative consequences.
 seek help if needed.
 not neglect your outdoor activities, your sleep, your friends
and your family.
 protect and inform your friends if they do not put boundaries
themselves.

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Safe Use of the Internet

When searching for information online, make sure to:

 check the site’s credibility.
 check the author’s status.
 check the bibliography.
 Cross-check with other sources of information, such as books
and encyclopedias.

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Safe Use of the Internet (2)

Think twice before you

 Trust people you do not know and have never met in real life.
 Make friends with people who are not your real friends.
 Reveal any personal information (name, home address, phone number, e
mail).
 Meet people who you only know through the Internet.
 Upload photos which reveal where you live, go to school or even hang
out.

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Questionnaire

 The aim of our work was to record and study in percentages how many
students know about the risks of the internet and what measures they
take to protect themselves from them.
 For this purpose we conducted a questionnaire survey, which was
completed by students of the Anixi’s High School (47 girls and 38 boys).
 After analyzing the questions and answers, we obtained the following
results.

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 Do you think the cyberspace is a safe place?

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 If NO, what makes you feel insecure?
 Α) Personal Data Breach Β) Sexual harassment
 C) Cyber-bullying D) Other

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 Have you created an online account on a social networking site?

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 Have you accepted ‘friend’ requests from people you don’t really know?

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 Have you ever been the victim of cyber-bullying?

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 Have you ever been a victim of online identity theft?

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Bibliography

 www.icaservices.com
 www.wikipedia.com
 www.helpguide.org

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