Internet Dangers Are Everyone's Responsibility

Newcastle Herald

Thursday September 27, 2007

Editorial By RUBY TIEDMAN and LUKE BROUWER

IN THIS modern world where computer technology is becoming a big part of people's everyday lives, it is very easy for children to get lost in cyberspace.

This can leave them open to dangers that could cause harm to their computer, their parents' bank balances and their lives.

Kotara South principal Peter Scotchmer said there were a variety of things young people could get involved in on the internet that could put them in a dangerous or inappropriate situation.

Some of these included: getting incorrect information from websites; accidentally finding unsuitable sites, whether violent video games or sites with adult themes; and spending too much time on the internet, which could prevent children from getting enough exercise and making friends.

Another problem was children buying things online with parents' credit cards. This could make parents angry and give internet thieves valuable information.

Another threat was viruses that were attached to emails.

One of the biggest dangers children faced on the internet were chat rooms, Mr Scotchmer said.

In a chat room anyone could talk to anyone else and could obtain a dangerous amount of information.

By getting someone's personal details they could stalk and even harm them.

Mr Scotchmer said there were many tricks chat room predators used to get information. One was to pretend they were the same age as the person they were chatting to. This generated trust between the child and the predator.

This trick has been used in many countries around the world, including Australia, and has resulted in kidnappings and deaths.

There are ways children can protect themselves from these dangers, Mr Scotchmer said.

Children should never give out personal information, no matter how much the person they were chatting to wanted it. They should never trust someone they had met in a chat room. And children should leave the conversation when someone they didn't know started to talk about their age, school, suburb or family.

Mr Scotchmer said that many internet dangers could be prevented by having more at home parent supervision of children's internet use, teaching students at school what was good and useful information, making sure all filtering software was up-to-date, and teachers monitoring students when using the internet.

The KSPS Xpress believes that if young people, parents and teachers are aware of internet dangers and the ways they can prevent them, cyberspace can be a fun and safe place to be.

© 2007 Newcastle Herald

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