E-Safety: Using IT (Cambridge (CIE) IGCSE ICT)

Revision Note

Author

Robert Hampton

Expertise

Computer Science Content Creator

The Need for E-Safety

What is the need for e-safety?

E-safety is about knowing about and using the internet safely and responsibly
It refers to when an individual is using the internet, email, social media, online gaming
E-safety refers to the individual knowing how to protect themselves from potential dangers and threats

Need	Description
Protects personal information	Awareness that personal information should not be shared freely
Prevents cyberbullying	Awareness of how to act online and how to avoid falling victim, creating a safe and respectful online environment
Guards against online scams	Identify and avoid online scams, phishing attempts, and fraudulent websites that may try to trick them into sharing personal or financial information
Ensures digital reputation	Mindful of online behaviour and interactions, protecting your digital reputation, which can have long-term consequences in personal and professional lives
Promotes privacy and control	Have control over privacy settings on social media platforms, allowing a limit to who can access/view personal information and posts
Prevents exposure to inappropriate content	Avoid encountering explicit or harmful content online, reducing the risk of exposure to inappropriate material or online predators
Secures online gaming experiences	Engage in online gaming responsibly, avoiding sharing personal details and maintaining respectful behaviour towards other players
Guards against malware and viruses	Protecting devices from malware, viruses, and other online threats, preventing data loss, privacy breaches, or device damage
Promotes responsible digital citizenship	Develop responsible online behaviours, promoting respectful conduct while interacting with others on the internet
Supports overall well-being	Maintain a healthy balance between online and offline lives, reducing the risk of addiction, mental health issues, or negative impacts on relationships and self-esteem

Using IT

How can you be safe using IT?

There are many ways to remain safe when using technology, by following the advice and guidance users can stay safe whilst:
- Using the internet
- Sending/receiving email
- Using social media
- Playing games online

Task	Advice & guidance
Using the internet	Use trusted websites recommended by teachers or reputable sources Utilise search engines that only allow access to age-appropriate websites and use filters to ensure inappropriate content is not seen Never reveal personal information
Sending/receiving email	Be aware of the potential dangers of opening or replying to emails from unknown people, including attachments, potential dangers include phishing, spam Ensure you know who the email is for when considering sending personal data or images via email, only with people you know and not with identifiable content like school photos
Using social media	Know how to block and report people who send content or messages that are unwanted Know where the privacy settings are to reduce the number of people who can see your posts or images Be aware of the potential dangers associated with meeting online contacts face to face, do not meet anyone you do not know, if you do, take an adult and meet publicly Do not distribute of inappropriate images and inappropriate language Respect the confidentiality of personal data belonging to other people Only accept friend requests from people you know Parents should be aware of what you are doing online, discuss what you are doing online Do not post images or details that can be used to locate you
Playing games online	Do not use real names as usernames Never share personal or financial details with other players Know how to block and report players for inappropriate messages or comments

Worked Example

A student uses social media to keep in contact with other people.

Describe four strategies that the student could use to stay safe when using social media to communicate with others.

[4]

Answers

Four of:

Don’t give out other people’s personal information such as address or phone number [1]
Don’t send inappropriate images to anyone [1]
Don’t open/click on suspicious links/adverts on social media [1]
Don’t become online ‘friends’ with people you do not know//don’t contact/chat with people you do not know [1]
Never arrange to meet someone in person who you only met online [1]
If anything you see or read online worries you, you should tell someone about it/block them [1]
Use appropriate language [1]
Set security so only friends can contact you [1]

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