Internet Safety

      Most students these days have access to an infinite amount of information. They carry this information with them everywhere and with a touch of their finger they can pull up any information they want. The use of internet on students mobile devices gives students a great advantage if used appropriately but it can also be very dangerous. All students should be aware of safe internet practices. When I was in high school I remember having a whole segment on internet safety in my health class. Before that time I didn't know how dangerous the internet could be and how much personal information there is about me on the internet. As I browsed through some websites about internet safety and awareness this past week I was again reminded about how much of my personal life is on the internet. It was a sort of wake up call. After being reminded of the dangers in the internet I immediately changed some of the information about myself on my Facebook profile because a lot of it was way too personal. I also didn't think about how the things I post on social networking sites could effect my future. Many employers look at those sites to find out the type of person you are and how you present yourself. I haven't had time to do it yet but I am going to search through my posts and make sure that all content I have posted in the past is appropriate. This website Net Safe Utah was the website that I found most beneficial for information about staying safe on the web. The site has an easy to follow layout with topics for children, teens, parents, educators, and trainers. Anyone, at any age, who visits this site will find it easy to access the topics they want. It provides videos and links to other pages that are also dedicated to safe internet practices. It was especially helpful to me because Utah is one of the states that I might possibly teach in. Knowledge of internet safety is of vital importance to students and parents because of how often it is used in our daily lives. The internet is an an amazing tool that we are lucky to have access to and when we use it appropriately our resources are endless.

--Life-Long Learner