November 5 -9, 2012 is National Media Literacy Week. The theme for Media Literacy Week 2012, Privacy Matters, shines a spotlight on the privacy knowledge and skills that youth need for their online activities. Girl Guides of Canada’s Cybercitizen Challenge, developed by MediaSmarts, is designed to help girls, at all levels of guiding, to be informed and responsible citizens of cyberspace.
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I see the online world as more dangerous than the real world itself. When it comes to Facebook, My Space, Twitter and all that, it’s more anonymous. You might or might not know who’s following you, and the well-known websites are more dangerous. It’s better to have your settings on privacy, so only the people you know can see what you’re doing, writing and saying. The more personal information that you put out, the more risks you’re taking. That’s how I think of it when it comes to all this. Once on the Internet, it’s always on the Internet. I sort of think of it as “what would happen if someone saw this?” and other questions like that. Knowing more about bad things happening because of the internet and privacy also helps me as well. Some people don’t realize that, but I also think of it as someone else’s point of view. Another way of thinking is “If someone else knew this, could it possibly affect me in the long run?” Since you sometimes don’t know who you’re talking too, it’s better not to give any personal information (e.g. full name, address, school, age, etc). Keep it only to who you know fairly well.
By guest blogger and Pathfinder Sarah
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