Is Your Space, A Safe Place?

Is Your Space, A Safe Place?

If you are one of those people who basically lives on the internet, then I have news for you. As it goes; online isn’t a safe space. Your online self is at risk of attack from cyber crime, cyber-bullying: which could come in the form of ‘trolling’, ‘spamming’ a user (such as yourself), and also at risk of scamming/catfishing and at risk of the cyber version of sexual harassment known as ‘unsolicited sexting’.

Cyber Safety

Online people will just assume that they are safe due to the fact that their physical self cannot be harmed; but there is a lot more at stake, a lot more that can happen, and still a lot of danger – just in a different form. The inter-web is a new form of place and this place will help with self-identity. A powerful quote that can somewhat explain what space and place is to do with the virtual world is this: “Web sites controlled by powerful gatekeepers = strategies that attempt to control space whilst also conveying a sense of user-generated content and user empowerment” (Pauwels & Hellriegel. 2009).

Children online are at particular risk online, especially with social media – as they have not yet reached full maturity of age and are susceptible to online predatory scams. They do not have the online wisdom that an adult who has experienced the world – in real life and online – would have compared to them. Thus, when a predator contacts them online with a fake account, a lot of the time the child will believe the fake account and venture off to meet their new ‘friend’ who will usually do horrible things to the poor victim. Same goes for most adults and scam artists/cat-fishers, who contact those chosen victims for money. The most common way adults are targeted are through emails to the elderly from a ‘Nigerian Prince’ who ‘needs money desperately’, and to the middle age through online dating sites by cat-fishers who pretend to be a desirable person to date – then they ask money from the loves struck loners. It is mostly common knowledge not to send money to anyone online – regardless of whom you think they are, however many still fall victim to the quite common attack; and their kind hearts are then quickly taken advantage of. The elderly are just trying to help some poor ‘victim’ who they believe will repay them, the middle age are just trying to find love and prove said love by sending money to their ‘lovers’ who ‘so desperately’ need it, and the young ones just wish to feel desired by a friendly stranger who knows just all the right things to say. Cyber safety is no joke – and should be taken seriously. Just because you believe your virtual self is safe; does not mean it is – your online space is not safe.

References

Pauwels, & Hellriegel. (2009). Strategic and Tactical Uses of Internet Design and Infrastructure. Retrieved 8 25, 2017, from Youtube.

Unknown. (Unknown). Internet Safety. Retrieved 8 25, 2017, from TesTeach: https://www.tes.com/lessons/kf7IiHcDxVB49Q/internet-safety