Online Safety and Cyber Security
What's covered
Key facts
Copyright and Creative Commons
Attribution means naming the original creator when you reuse their work.
Cyber-Bullying and Digital Citizenship
Blocking someone on a platform stops them from sending you further messages.
Malware — Viruses and Trojans
Anti-virus software helps by detecting and removing known malware.
Phishing and Suspicious Messages
Banks do NOT routinely ask for full passwords by email.
Privacy Online
A cookie is a small file in your browser that can track your activity across a website (and sometimes across sites).
Reporting Concerns — When and How
In the UK, CEOP is the service that handles reports about online child-safety concerns.
Strong Passwords
Two-factor authentication (2FA) adds a second proof of identity beyond the password.
Copyright and Creative Commons
Creative Commons material can usually be reused — but only by following the specific licence's terms (attribution, non-commercial, share-alike, etc.).
Cyber-Bullying and Digital Citizenship
Cyber-bullying can have a serious effect on mental health, including anxiety and depression.
Malware — Viruses and Trojans
Anti-virus software ITSELF needs to be regularly updated to recognise new threats.
Sample questions
A taste of the 63 questions in this topic, answers marked. Sign up to practise the full set with spaced repetition.
Why is downloading a copyrighted song without paying a problem?
- ✓It breaks copyright law
- •It increases the user's internet speed
- •It is required by every UK school
- •It makes the user's CPU run faster
Which is an example of cyber-bullying?
- •Helping a friend with their maths homework
- •Liking a friend's post on social media
- •Sending a kind text message to a friend
- ✓Sending hurtful messages online
What is a trojan?
- •A free piece of legitimate software
- •A speed booster for the keyboard
- •A type of hardware repair tool
- ✓Malware disguised as useful software
What is phishing?
- ✓Fake messages tricking you
- •Guessing a password by brute force
- •Intercepting data travelling across a network
- •Software that deletes your files
Why be careful what you post online?
- •Posts are deleted after one hour always
- ✓Posts can stay online forever
- •Posts cannot be screenshotted by anyone
- •Posts only show to your closest friends
When should you report something online?
- ✓If anything worries or upsets you
- •Only if it happens more than once
- •Only if you have proof it is illegal
- •When an adult tells you to report it
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