For all the wonderful aspects of using the internet such as gathering information, communication, working from home, worldwide connectivity, online education, shopping and entertainment, it does unfortunately feature threats, dangers and challenges.
Today, we welcomed Garda Fiona Walsh to the school to talk to us about keeping ourselves safe while we enjoy surfing the net. Fiona is part of the Community Policing Team in Mullingar. She spoke about the importance of only communicating with friends and not accepting friend requests from strangers, even if they appear to be very friendly. Cyber-bullying, which is bullying online, can be a problem among internet users of all ages, so she stressed how vital it is to tell an adult you trust if you are at the receiving end of any online abuse. Fiona pointed out that many of us are in groups on Snapchat, WhatsApp or Xbox and excluding someone from those chats is a form of bullying too.
We have all heard of internet and phone scams. Fiona urged the children never to click on links that come up on their phones or devices and never to give away information about their families, e.g. their parents' or pet's names, as these are often used as security questions when setting up bank accounts. The children had the opportunity to ask questions and discuss their concerns. Before Fiona finished up, she reiterated that if the children should ever feel worried or uncomfortable while online, they should TELL an adult they trust.
