Internet Risks

We explain the risks of the Internet with respect to privacy, interactions, false information and the consequences of its misuse.

What are the risks of the internet?

The Internet is a gigantic network of computers that exchange information quickly and massively between users who may be very far from each other. This tool provided contemporary humanity with great social, work, commercial and even interpersonal possibilities, at a level only comparable to humanity's previous great inventions.

However, along with these great possibilities, the Internet also brought with it new challenges and new dangers especially for those users who are not familiar with its use and terminology, as well as for young people and adolescents who may be more manipulable by third parties. Internet risks can be of very different nature, but broadly speaking they can be classified as follows:

• Privacy risks and handling of confidential information. These are those that have to do with the preservation of the user's personal data, such as credit card numbers, postal addresses or passwords.
• Risks inherent to interaction with third parties. These are those that have to do with sexual manipulation, cyberbullying and other dangerous social activities carried out online.
• Risks of access to false or sensitive information. They are those that have to do with access to pornography, gory and morbid material, or also false information (fake news).
• Risks derived from misuse of the internet. These are all other risks derived from misuse of the Internet, such as psychological addiction, social isolation, among others.

See also: Risks and dangers of social networks

Privacy risks and handling of confidential information

The risks linked to privacy and information security are probably the most common for all types of Internet users, and consist of the loss of control over important personal information, sensitive to being used by third parties for their benefit. Examples of this type of risks are:

• He phishing or false identity. It occurs when third parties impersonate a trusted institution or organization in fraudulent emails and web pages, to gain access to the user's confidential information, such as bank passwords or credit card numbers.
• He malware and “Trojan” viruses. These are computer programs designed to download and infiltrate the user's computer and take over their data without their consent, or open doors so that a third party can spy on their information.
• Online scams, theft and deception. Just as it happens in life offlineon the Internet there are people who offer false services, sell deceptive products or request donations for fictitious causes, in order to enrich themselves illegally.
• Hacking or cyber hacking. These are users with a high level of technical and specialized knowledge who use different programs to access other people's computers and steal information. This can happen to any user, institutions or even large corporations, which is why they invest a lot of money in computer security.

Risks inherent to interaction with third parties

The Internet is a mass communication tool, so in most cases, our online interactions are with other users who are connected through their phone or computer, often using anonymous or fictitious accounts. This is especially true in the world of social networks, forums and social or dating applications. Examples of this type of risks are:

• Cyberbullying or cyberbullying. This is the online version of the bullying or harassment, which, although it does not usually include physical violence (since the interactions are remote), does usually encompass different forms of psychological and social violence, such as public humiliation, massive harassment through social media accounts and publication on line of sensitive personal content (addresses, telephone numbers, intimate photographs).
• sexual manipulation or grooming. It is manipulation and deception without clear economic purposes, but rather in search of personal, sexual or other types of pleasure. Whether it is done to an adult or a minor (in this case we usually talk about grooming), this type of interaction is usually very risky as it usually leads to real-life encounters, in which the person contacted may turn out to be very different from what they claimed to be online.
• Cyberkidnappings, extortion and other forms of computer crime. It occurs when a user loses control of their email or social media account, and their information is usually used to fake a real kidnapping and extract money from their relatives, or to extort the user under threat of disclosing sensitive data from their accounts. personal.

Risks of access to false or dangerous information

The Internet offers a large amount of information, however, not all the content that can be accessed through its pages is reliable, legitimate or appropriate for the user in question, especially when it is a child or adolescent. Examples of this type of risks are:

• Pornography, cruelty and morbid content. The free access of children and adolescents to information that they are not able to fully understand, especially in the absence of parental support, constitutes a significant risk of the Internet and social networks. There are all types of content online, so it is important to have some type of parental control or trusted family dynamics to deal with them.
• Radicalization and exposure to toxic content. In the era of social networks, the flourishing of communities of users organized around radical beliefs or toxic social behaviors has become a real problem, since these cults encourage fanatical behavior around political and social causes (anti-vaccine groups , conspiracy theorists, pseudo-religious cults, among others) through fictitious or manipulative content.
• Induced purchases and other forms of misleading advertising. Given that much of the information available on the Internet is free, advertising is the main mechanism through which users' attention is profitable. This, together with the lack of online legislation, allows the flourishing of misleading advertising and all kinds of promises to lead the user to make, voluntarily or involuntarily, real purchases in which they have little or no control.

Risks derived from misuse of the Internet

There are some risks that are not inherent to the Internet, but to the use that users make of it. That is, the misuse of this tool, which, like any other, can become dangerous if used improperly. Examples of this type of risks are:

• Internet addiction. Different forms of psychological internet addiction have been described, whether on social networks, online video games or other platforms that provide the user with instant gratification and a sense of belonging that may be difficult for some users to give up. In these cases, the addicted user sacrifices other important aspects of his life (family, friends, work) in order to continue playing or connecting to the social network.
• Social isolation and alienating behaviors. Online socialization can be rich and complex, just as much as real socialization, but this can be problematic when users give up real life, investing as much time as possible on the Internet. This implies leaving the house little or not at all, giving up on family and other significant real social relationships, and concentrating all of one's attention and mental energy on the network, which also brings with it physical health problems associated with life. sedentary

How to prevent risky uses of the Internet?

Although there is no magic solution to prevent dangerous or illicit use of the Internet, there is a set of premises that a responsible user can use as guides or guidelines, through which to make healthy use of the so-called “network of networks.” Some of these premises are:

• Use an antivirus, a firewall (firewall) and other computer security programs. These will protect your computer from most malicious software, hacks and viruses.
• Educate yourself technologically. In all cases, you can take a computer course, an Internet use workshop, or request the supervision of a more educated family member if you feel that the interface exceeds your own capabilities.
• Install a parental control program. With this type of software it is possible to block pornographic pages, with illegal or immoral content, to prevent children from accessing them. Another option would be to have password-protected sessions for everyone, each with certain types of permissions assigned.
• Set limits on browsing time. We have to know when to stop, whether we are on social networks or playing online, it is advisable to have some type of alarm or signal that allows us to have control over the time we spend online. At no time should the Internet supplant real life, nor become a way to escape from real situations, no matter how unpleasant or challenging they may be.
• Distrust what you see or read. Not everything that is on the internet, nor everything that our friends share on social networks, is trustworthy and reliable. A cautious attitude towards online information involves a dose of skepticism, minimal verification and, as far as possible, common sense: if an offer is too good to be true, it probably isn't.
• Talk about internet issues. No measure exceeds the benefit of a good and honest family conversation around difficult but necessary topics. Especially when it comes to children or adolescents: the ideal is for them to go to their parents if they suspect any risk or eventuality, and for this, parents should also pay special attention to what their children say about their online activity.

Continue with: Hoax

References

• “Internet” in Wikipedia.
• “Internet risks” in the Government of the Canary Islands (Spain).
• “Educlic: Internet risks” (video) in Educlic.
• “How to prevent risks in the digital environment: 10 recommendations on Safe Internet Day” in the Ministry of Information and Communications Technologies of Colombia.