Computer Networks and Online Safety PDF

# Crime Rate on the Internet Crime rate on the internet has been ever increasing. Criminals steal money, cyberbullying, frauds, and scams over the internet are increasing day by day. ## Basic Terminology of the Internet - **Web Page**: The page or document that you see when you use the internet....

# Crime Rate on the Internet Crime rate on the internet has been ever increasing. Criminals steal money, cyberbullying, frauds, and scams over the internet are increasing day by day. ## Basic Terminology of the Internet - **Web Page**: The page or document that you see when you use the internet. It may have words, pictures, sounds, or videos. - **Website**: A website is a group of related webpages. A website may have information, pictures, sound, video, etc., about a topic. - **Home Page**: The main page of a website. When you first open a website, this is the page that is displayed. This page provides links to access the rest of the pages of the website. - **Web Browser**: A software application that displays the web pages on the internet. It helps you visit the web pages of a website and make them readable and understandable for you. Examples of a web browser are Microsoft Edge, Apple Safari, Google Chrome, etc. - Microsoft Edge is Microsoft's default web browser - Earlier Microsoft used Internet Explorer as the web browser. - **Search engine**: A program that helps you find the web pages on the internet. You type some words in the search box, according to which the search engine searches the internet and returns the search results. Examples of popular search engines are Google, Bing, Yahoo, etc. - Microsoft's Search Engine, Bing has Al powered chat option which allows you to compare, write, chat, and much more. - **www**: The full form of www is **World Wide Web**. It is also called the web. It is a collection of all the websites that lets you surf the internet. - **URL**: URL stands for **Uniform Resource Locator**. It is the address of the web page you want to visit. For example, www.microsoft.com, www.google.com, etc. ## Network of Objects When two or more objects connect together and communicate, they are said to form a network. - When two roads connect two distant places, they form a network, other roads that join this network are also part of the network. - A network of telephone lines and electricity wires also form a network. - The network of veins in a leaf transports water, minerals, and food to the other parts of the plant. - A human body has a huge network of arteries and veins that take blood away from the heart to the various parts of the body. ## Computer Network - When two or more computers are connected with each other, they form a computer network. - The computers on the network are able to share devices like printers, storage devices, etc., and exchange files. - When the computers worldwide connect together to form a large network, it is called the **internet**. - It is also termed as the **network of networks.** - Computers in a network are sometimes connected using wires and sometimes wirelessly. - The Internet being the network of networks forms the spider web like structure. ## Uses of the Internet - **Communication**: It enables you to communicate with friends and family. It allows you to send and receive letters through emails, chatting, video conferencing, etc. - **Emails**: Through emails you can send letters, and attach pictures, videos, sounds, etc. ## Advantages of The Internet - **Speedy communication**: The communication has become easy and quick with the usage of the internet. People living in distant places can communicate with each other using software like Skype, Facebook, LinkedIn, WhatsApp, etc. - **Information**: News and information on any topic or person is available in abundance on the internet. You can use a search engine to search for the news and information. A search engine is a software application that helps you to search on any topic. - **Online Banking, Bills, and Shopping**: Internet allows you to do banking operations on the internet, pay utility, bills, and shop online. This can be done during any time of the day according to one's convenience. - **Work from Home**: It allows you to work from home attending online classes, accessing educational videos, using digital resources and apps, collaborating on assignments and receiving parental guidance while communicating with teacher for support. ## Disadvantages of the Internet - **Virus attacks**: Computers that are connected to the internet are prone to virus attacks. This may result in loss and leak of important data and information. - **Time Wastage and Distraction**: We may end up spending too much time on the internet and neglect our work. The internet is so vast that we end up ignoring more important things to do. - **Wrong Information**: Not all information on the internet is correct. Sometimes wrong messages and information is promoted through the internet. - **Health Issues**: There are various health issues related to the usage of the internet in excess. Children try to entertain themselves by playing games on the internet instead of going out to play. This makes them lazy, strain their eyes, make them feel lonely, etc. ## Let's Do It - Digital Literacy **A.** Using the internet identify the following web browsers and write their names. ## Opening a Web Page 1. Open any web browser on your computer. 2. When the web browser opens, type the URL of the web page you want to open in the address bar and press Enter. 3. Let us type **www.google.com**. The page loads on the web browser. 4. You can now click on various links provided or type in the search bar to visit different pages of the website. ## Online Safety As we have already discussed, there are various crimes that have increased with the increased usage of the internet. Data loss, data leak, scams, frauds, etc., are very common when you use the internet. Therefore, you need to be careful about your safety while using the internet. ### Best Practices for Online Safety - **Use Strong Password**: A password is a combination of letters, numbers, and symbols. It is a secret word that the user uses to log into the system or the internet. You must use a password that cannot be guessed easily. - **Use Antivirus**: It is a software that is installed on a computer system to protect it from virus attacks. It detects the viruses and removes them as well as protects the system from getting it again. An antivirus needs to be updated on a regular basis. - **Email**: When you receive any email, do not open it if it is from any unreliable or unknown source. - **Downloading Software**: Do not download any software on your computer from the internet. It can be harmful for your computer. Use verified sites to download any file or application. - **Think and Click**: While visiting various web pages of different sites, you might come across some advertisements. Avoid clicking on any undesired content. These pages may pose a threat to the system. - **Avoid Sharing Personal Information**: Never share your personal information to anyone unknown over the internet. This information might be misused by people with bad intentions. Also, don't trust on the information provided by others as they might not be truthful to you. - **Be Careful with Payments**: Shop online only from reliable websites only. Sometimes fraud websites trap users for a scam. Be very careful while making any payments online. - **Be Careful with Online Friends**: Friends that you make by using online medium portray to be what they are not. Be careful in choosing your friends. ## Responsibilities of a Good Digital Citizen One should use the internet in a good and a respectful way. You should not do anything online that you would not do in real life, such as hurting someone, stealing someone's work, or lying about something. - Follow Proper Netiquette: Netiquette is a combination of two terms, "net" and "etiquette". One should follow proper network etiquettes while being online. These are the rules for sending emails, chatting online, using social media, etc. - Avoid Unlawful Activities: Do not involve yourself into any unlawful activities and also report if you observe any such activities happening. Any wrong language being used or any abusive remark being made online can be reported to your teacher at school and your parents at home. - Do not Access Other's Data: Do not access anyone else's data or files without their permission or their knowledge. - Do not Use Illegal/ Pirated Software: One should not use illegal or pirated software for which you haven't paid. - Do not Create False Identity: Do not use computer or internet to portray a false identity. Be yourself but do not reveal much about yourself. ## Sum-up - When two or more computers are connected with each other, they form a computer network. - The internet is a very big network of computers all around the world. - Uses of the internet are that it provides information, enables faster communication, enables shopping online, helps learning and studying, entertaining, etc. - Advantages of the internet are speedy communication, finding information, netbanking, work from home, etc. - Disadvantages of internet are virus attacks, time wastage and distraction, wrong information, health issues, increase in crime cases, etc. - Common terms used for internet are web page, website, home page, web browser, etc. - Best practices for online safety are using strong password, updating antivirus, avoiding usage of illegal software, not sharing personal information, etc.