The net can turn out to be a place full of pitfalls, especially for the youngest, that in some cases can have dramatic consequences.
Internet is surely one of the most beautiful tools that have ever been invented. To think of giving it up today would be impossible. At the same time there are many dangers that lurk on the web and that risk to overwhelm anyone. Some of these deceptions are children of the Internet itself.
The network can be, in fact, a place full of pitfalls that in some cases can have dramatic consequences. Let's think about cyberbullying, a phenomenon born with the Net. A click and in a few seconds the life of a boy is shattered. Internet, unfortunately, is the medium that has created revenge porn and sextortion. The first consists in sharing images of the ex for revenge. The second one, instead, is a technique with which cybercriminals lure a person on the web, make them send a risqué picture and threaten to publish it if the victim doesn't pay. Often the most affected people are the most fragile, such as young people and children.
Pedophilia and child pornography
The network has also contributed to exasperate other dangers. For example, pedophilia and child pornography has grown with the Internet. Many experts have been advising parents for years never to publish photos of their children on social networks. The risk is that they end up in the hands of these sick and unscrupulous people.
With the Internet privacy at risk
The Internet is also dangerous for privacy. With the advent of smartphones, especially, we are constantly being tracked. We represent data and data is the new oil for web giants. The web is also the realm of computer fraud, as demonstrated by the cases that are brought to attention every day.
Fake News Danger
Cyberspace is also a place where fake news can open wide political debates and influence the outcome of an election, or create a popular uprising. A piece of fake news can sometimes destroy a person's reputation.
Viruses and malware
The Internet is also the tool that created viruses and helped endanger not only computer systems but also people's own lives. Today everything is connected, even the devices we have at home.
What to do
The Internet is not, however, the monster to be put down. Far from it. What should be done is to educate people, especially the younger ones, to use the web with the right awareness. And school is the starting point.
It's good to remind even the "grown-ups", especially people who are unfamiliar with the digital world, what are the dangers of the web. It's crucial that users are able to distinguish fake news from real news, or that they are just as capable of stopping a computer scam. And it is very important that the web giants do their part, helping to make the web a safer space.