internet safety a warning and update

This is a really important topic to talk about and we need to be aware of it as internet safety is something that we don’t talk about in the context of disability because people with disabilities often use the internet to connect with others and to be able to work remotely. 

 

However, we are seeing that if you are isolated you are more likely to be scammed as a scammer would make you feel good and accepted, but their end goal is to be able to make a connection and to make you feel safe but they are going to scam you.

It is something that I feel we need to talk about it as it is something that people need to be aware of to talk openly about it because people are often ashamed to come forward and talk about it due to the complexity of the internet and the fact that our older generations don’t understand internet langue or etiquette that varies between sights as well and we see that this is something that we need to be aware of that various sights will target a different demographic so tumbler is aimed at the fandom community, discord links into this as well, Facebook is aimed at sharing life and connecting with friends, Reddit and the various subreddits have their own subcultures as well and some are honestly harmless fun and games.

However, some are much more targeted and need much more supervision, such as YouTube we see that the algorithm can go from kids unboxing to true crime podcasts in a matter of minutes as well as Instagram making people feel bad as well. 

 

However, there are a few things that we can do as a disabled community and as people who support us, which are to keep private support groups invitation only, stick by the privacy rules, to not send photos to people who you don’t know in real life. 

 

Be aware that anything you say on the internet even if you hit delete will stay on the internet due to sights like the way back when the machine, and let's not forget about information tracking and tracking for consumer behaviors as well.

 

However, we can be assured that there are several steps you can take to make sure that you or a person you care for doesn’t fall for a scam or victim to the darker side of the internet.  The first one is to have a life outside the internet, and in the case of some people with a disability, this might mean going to a day center or attending a supported workplace.

 

It might mean joining a club or society as well, and this could look like scouts, guides, or a church-based youth group, such as space cadets, or even joining a sports team but having a network of people outside the internet.

 

We can also use programs and safe search programs to limit exposure to adult content but the best way to prevent social isolation and to be able to protect someone is to have the computer or their devices in a common area where they can use them for work or study and to see what can be done to help them and this then prevents social isolation as well, because people need to be able to see what they are doing. 

 

We can also support people who might have difficulty understanding what they are seeing to explain it to them and to work with them to teach them what the internet is and how it works but the best way is to limit the time that anyone spends on the internet by having commitments outside of the internet and having dedicated times outside of this for family and friends or if the person desires to have a romantic relationship and to meet people in real life and this could be something that a support worker could facilitate.