Online Health and Safety

This book explores 10 unique facets of Internet health and safety, including physical safety, information security, and the responsible use of technology, offering takeaways from interviews with experts in the field and suggestions for proactively improving users' Internet safety.The Internet has become for many people—especially students and young adults—an essential and intrinsic part of their lives. It makes information available to be shared worldwide, at any time; enables learning about any topic; and allows for instantaneous communication. And it provides endless entertainment as well. But the benefits of online access are accompanied by serious potential risks. This book covers the key elements of Internet health and safety, including physical safety, information security, and the responsible use of technology. It begins with an introductory essay that gives readers the necessary conceptual framework, and then explains specific topics such as cyberbullying, file sharing, online predators, Internet fraud, and obscene and offensive content. The book also answers readers' questions in a "Q & A" section with a subject expert and includes a directory of resources that provides additional information and serves as a gateway to further study.