Student Online Safety

It’s safe to say that the majority of high-schoolers, especially CSArts students, are very active online. Many may feel like their phones are extensions of themselves. It’s easy to become immersed in the whole spectacle and find a sense of community, but it’s becoming easier to stumble upon the darker sides of the web, especially given the current state of the world right now. Keeping yourself safe, prioritizing your mental health, and distancing yourself from the vitriol online is more important now than ever.

We at the CSArtisan believe that one should prioritize keeping up to date with current events and educating oneself about global issues, but not at the expense of your mental health and personal comforts. The internet can be used to learn about so much so thoroughly, but it becomes a problem when it affects our collective mental health.

It’s vital to be able to critically analyze and evaluate the sources of information or media on the internet. Information on the internet is everywhere, but so is misinformation. The skill to properly evaluate sources and separate fact from opinion is called media literacy. Here’s how you can start:

First, ask questions about the content you’re viewing. Who created it, and what’s their agenda? What do they want to convince you of? What kinds of bias might they have? What kind of emotional appeals are they using? Where do they get their information?

Second, diversify your sources to gain a broader perspective, and always fact-check information. While having too many sources can be overwhelming, having a variety of sources with different individual biases can be helpful in straining out the important details. It’s also very important to double check for the specific context and date of the information.

Third, reduce your exposure to violent or political content. There are many resources to help filter content that may be violent in nature, or generally stress-inducing. Using content filters and parental controls helps limit the amount of potentially violent content on your social media feed, and also helps you unplug generally and focus more on the real world.

Fourth, installing ad blockers and content filters is a good idea for any internet user, but especially those who want to avoid potentially troubling content. Your attention on the internet is a very valuable thing, and unfortunately people will go to great lengths to harness it by deliberately promoting provocative or unsettling content to bring in attention. Utilizing ad blockers will not only make your experience on the internet a little less annoying, but it also can protect you from triggering media.

Generally, the best way to ensure that you won’t be thrust into any uncomfortable or triggering online media is to be selective in choosing who you connect with online and where you get your information from.

We, at the CSArtisan, recognize that times are changing, and it’s scary, but in the face of it all remember that we each have the autonomy to create a better digital sphere and generally make the world a kinder place.