Rules of Netiquette

Online security, safety, and ethics

Internet threats
Protecting reputations online
Copyright
Contextualized online search and research skills

Lesson Objectives
At the end of this lesson, the students should be able to:
consider one's and others' safety when sharing information using the Internet;
2. consider one's and others' reputation when using the Internet;
3. determine and avoid the dangers of the Internet;
4. be responsible in the use of social networking sites; and
5. browse the Internet efficiently and properly through proper referencing.

Rules of Netiquette
 17
Name:Score:

Section: Date:

Write Yes if you agree with the statement and No if you disagree on the blank before
each number.

1 . My computer has an antivirus so it is okay to open most

email attachments like e-cards and video files.
2 Your friend told you that his college application was rejected
due to the fact that you posted a video of him doing crazy stuff at a
party. You posted the video several years ago but later took it down to
protect your friend's reputation. Can your friend be right that the college
found the video?
3. You and your best friend play a lot of video games. One time, she asks
you for your password so she can help you level up and get in-game
money. She promises to keep your password a secret. Is it okay to give
away your password?
4. You received an email stating that your
mother's bank account is going to be forfeited if you do not
respond to the email: Is it safe to reply?
5. You forgot that your essay for English class is due tomorrow. While
doing your research, you found a website offering free essays. Is it
okay to use the essays from this free essay website?
6. A virus is a malware that multiplies and infects other
computers through flash drives.
7. Keyloggers are software that show pop-up ads even if you are not using
your browser.
8. Search engines scan websites for search results even if you
have set your post to "private."
9. There is a danger in posting information about a future vacation.
 10. Letting people know your birthday is probably a must if you want to
get as many gifts as possible. But having it in your profile makes you
vulnerable to identity theft.

Rules of Netiquette 19

Motivation

Most of us use the Internet every day. Sometimes, we do not pay attention on
how much information we share online. Below is a questionnaire about how much
information you have shared so far. Put a check (V) under Shared or Not Shared.

How Safe Are You?

Type of Information Shared Not Shared

First name

2. Last name

3. Middle name

Current and previous school(s)

4.

5. Your cellphone number

6. The name of your mother and father

7.
The name of your siblings

8. Your address

9. Your home phone number

1 Your birthday
0.

Rules of Netiquette 21
 How many checks did you have for Shared? You probably answered Shared in
the first two items. If that is the case, try using a search engine like Google then type
your first and last name. Did you get links to your profile page? Try switching to
image search. Did your pictures appear? If you have a unique name, chances are, it
did. Do not feel bad if it did not appear though; in fact, it is probably for your best
interest not to have pictures of yourself in a search engine.
So how did these things happen? How can search engines locate me? IS there
any danger of being found by search engines?

LD Lesson Discussion
How many hours do you spend on the Internet per day? Can you live without
the Internet for a week? How many aspects of your life depend on the Internet? How
many times have you complained about your Internet connection speed?
As teenagers, you are all exposed to many things powered by the Internet.
Whether it is socializing, playing games, reading sports news, shopping, etc., the
Internet has given you one of the most powerful tools that your parents, during their
teenage years, did not have. Because of this, do you not think that it is also
important to wield this powerful tool properly? Without proper training, a
swordsman can easily injure himself when wielding a sword; the same could be said
for you whenever you use the Internet.
Online Safety and Security
The Internet, truly, is a powerful tool. It can be used to promote your business,
gain new friends, and stay in touch with the old ones. It is also a source of
entertainment through games, online communities, and everything in between. But
like most things in this world, there is always the "other side of the coin." The Internet
is one of the most dangerous places, especially if you do not know what you are doing
with it. But there is no need to worry; it is never that late. Hopefully, by the end of this
lesson, you are able to consider how you go about your use of the Internet.

Let us go back to the "How Safe Are You?" test. Let us visit each item and see
how risky it is to share them.
Type of Information Risks
First name There is a risk in sharing your first name. Chances are, a hacker may
already know plenty of stuff about you even if you only give out your
first name. Likewise, you cannot just walk in a room and start
introducing yourself to everyone. You do not know whom you can
come across with.
2. Last name If sharing your first name is a small risk, having both your first and last
is more risky. You will be vulnerable to being searched for using search
engines, which include image search. Matching a name with a face is a
modus to several cybercrimes like identity theft.
3. Middle name Sharing your middle name alone is probably not the most risky of these
shared information, but sharing your full name would be.
4. Current and Most people who steal identities study their subject. They can use this
previous school(s) information for verification purposes.

5. Your cellphone Your cellphone number should never be posted over the Internet. The
number Internet is a' public place. It is the same as posting your number on a
billboard. You would not want random strangers to text or call you, or
worse, pretend that they are someone else.
6. The name of your Risky, yet not as risky as posting their full names, especially your
mother and mother's maiden name. In fact, you may have already encountered
father many websites that require your mother's maiden name as an answer
to a secret question whenever you lose your password.
7. The name of your Disclosing this is a huge risk. Strangers may pretend or use their identity
siblings to dupe you.
8. Your address Hopefully, you answered "no" to this one. Giving the Internet your
number is one thing; giving them your address is a whole other level. It
would be much easier for criminals to find you.
9. Your home 'This shared information is more risky than sharing your 'personal
phone number phone number. Scams usually use this information to deceive you, one
of which is when a stranger pretends to know your parents or pretends
to be you.
1 0. Your birthday Letting people know your birthday is probably a must if you want to get
as many gifts as possible. But having it in your profile makes you
Rules of Netiquette 23
 vulnerable to identity theft.
The Internet is defined as the information superhighway. This means that anyone
has access to this highway, can place information, and can grab that information. Any
information, even things that you have set privately, can be accessed one way or
another. This is why social networking sites like Facebook continue to improve their
security features. The threat of cybercrime is very real. While you may not experience
the threat now, whatever information we share today could affect our future.

Tips to Stay Safe Online

The Internet is a public place and it is up to you to protect yourself. Here are
some tips to help you stay safe when using the Internet.
Be mindful of what you share online and what site you share it to.
2. Do not just accept terms and conditions; read it.
3. Check out the privacy policy page of a website to learn how the website
handles the information you share.
4. Know the security features of the social networking site you use. By keeping
your profile private, search engines will not be able to scan your profile.
5. Do not share your password with anyone.
6. Avoid logging in to public networks/Wi-Fi. Browsing in "incognito (or
private) mode," a feature of the browser, will not protect you from hackers.
7. Do not talk to strangers whether online or face-to-face.
8. Never post anything about a future vacation. It is similar to posting, "Rob
my house at this date."
9. Add friends you know in real life. 1 0. Avoid visiting untrusted websites.

l l . Install and update an antivirus software on your computer. Use only one
antivirus software to avoid conflicts.
12. If you have a Wi-Fi at home, make it a private network by adding a password.
1 3. Avoid downloading anything from untrusted websites. You are most
vulnerable in peer-to-peer downloads (torrents) as the download is most
likely not monitored by the site owner.
14. Buy the software; do not use pirated ones.
1 5. Do not reply or click links from suspicious emails.
Most people would dispute that there is no such thing as private over the
Internet and they may be right. There are hackers who can find a backdoor even if
your profile is already set to private. You have no control of whoever is looking at
your friend's screen whenever they open your profile or chat with you. You have no
control over people getting access to your friend's account and seeing your private
stuff.

24 Empowerment Technologies
 Exploration
Exploration 2.1. Privacy Policies
Visit a social networking site and look for the site's privacy policy. The link is
typically found at the bottom of the page and sometimes labeled only as "Privacy."
Write a summary on how the website handles both your private and public
information.

Internet Threats
Here are some of the threats you should be aware of when using the Internet:
1 . Malware - stands for malicious software
a. Virus - a malicious program designed to replicate itself and transfer
from one computer to another either through the Internet and local
networks or data storage like flash drives and CDs
b. Worm - a malicious program that transfers from one computer to
another by any type of means. Often, it uses a computer network to
spread itself. For example, the ILOVEYOU worm (Love Bug Worm)
created by a Filipino.
c. Trojan - a malicious program that is disguised as a useful program but
once downloaded or installed, leaves your PC unprotected and allows
hackers to get your information
*Rogue security software - tricks the user into posing that it is a security
software. It asks the user to pay to improve his/her security but in
reality, they are not protected at all.
d. Spyware - a program that runs in the background without you knowing
it (thus called "spy"). It has the ability to monitor what you are
currently doing and typing through keylogging.
*Keyloggers - used to record the keystroke done by the users. This is done to
steal their password or any other sensitive information. It can record email,
messages, or any information you type using your keyboard.
e. Adware - a program designed to send you advertisements, mostly as
pop- ups
2. Spam — unwanted email mostly from bots or advertisers. It can be used to
send malware
3. Phishing - Its goal is to acquire sensitive personal information like passwords
and credit card details. This is done by sending you an email that will direct
the user to visit a website and be asked to update his/her username,
password, credit card, or personal information.
*Pharming - a more complicated way of phishing where it exploits the DNS
(Don-fain Name Service) system.

Rules of Netiquette 25
Protecting Reputations Online
In the past, doing something embarrassing was not much of a big deal. It
happened; people would laugh at it, and they would move on. Nowadays,
embarrassing moments are captured using any device you could imagine. What is
worse is that people can easily upload it to the Internet, where it can be stored
forever. This could impact not only your reputation but also the people around you.
What is worse is that people tend to ignore this fact, and suffer from it later in their
life.
Once you post something over the Internet, search engines keep them in their
archives for search results. This makes anything you post to last forever even if you
delete it in your page. Something you and your friends find funny today may be
something that could harm someone's reputation later.

Before hiring, companies do a background check on the applicant, and the

easiest way to check your background is to visit pages that are related to you. Thus, if
they find disreputable information about you, it may harm your reputation even if this
information has been discarded.

Think Before You Click

Here are things you might want to consider before posting something over the
Internet: Before you post something on the web, ask these questions to
yourself: Would you want your parents or grandparents to see it? Would you
want your future boss'to see it? Once you post something on the web, you have
no control of who sees your posts.
2. Your friends depend on you to protect their reputation online. Talk to your
friends about this serious responsibility.
3. Set your post to "private." In this way, search engines will not be able to scan
that post.
4. Avoid using names. Names are easy for search engines to scan.
5. If you feel that a post can affect you or other's reputation, ask the one who
posted it to pull it down or report it as inappropriate.

Copyright Infringement
If you create something—an idea, an invention, a form of literary work, or a
research, you have the right as to how it should be used by others. This is called
intellectual property. In other words, the copyright law includes your rights over your
work, and anyone who uses it without your consent is punishable by law. Try grabbing
any book then browse its first few pages and you will find a page with a disclaimer
with the words: "No part of this book may be copied, reproduced.. {'That is a copyright
page.
As a responsible user of the Internet, you have to consider that not everything
out there is free for you to use. Just like your own, contents that you see from
websites have their respective copyrights. There are several instances where
26 Empowerment Technologies
employees or business owners face copyright infringement and are sentenced to a
huge fine due to reckless copying of materials.

Here are some tips that could help you avoid copyright infringement:
1 . Understand. Copyright protects literary works, photographs, paintings,
drawings, films, music (and lyrics), choreography, and sculptures, but it
generally does NOT protect underlying ideas and facts. This means that you
can express something using your own words, but you should give credit to
the source.
2. Be responsible. Even if a material does not say that it is copyrighted, it is not
a valid defense against copyright. Be responsible enough to know if
something has a copyright.
3. Be creative. Ask yourself whether what you are making is something that
came from you or something made from somebody else's creativity. It is
important to add your own creative genius in everything that will be
credited to you.

4. Know the law. There are some limitations to copyright laws. For instance in
the Philippines, copyrights only last a lifetime (of the author) plus 50 years.
There are also provisions for "fair use" which mean that an intellectual
property may be used without a consent as long as it is used in
commentaries, criticisms, search engines, parodies, news reports, research,
library archiving, teaching, and education. If you have doubts that what you
are doing does not fall under the policy of fair use, seek permission first.

Figure 7. Fair Use Logo

Another misconception is that fan-fiction is not copyright infringement.

In reality, it is and some copyright holders ignore them but they can opt to
use their rights.
Source: wikiHow

Online Research
Have you ever searched the Internet for certain information where the search
engine returned a different result?. For example, if you were to search for "The
Rules of Netiquette 27
Madonna" as the representation of Mary in the form of an art, you would probably
use the keyword "Madonna" to search for it on the net. But if you use that same
keyword nowadays, you are more likely to stumble upon "Madonna," the music artist
instead. And if you used "The Madonna"to search for "The Madonna" in the first
place, you will be directed in the right place.

Figure 2. Google Search results when you use "Madonna" as your keyword

Figure 3. Google Search results when using "The Madonna" as your keyword

The information that we need is more likely already in the Internet. It is just a
matter of how to look for it and how to use information from the most credible
source. Here are some tips in conducting online research:
1. Have a question in mind. Focus on a question you want answered. If it is a
series of questions, start with one. Never search everything on one go.
2. Narrow it down. Search engines like Google, Bing, or Yahoo use several
filters to determine the most appropriate result for you. These search
28 Empowerment Technologies
 engines use your previous search history and your geographical location,
and send yoo the result which is the most related to you. Try to search
"weather" and most search engines would return the weather conditions of
where you are. But if all of these filters fail, you should remember to narrow
down what you are searching for. For example, if you were to look for Tom
Sawyer, the animation series, you would better use the keywords "Tom
Sawyer animation" rather than just "Tom Sawyer." Another example is if you
were to look for science research experiments, it would be better to include
what branch of science it is or what type of study it is.
3. Advanced Search. The best way to filter information you get from search
engines is by using the advanced search. This will allow you to filter out
information you do not need.
In Google, simply search a
word like you would normally do,
then click the advanced search
option on the options button
located at the upper right corner
of the page.

Figure 4. Google's
Advanced Search Option

Once you are done

you can now filter
your search
results:
Google

Advanced Search

Find pages With.„ TO do in box.

words: words:

exact word orphrase:

any Of these wards'.

none of these Put

numbers ranøng from: put an-d s Of

Then narrow your resutts by...

FSd

last update: speaw.

site or domain: to domain

pago

most

fifo typo: any

réghts: not ucone•

Rules of Netiquette 29
 Figure 5. Screenshot of Google's Advanced Search

In Microsoft@ search engine, Bing, you can use certain keywords and symbols
for your advanced search:
Symbol Function
Finds web pages that contain all the terms that are preceded by the + symbol;
allows you to include terms that are usually ignored
Finds the exact words in a phrase

Finds or excludes web pages that contain a group of words

AND or & Finds web pages that contain all the terms or phrases
NOT or - Excludes web pages that contain a term or phrase
OR or I Finds web pages that contain either of the terms or phrases
By default, all searches are AND searches.
You must capitalize the NOT and OR functions. Otherwise, Bing will
ignore them as stop words, which are commonly occurring words and
numbers that are omitted to speed a full-text search.
Stop words and all punctuation marks, except for the symbols noted in
this topic, are ignored unless they are surrounded by quotation marks
or preceded by the + symbol.
Only the first ten terms are used to get search results.
Similar to the MDAS, whenever you solve an arithmetic problem (where
multiplication is computed first over division, åddition, and subtraction),
term groupihg and Boolean functions are supported in the following
preferred order:
parentheses ( )
2. quotation marks" "
3. NOT + —
4. AND &
5.
Because OR is the function with the lowest precedence, enclose OR
terms in parentheses when combined with other operators in a search.

Source: Microsoft.com

4. Look for a credible source. Some wikis, though filled with updated information,
are not a credible source. This is due to the fact that anyone can edit its
content. When using wikis, check out the link of the cited text (indicated by
superscript number) to be navigated to the footnote where the list of sources
is located. Click the source of the information and see if it is credible.

30 Empowerment Technologies
 Not
es and citations ledtl
1. b Daid Bo«ford 13. A cushawÜ3
14. A Read, Peter (2005) Getrrrnlogyop Elsevier, p- 185 ISBN 0-70-6449-5

the 17.

20.

9. A Mrdatentry rdatirvtoÞslajiO 21. A Èa•iie &aw.ell-Tnn (2013), Ral Redous the BWe
(ISBN
10. A Mndä-lzriteo 978-1-4797-9641)

15.

16.
aMædqicd ew±ncee. Eseúam n. 6-87. ISBN 978-1-57506-u-2.

18.
19. A

Cherrpetymoltw.

8. Weekey, Errest (196n 'axe".

York• Dover P'ócatlœs. p. 97.

11. A E. M. J. Ealež M. A Gilea. A A-V. F. A J. 2 (Ð1978-141433763-0) K R

AA L. Tnsov j. ttE dssdtnon tæWbc solid denvts (dfv, in mc liqids,g cam, 2010, 46, 716-718
A
12 H. S. the Cdovffl-ltrærzit".• kceseå 2011-03-06
(Atctw,ed by W±Cltee at O)

Figure 6. References found at the bottom ofevery Wikipedia page contain links to
the entry's sources of information.

i
.

The more credible sources are scientific journals, established news and
magazine websites, online encyclopedias, and scholarly databases.
You can arso check the URL of a website if it ends with a .org, .gov, and
.edu. A website that ends with .com is intended to be a commercial websites
and may be slanted to promoting a product or service. You should consider
the intent of the information on the web page. In most cases, .edu websites
are best for research as government and organization websites may have a
tendency to make information favorable for them.
Rules of Netiquette 31
 Unfortunately, not all websites follow the standards in domain name
conventions. Some sites use the suffixes like .com loosely; some sites are
not credible even though they use a .edu suffix.
Another tip to validate if the information is correct is to have multiple
sources of information. Having two or more websites will tell you whether
the information is reliable or not.
5. Give credit. If you are going to use the information from a source for
educational purposes, give credit to the original author of the page or
information. To properly cite a reference, you may use the format below:

Name of the person or organization (the author of the information). Title of

the home page in italics (title is shown in title bar but is sometimes missing
or unrelated). URL. Date last seen.

Examples:

Lapiz, Adrian Harold L. "Oleander's Fun Facts about Bananas." http://oleander.

penz.com/random/bananalove.htm.Viewed on September 7, 2015.
"Accounting: What you should know." Jargon Online Network.
http://www. jargononline.com/accountingl 01 html. Viewed on April 1 3,
2015.

Exploration 2.2. Cyber News Report

Form groups with three members each. Research for several news and events
related to cybercrime. Using your cellphone or any video-recording device, report it as
if you were a newscaster. Present in 1-2 minutes recording.

Your Turn to Shine

1 . Do you agree or disagree with the provisions of the copyright law? Defend
your answer.
2. How would you feel if someone posted something embarrassing about you?
What would you do?

32 Empowerment Technologies
 Take the Challenge!
Together with your group from the cybernews reporting, create campaign
materials promoting "Think before you click." It could be in a form of small posters
posted along the hallway or bulletin boards as approved by the school. This
campaign is an awareness program for the younger batches of your school.

KT Key Terms
Cybercrime - a crime committed or assisted through the use of the Internet
Privàcy policy - tells the user how the website will handle its data
Malwares - stands for malicious software
Virus - a malicious program designed to replicate itself and transfer from one
computer to another
Worm - a malicious program that transfers from one computer to another by
any type of means
Trojan - a malicious program that is disguised as a useful program but once
downloaded or installed, leaves your PC unprotected and allows hackers to
get your information
Spyware - a program that runs in the background without you knowing it. It
has the ability to monitor what you are currently doing and typing through
keylogging.
Adware - a program designed to send you advertisements, mostly pop-ups
Spam - unwanted email mostly from bots or advertisers
Phishing - acquires sensitive personal information like passwords and credit card
details
Pharming - a more complicated way of phishing where it exploits the DNS
(Domain Name Service) system
Copyright a part of the law, wherein you have the rights to your work, and anyone
who uses it without your consent is punishable by law
Fair use - means that an intellectual property may be used without a consent as
long as it is used in commentaries, criticisms, search engines, parodies, news
reports, research, library archiving, teaching, and education

LS Lesson Summary
Most teenagers spend their time online. It is vital to consider what information you
share because the Internet is a public place, There are several ways to stay safe online
and it is essential that we know and apply them.
 Several Internet threats include malwares, spams, and phishing. Malwares could be in the
form of a virus, worm, Trojan, spyware, or adware. We are responsible of what we post
online. It is also our responsibility to protect other's reputation. We should be mindful
of what we post when others are involved.
Copyright laws protect the authors or producers of literary works, photographs,
paintings, drawings, films, music, choreography, and sculptures from having their work
used without their permission. It is important for everyone to understand the laws to
avoid being sanctioned.
When researching online, remember to narrow down your topic. Use advanced
search features. Look for a credible source and cite your references.

34
Nam e:

Score: Section: Date:

PT Post-Test
Matching Type: Match Column A with Column B. Write the letter of the correct answer
on the space before each number.
1 . virus a. designed to send you advertisements

2. rogue b. sends an official-looking email and is designed to steal sensitive

personal information

3. keylogger c. a provision that allows you to use copyrighted work without

consent with certain limitations
4. adware d. a browser feature that is synonymous
to "private" browsing
5. spam replicates and can transfer from one
computer to another
6. phishing exploits the DNS system
7. fair use states that anyone who uses your work without your consent is
punishable by law
8. spyware h. runs in the background and
monitors what you are doing
9. private unwanted email mostly from bots
1 0. maíware j. disguised as a useful program but is not
1 1. incognito k. the information superhighway
1 2. internet tricks the user into posing that it is a security software
1 3. trojan m. a malicious software

1 4. copyright n. an option to hide a post so that search

engines could not scan it

I 1 5. pharming o. used to record the keystrokes done by the user

 Rules of Netiquette S3

36