Using the internet, online social networks and potentially incurred risk: student opinions.

Mokslinėje literatūroje ir visuomenės informavimo priemonėse aptariami interneto, internetinių socialinių tinklų naudojimo nesaugumo klausimai. Ypač nesaugūs vaikai, todėl aktualu aptarinėti naudojimosi internetu, internetiniais socialiniais tinklais ypatumus ir galimas grėsmes, tirti, kokia vaikų nuomonė apie naudojimąsi internetu, ką jie mano apie patiriamas grėsmes. Tikslas – pristatyti mokinių nuomonę apie naudojimąsi internetu, internetiniais socialiniais tinklais ir jų galimai patiriamas grėsmes. Metodologija – mokinių nuomonės tyrimas atliktas 2012 m. gruodžio 17–21 d., taikyta mokslinės literatūros analizė ir anketinė apklausa. Anketinės apklausos duomenų analizavimas grindžiamas kiekybinės analizės (aprašomosios) ir kokybinio turinio (Content) analizės metodais. Statistiniai duomenys analizuoti kompiuterine programa Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) 21.0 for Windows. Rezultatai – tyrimu atskleistos gimnazijos mokinių naudojimosi internetu ir internetiniais socialiniais tinklais priežastys, naudojimosi ypatumai, mokinių patiriamos ir galimos patirti grėsmės. Tyrimo ribotumas – visapusiškesniam objekto pažinimui svarbūs tolesni tyrimai apimant įvairius regionus, reikalingas platesnis teorinis ir empirinis tyrimas analizuojant prevencijos galimybes. Praktinė reikšmė – tyrimas atskleidžia, kodėl mokiniai naudojasi internetu, internetiniais socialiniais tinklais, kaip viešina savo asmeninius duomenis, ar žino, ar atpažįsta galimas grėsmes internete, internetiniuose socialiniuose tinkluose. Išsamesnis problemos pažinimas sudaro sąlygas sėkmingiau organizuoti prevenciją, kad mokiniai saugiai naudotųsi internetu ir internetiniais socialiniais tinklais. Orginalumas / vertingumas – tyrimas naudingas, nes parodoma, kad nors mokiniai mano žiną, kaip saugiai naudotis internetu, dažnai nesupranta, neatpažįsta realių grėsmių pavojaus, manydami, kad grėsmės „netikros“, realybėje negalimos.Regulation of harmful content on the Internet is a soaring problem in the expansion of the information society, and it is being discussed in different European countries. Therefore, it is important to discuss the issue of being safe online: to do research on what children think about when using the Internet, threats experienced while online, to discuss ways of recognising and protecting children from online threats (such as cyber bullying, bullying, abuse, temptations with purpose of sexual harassment, leaking of personal information, spreading, harmful and illegal Internet content, etc.). The research objective of this paper is to present the opinion of gymnasium students on using the Internet, online social networks and likely experienced threats. The methodology—opinion research of the gymnasium students, which was carried out 17–21 December 2012; an analysis of professional target publications and a questionnaire survey were also applied. Analysis of the research findings was based on the analysis methods of quantity analysis (descriptive) and analysis of quality content. Statistical findings were analysed applying the software “Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) 21.0 for Windows.” According to the research of student opinion, it was revealed that the most common student online activities are browsing of chat websites, exchange of videos and other material, viewing, listening and participating in social networks, whereas erotica and viewing of pornography are the rarest activities and are unimportant for students. Online social networks are especially popular among students, as most interviewed students (95.3%) have their own profile in social networks. Students mostly visit social networks to communicate, to make friends (77.1% of respondents), however, every second student (60.7%) visits them just to spend time, which can be assumed about the problems of students’ leisure time. The vast majority of students think that they have sufficient knowledge and skills to protect themselves on the Internet, however, thinking does not protect from possible online threats and dangers. More than half of students keep their online profiles restricted, they can be only viewed by friends, and every third student keeps the profile partly restricted; however, every second student invites as friends strangers, friends of friends and easily share and spread personal information in the social networks: they reveal their surname (94.5%), upload photos where their face is visible (87.2%), indicate the name of the school that they attend (84.1%) and their real age (72.2%). Although students think that they limit access to their personal information, their insecure actions lead to them experiencing threats. Boys more often than girls tend to set their profile as public and tend to reveal more information in their profile, as compared to girls. They point out their hobbies, free-time activities, mobile phone number, home address, family relationships; the result of this is that boys are more likely to receive abusive messages than girls. Most students can name various threats and dangers that can be found online, in social networks; more than half of respondents claim that in social networks there are some topics that make youngsters uncomfortable. The vast majority of students think that sexual harassment is possible in social networks, the threat of publicity of personal photos and videos exists as well, there is likely to be incitement due to nationality, race, religion, customs and traditions etc. Because of easily published personal data it can be assumed that students do not understand the real danger of threats, as they think that these threats are “unreal” and cannot exist in the real world