- Aug 6, 2014
- 1,044
NOTE: I read the newspapers and this is an interesting article that I came across today. Since it's in the newspapers, it think it should be in the 'news' section of the forum, but if it belongs somewhere else, the admins can change it. Its an article from a Belgian newspaper that is written in Dutch, but I've tried to translate it myself as good as I can (no it's not translate by Google, because the translation was not that good), since I want to know your opinon about it. 
Young people sometimes use the internet without thinking too much about it and companies are not sufficiently aware of the dangers of cybercrime. The Belgian Center for Cybersecurity is therefor working towards something they call an 'internet driver's license'.
How do you use the internet in a safe way? How to be careful to not reveal too many personal information? How to avoid that people misuse your personal data? How to prevent being robbed as a company? Those questions seems quite obvious at first sight, especially for young people who have grown up with the internet, but they are less obvious than you think, says the Belgian Center for Cybersecurity.
That Center was founded in October last year to devise strategies that would lead to a safe, secure and reliable internet. "We learn all sorts of rules to find ourselves safe in traffic, but in terms of internet traffic, we never learned the rules. Lots of people don't know the risks when you go online," says Miguel De Bruycker, chief of the Center. "There are some initiatives to boost digital literacy among young people, but structurally there is nothing." Therefore, the Center aims to introduce some sort of 'internet driving license'. When passed a succesful training or course, the companies and individuals get the license in exchange.
Possible dangers on the Internet for underaged people are what's called 'grooming' (they are digitally approached to have sexual contact) and sexting (sharing explicit pictures or messages). But security on the internet goes much further than that. "Young people have to realise that they actually do pay for free apps and free internet acces - not with money, but with personal data. At the moment they only see the benefits to be immediately in contact with others. They ignore the data collectors and especially what they do with their personal information", says technology sociologist Ben Caudron.
But not only that. It can also go about teaching children and young people to teach that you cannot just share intimate photos with someone, or that you cannot just give your contact information or phone number if a site asks for it. Even so they could learn about what cookies are and what they do. Or how websites track the online behaviour of the internet users.
Also companies are in need of such a course, because they are often the victims of cyber crime or because they need to be more aware of certain risks. "In exchange, they get a certificate, that shows to other companies that the possible partner company is trustworthy.", says Miguel De Bruycker.
The Director of the Belgian Center for Cyber Security refers in particular to an advice from the Cyber Security Council, which were asking for some kind of 'Internet Certificate' in the Netherlands. But so far De Bruycker would not go, though that idea is a source of inspiration. Also in the Netherlands, a Civilian platform called 'Burger@Overheid' asked for the introduction of an internet license in order to ensure the safety on the web. That's something that our country (Belgium) is working on. Other experts argued priviously for the same.
Everyone would agree that it is definitely a good idea to give both children, young people and business companies a basic kind of course about using the internet. Also the Belgium minister of the Digital Agenda Alexander De Croo finds it a good idea. "Any initiative which makes people more aware of the potential risks that the internet brings on the table, is positive", he says.
About the idea now, there is no doubt, but about how it should be organised, there is."We still need to sit down with schools, secondary schools and universities, but there is no reason why they should be against the initiative," explains De Bruycker.
In autumn, the Center will also launch such a compaign for the general public.
source: Internetrijbewijs voor iedereen in de maak
Now what's your opinion about this?
Young people sometimes use the internet without thinking too much about it and companies are not sufficiently aware of the dangers of cybercrime. The Belgian Center for Cybersecurity is therefor working towards something they call an 'internet driver's license'.
How do you use the internet in a safe way? How to be careful to not reveal too many personal information? How to avoid that people misuse your personal data? How to prevent being robbed as a company? Those questions seems quite obvious at first sight, especially for young people who have grown up with the internet, but they are less obvious than you think, says the Belgian Center for Cybersecurity.
That Center was founded in October last year to devise strategies that would lead to a safe, secure and reliable internet. "We learn all sorts of rules to find ourselves safe in traffic, but in terms of internet traffic, we never learned the rules. Lots of people don't know the risks when you go online," says Miguel De Bruycker, chief of the Center. "There are some initiatives to boost digital literacy among young people, but structurally there is nothing." Therefore, the Center aims to introduce some sort of 'internet driving license'. When passed a succesful training or course, the companies and individuals get the license in exchange.
Possible dangers on the Internet for underaged people are what's called 'grooming' (they are digitally approached to have sexual contact) and sexting (sharing explicit pictures or messages). But security on the internet goes much further than that. "Young people have to realise that they actually do pay for free apps and free internet acces - not with money, but with personal data. At the moment they only see the benefits to be immediately in contact with others. They ignore the data collectors and especially what they do with their personal information", says technology sociologist Ben Caudron.
But not only that. It can also go about teaching children and young people to teach that you cannot just share intimate photos with someone, or that you cannot just give your contact information or phone number if a site asks for it. Even so they could learn about what cookies are and what they do. Or how websites track the online behaviour of the internet users.
Also companies are in need of such a course, because they are often the victims of cyber crime or because they need to be more aware of certain risks. "In exchange, they get a certificate, that shows to other companies that the possible partner company is trustworthy.", says Miguel De Bruycker.
The Director of the Belgian Center for Cyber Security refers in particular to an advice from the Cyber Security Council, which were asking for some kind of 'Internet Certificate' in the Netherlands. But so far De Bruycker would not go, though that idea is a source of inspiration. Also in the Netherlands, a Civilian platform called 'Burger@Overheid' asked for the introduction of an internet license in order to ensure the safety on the web. That's something that our country (Belgium) is working on. Other experts argued priviously for the same.
Everyone would agree that it is definitely a good idea to give both children, young people and business companies a basic kind of course about using the internet. Also the Belgium minister of the Digital Agenda Alexander De Croo finds it a good idea. "Any initiative which makes people more aware of the potential risks that the internet brings on the table, is positive", he says.
About the idea now, there is no doubt, but about how it should be organised, there is."We still need to sit down with schools, secondary schools and universities, but there is no reason why they should be against the initiative," explains De Bruycker.
In autumn, the Center will also launch such a compaign for the general public.
source: Internetrijbewijs voor iedereen in de maak
Now what's your opinion about this?
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