In This Health unit we talked about online safety. I learnt a lot about the many dangers that social media opposes but I have also learnt how to deal with and prevent them. The main online platforms I use are, Youtube, Messages and Whatsapp, I still do but I am aware of how to use them efficiently. The key things I learnt this health unit are about respect, responsibility and empathy.

Respect – It is about not criticizing other people for what they believe. It’s very important to have this quality online because not everyone is going to agree with everything you say but that is fine. Everyone doesn’t need to see things the way you do.

Empathy – It is about walking a mile in someone else’s shoes, seeing things in the perspective of others. We should realize that not all people have the same point of view as others. Again, others shouldn’t be attacked by hateful comments because of their thought of something. Online, it is a great quality to have because it allows us to get an idea of what others may be going through. It can also help us to sympathize with them.

Responsibility- It is about being mature. Responsibility shows that you know how to manage and control yourself well. This quality is important to have because you know what to post and what not to post. It helps when you are commenting on something and standing up for either yourself or someone else. When you are standing up for yourself or someone else it is important to shut them down in a kind manner and not offend anyone.

The topics in this unit have affected my online behavior by making me more aware of the things that go on in social media, for example, the devastating story about Dolly. It definitely helped me understand how to use online platforms safer and more efficiently. It made me understand that comments can be easily misunderstood because you don’t know the tone of them. I learnt that there is always someone to talk to when you need.

I will certainly change my online behavior in the future and this how I will do it – I will make sure to use ERIC when I am using online platforms and make sure that everything I do will not cause any harm to me or others. I will stand up for myself or other people if people are commenting hateful things about us. I will know when it is appropriate to comment and what and what not to post. Overall, it was a really informative unit and it has helped me a lot.