This post will tell you the meaning of words which you will
come across when you are using the internet. Throughout my
website, the words which are listed here are highlighted in bold red font so that if you are reading an item and you are not sure the meaning of the word, then you can check back here and look it up! I have made things easier for you to use by putting them in alphabetical order and an audio recording of each definition which you can click on.
Airbrush – When someone changes a picture of someone or something to make it look better than it really is. Many magazines and celebrities on Social Media use airbrushing to make themselves look perfect.
Blog – This is a type of website which is updated regularly by the person making it. This website is a blog.
Cloud – Sometimes this is known as a virtual private cloud (VPC). It is a way that you can save information between your devices, such as photos from your phone, and then will allow you access to them from your computer.
Comments – When you are using Social Media you are able to say something about what someone has put. You must always remember that the way you put something in a comment may be misread by the other person.
Chat Room – A chat room is usually a website, or part of a website, where people can communicate with each other instantly. Sometimes you can use a webcam in these chat rooms so that you can see who you are communicating with. The danger of these chat rooms is that you never know quite who you are talking to.
Cyber Bullying – This is a type of bullying which is done using technology such as phones or computers. It could be in the form of nasty comments or sharing your information without your permission. It is different to ‘playground’ bullying as it can happen to you anywhere at any time and not just at school.
Cyber Space – This is where communication happens between computer networks, or between devices.
Digital Footprint – Everything you do in Cyber Space leaves a trail of information about you. It cannot be deleted from the Virtual World. (See my page on Digital Footprint for more information).
E-Safety – Another name for this is Online Safety and it is something you need to be mindful of whenever you are online. It is very important that you keep yourself as safe as you possibly can. If you are ever worried then you must always tell an adult.
Facebook – This is a Social Media website where you can stay in touch with your friends and family, You can become ‘friends’ with those you know, but also with people you do not know. You must be VERY careful about who you accept a friend request from, and it is never a good idea to become friends with people you don’t know as they could be someone pretending to be someone else.
Gaming – You can play games over the internet, either on your own or by connecting with friends as well as strangers and play competitions. With some games consoles and computers you can speak to your opponents while you are playing.
Instagram – This is a Social Networking site which allows you to share photos and videos with friends, or publicly depending on your settings. You must always be careful with what you share and who you are sharing it with. Check your privacy settings are up to date.
Online – This is simply when you are connected to a computer or a device such as your phone and are able to access the internet.
Password – This ensures that only you can access your Social Media and online accounts. It is connected to your privacy settings and it is important to have a strong password which cannot be easily guessed (See my post on Privacy and Security for more information)
Peer Pressure – This is where your friends (and maybe even strangers) encourage you to do something. Never be tempted to do anything which you feel uncomfortable with – even if you think it will make you ‘fit in’ with others. It is always OK to say NO.
Personal Information – This is any information which identifies you. It could be your name, date of birth, address or your phone number. This information is private to you and you must not make it public. If other people have this information about you they can then pretend to be you.
Privacy – This is how ‘public’ your personal information is. You must always make sure that your privacy settings are up to date as somebody could steal your identity and pretend to be you. See my page on privacy and passwords for lots more information.
Safety – Keeping yourself safe online should always be a priority. You can get plenty of information about how to do this on my website, or by using the links to other websites on my ‘useful links’ page. Please take the time to make sure you know as much as possible about online safety.
Sexting – When you send, receive or share sexually explicit messages, photos or videos using the internet. It is against the law for you to forward an image of someone who is under the age of 16 – even if you are under 16 yourself. It is never a good idea to take explicit photos of yourself and share them with anyone.
Snapchat – Another popular Social Media site where you can share photos and videos with either your friends or publicly. The images will disappear within a set time limit once they have been viewed. The images can also be saved but you will know if this has been done.
Social Media – These are web sites where you can communicate with other people for the purpose of entertainment or business. There are many different ones which you may have heard of like Facebook, Snapchat or Instagram.
Strangers – Anybody who you do not personally know can be described as a stranger. Even if you have been messaging someone for a while over the internet, they are classed as a stranger. People can pretend to be someone else while messaging you so you must always be careful who you accept as a friend and if anything worries you about a person contacting you over the internet, then you must tell an adult.
Update – Any information which is frequently changed and made current. You must always update your privacy settings.
URL – This is the address of the website and is found in the top bar of the web page which you are on. If you are buying things online or doing your banking, then it is important to make sure there is a padlock in the URL as this means that the page is secure.
Virtual Reality – When you are online and able to interact with the environment on the screen. It could also be described as a ‘pretend’ world.