POE 1.1 QUESTION

1.1 QUESTION

• Digital divide is a term that refers to the gap between demographics and regions that have access to modern information and communications technology, and those that don't or have restricted access. This technology can include the telephone, television, personal computers and the Internet.
• Social Capital is a partnership of philanthropists, technologists and capitalists utilizing venture capital as a force to create value and change on a global scale.
• Knowledge capital, also called intellectual capital, is the intangible asset that represents valuable ideas, methods, processes and other intuitive talents that belong to a company.

1. A socio economics.
2. A devide infrastruture.
3. A gendar divide
4. 
   

POE Question 7 Digital Security Cyber security risks range from ID theft and fraud to corporate hacking attacks (Sony Attacks). Cybersecurity has never been more important for individuals, businesses, organisations and governments. Research 2015’s top 5 cybersecurity risks in South Africa. Critically discuss about how users, enabled hackers to obtain these details more easily by providing known companies with our data and an overview how they can be avoided or mitigated. Include creative commons images to enhance your answer. This question must be posted on the blog

Question 7
                 
Digital Security
 
Cyber security risks range from ID theft and fraud to corporate hacking attacks (Sony Attacks).
Cybersecurity has never been more important for individuals, businesses, organisations and
governments. Research 2015’s top 5 cybersecurity risks in South Africa. Critically discuss about how
users, enabled hackers to obtain these details more easily by providing known companies with our
data and an overview how they can be avoided or mitigated.
Include creative commons images to enhance your answer.

This question must be posted  on the blog.

Beware: ransomware:

• Ransomware -- a type of malware which restricts access to the computer system that it infects –will become increasingly sophisticated in its methods and targets, experts at McAfee Labs warned.
  
  "We predict ransomware variants that manage to evade security software installed on a system will specifically target endpoints that subscribe to cloud-based storage solutions such as Dropbox, Google Drive, and OneDrive. Once the endpoint has been infected, the ransomware will attempt to exploit the logged-on user's stored credentials to also infect backed-up cloud storage data," McAfee's report on 2015 cyber risks noted.
  Ransomware encrypts data and McAfee thought attacks on mobile devices and cloud-backed data would increase.
  "Ransomware victims will be in for a rude shock when they attempt to access their cloud storage to restore data—only to find their backups have also been encrypted by the ransomware," the experts said.

The Internet of Things.

• The Internet of Things – the connection of physical devices such as home appliances and cars to the internet -- will still be the "Internet of Vulnerabilities," according to cyber experts.
  Jamison Nesbitt, founder of Cyber Senate, a community of global cybersecurity business leaders, echoed experts' beliefs who said that the IoT is "the main cybersecurity risk for 2015." "The IoT presents unique security challenges in terms of the number of connected devices present."
  "The IoT will be integrated into every market you can think of – from healthcare to the energy industry and transport network but it hasn't been designed with security in mind. There are millions of hackers out there that could compromise these interconnected systems. We have sacrificed security for efficiency.

Cyber-espionage:

yber espionage is becoming the weapon of choice for many national governments – no matter how tight-lipped they may be about any involvement in such activities to undermine their enemies.
As Nesbitt said, "the next world war will be fought on a keyboard," and we should expect cyber espionage attacks to increase in frequency in 2015, McAfee's "2015 Threat Predictions" report warned.
"Long-term players will become stealthier information gatherers, while newcomers will look for ways to steal money and disrupt their adversaries," McAfee Labs report states, predicting that more small nation states and terror groups will use cyber warfare.

Cyber theft increases.

The stealing of financial information is nothing new, with stolen credit or debit card data on the black market a well-established and lucrative business for cyber criminals.
But as new ways of paying for goods, such as contactless and mobile payments, become the norm for European consumers, there's a new opportunity for hackers – particularly if retailers don't store payment data securely, Symantec told CNBC.
"Although this would require cyber criminals to target individual cards and wouldn't result in large scale breaches or theft like we have seen in the U.S.,the payment technology used won't protect against retailers who aren't storing payment card data securely, and they will still need to be vigilant in protecting stored data," Candid Wüest, threat researcher at Symantec Security Response, said.

Insecure Passwords.

Easy-to-crack passwords will continue to be a big risk in 2015, analysts said. "Weaknesses of passwords are known, but still lead to many of the high-profile attacks such as the recent iCloud attack," Symantec's Sian John said.
"2015 is likely to be the first year when the password starts to be phased out in favour of a number of different multi-factor options. Next year may well be the first year of multi-factor by default," Digital Shadows, a cyber threat intelligence company, told CNBC.
"The mechanisms for password recovery are flawed," John added. "The traditional method of password recovery is asking questions that only you, the real owner, should know. Unfortunately, answers to these questions often can be deduced based on information that can easily be found online -- especially given people's proclivity for "over-sharing" on social media sites." 

POE Question 6 Digital Law Create an online poster for your institute of study to warn students of the potential impacts of Digital Technology on Society. Use ThingLink and post the link to your blog

Question 6.
                  
Digital Law.
  
Create an online poster for your institute of study to warn students of the potential impacts of

Digital Technology on Society. Use Thing Link and post the link to your blog.



http://www.thinglinkblog.com/

POE Question 5

Question 5

Digital Rights and Responsibilities.

Digital Rights and Responsibilities

1.       The site which my answer will be based on can be viewed via the following link:

https://it.brown.edu/computing-policies/acceptable-use-policy#21

2.       The following list sets out a few rights and responsibilities in relation to AUP (Brown University, 2015) (Institute of International Education, 2015) (Institute of International Education, 2015).

a)      You will only have access to computers that you have authorization over

b)      You may not attempt to copy or assume another users’ password to gain access to their account

c)       You are responsible for all resources allocated to you which include hardware and software

d)      One is expected to adhere to agreements that are set out by third parties in connection to resources

e)      You should be responsible for protecting your credentials in order to limit unauthorized access

f)       Do not try access restricted portions of the network without permission

g)      You are to adhere to policies and guidelines set out by the university/college at all times

• WITHIN their AUP, it explains all the information necessary for users of their network i.e. the students. The webpage starts off by out lining the importance of the AUP under the heading of “Purpose of the AUP” (Brown University, 2015). It then moves on to explain the “Scope of the Policy” which means that it outlines all the resources allocated to you and what your responsibility is in relation to Brown University. The next section covered is the “Policy” itself (Brown University, 2015). There are a number of subsections that link back the policy in which it explains what the policy will cover (Brown University, 2015). It also includes the penalties that may occur if one does not adhere to the AUP (Brown University, 2015).

        From the first day of the school year, students are instructed to follow the classroom and school rules. Students learn the expectations of responsible behavior in the classroom, the hallway, the bathroom, the cafeteria, the playground, the bus and so forth. Teachers help the students learn the rules through role play, assemblies, and class discussions. Positive behavior support rewards those students acting as responsible students throughout the school day. At home, parents establish rules and expectations for student behavior. Just as it is important to establish these rules and expectations for the school and the home, it is imperative that parents and educators establish similar rules and expectations for responsible behavior in the digital world. Students need guidelines and boundaries and are often successful when they know and understand the expectations. Educators and parents must model appropriate use of technology at home and at school. They must teach students about responsible use of technology. Through effective modeling and teaching, the students can successfully and safely participate in today's digital society.

        As stated within the NETs standard for digital citizenship, students are expected to "advocate and practice safe, legal and responsible use of information and technology" (International Society for Technology in Education, 2007). Digital rights and responsibilities address this component of the standard. Parents and educators need to work together, use available resources, and create opportunities for our students that promote safe, legal and responsible use of technology. As students participate in the digital world, they have to learn about internet safety, the best practices when using information online and the responsibilities that accompany technology use. With access to so many different websites, it is very easy to misuse technology. By teaching our students the best practices for technology use and the consequences for misuse, we can prepare them to make informed decisions as they collaborate, communicate and participate in the digital world.

 

        Digital Rights and Responsibilities are the "privileges and freedom extended to all digital technology users, and the behavioral expectations that come with them" (Ribble & Bailey, 2007). In other words, your students have the privilege and freedom to engage in technology use during school as well as at home. However, there are expectations that accompany the privileges and freedom to use technology. Students must act responsibly as they participate in the digital world.

     

   Many schools and/or school boards have adopted Acceptable Use Policies (AUP's) as a way to inform parents, students and educators about the rules, consequences, and expectations for technology use within the school setting. The following resource is a pamphlet created to enlighten parents about the critical components of the AUP. Use this pamphlet to further your understanding of the expectations for technology use within the classroom. In addition, feel free to use this pamphlet as a guide in helping develop an AUP at your child's school or implement these guidelines at home as your children use technology. The other resources listed below can be used to teach students about internet safety and digital rights.

POE Question 4

Question 4.


DIGITAL ETIQUETTE.


The basic idea behind the topic of digital etiquette is "treat others how you want to be treated." From an early age, students are taught this golden rule. Whether at home, at the movies, at a grocery store or in school, students learn that there are appropriate and inappropriate ways to behave and treat one another. With the overwhelming emerging technology and its involvement in our daily lives, it is fundamental that students transfer that understanding of appropriate behavior into the digital world. Students need to know that their choices, their words and their actions in the digital world can truly have an impact on others. In addition, poor choices can lead to consequences and/or loss of certain privileges. Educators and parents must be role models for our students and discuss these issues with them. The students will be more successful if parents and educators are proactive in engaging in discussions and lessons so that students understand the rules of digital etiquette.

        Considering the needs of current students, it is important to recognize that parents and educators alike were not instructed on how to behave in the digital world because those opportunities were not yet available. Without the experience of these technologies and online resources, many parents and educators often do not realize the important rules children need to learn prior to participating in our digital world. Digital etiquette provides an insight for parents, educators and students as it addresses the appropriate conduct, the best practices for technology use and the consequences for misuse of technology resources. To become informed digital citizens, parents and educators must learn about this topic and the issues involved in order to address the topic with our students. It is a continuous learning process and as new technologies emerge, there is a potential for new issues to arise. By being informed and prepared for the digital world, students will be able to act responsibly, make appropriate choices, and enjoy the many benefits that accompany technology use.



WHAT IS DIGITAL ETIQUETTE.


Digital etiquette is defined as "the standards of conduct expected by other digital technology users" ((Ribble & Bailey, 2007). Essentially, as a participant of a technology driven society, one is expected to demonstrate appropriate behavior and choices in the digital community as well as understand the impact and consequences of those choices. All digital technology users must be aware of others when using technology and understand how technology use can affect others.

  Think about being in the movie theater and a person's cell phone rings. Instead of turning the phone off, the person engages in conversation with the caller during the showing of the movie. This scenario is a common, yet inappropriate use of technology. Today, technology is everywhere. While technology offers many amazing opportunities for its users, it also requires users to follow etiquette guidelines. Turning a cell phone off during a movie is just one basic example of digital etiquette. Just as students are taught to conduct themselves in a given way at home, in school, and at a public place, students need to learn the conduct expected in the digital world. As the Web 2.0 technology emerges and new issues arise, educators and parents alike will have to work together to stay current with today's digital etiquette. Fortunately, many of the guidelines for expected behavior are common sense. Nonetheless, it is still imperative that we model this appropriate behavior for our students so that they learn from it and in essence conduct themselves in a similar manner.

        There are many issues related to this topic of digital etiquette. Students have to make responsible choices as participants in the digital world. These choices include viewing age appropriate websites, communicating with others in a courteous and respectful manner, respecting others' views and material, and using technology during the appropriate times and in the appropriate settings. In addition, students must avoid engaging in inappropriate behaviors such as harassing, threatening or flaming others, cyber bullying, posting or sharing personal and private information and using inappropriate language. Students must learn the etiquette for communicating online. They must recognize that what they say can have an impact on others even when they cannot see others' facial expressions. Joking and sarcasm are not easily identifiable and students need to be aware of the negative effects of cyber bullying and hurtful language. Simply using all capitals is a sign that one user is screaming at another and digital etiquette encourages others to avoid it if possible. These are serious issues that have serious impact. It is important to remember that students cannot just be told a list of rules and expectations for online behavior. They need guided instruction, guided practice, lessons and discussions and they need to see their parents and teachers, their role models demonstrating appropriate conduct.

        Through today's media, the topic of digital etiquette has been discussed in many different ways. From websites for kids, to national television news programs, to our local schools, the importance of digital etiquette is apparent. Many websites for kids have created videos and other resources for students to learn about and understand digital etiquette. Television news programs such as Front line have developed reports about digital parenting and the best practices for preparing our children for a digital society. Today's schools are creating best practices and policies through the use of a policy known as an "Acceptable Use Policy." These policies offer guidelines for students to follow including the expectations of digital etiquette, the rules for technology use and the consequences for violating the rules. Thanks to today's technology, parents and educators have access to all of these resources. Students will be able to participate in meaningful and worthwhile learning experiences using technology as long as parents and educators use available resources, learn about the issues and provide the students with an understanding of digital etiquette prior to engaging in the digital world.

  

Digital Etiquette

The 10 points of netiquette are listed below:

1.       Remember the Human (The Independent Institute of Education, 2015, p. 85)

2.       Adhere to the same standards of behavior online that you follow in real life (The Independent Institute of Education, 2015, p. 85)

3.       Know where you are in cyberspace (The Independent Institute of Education, 2015, p. 85)

4.       Respect other people’s time and bandwidth (The Independent Institute of Education, 2015, p. 85)

5.       Make yourself look good online (The Independent Institute of Education, 2015, p. 85)

6.       Share expert knowledge (The Independent Institute of Education, 2015, p. 85)

7.       Help keep flame wars under control (The Independent Institute of Education, 2015, p. 85)

8.       Respect other people’s privacy (The Independent Institute of Education, 2015, p. 85)

9.       Don’t abuse your power (The Independent Institute of Education, 2015, p. 85)

2. Penalties that apply for failing to meet these;

  There are not set penalties for failing to meet the points of netiquette however, below are a list of possible penalties (Netiquette, n.d.) (The Independent Institute of Education, 2015).

a.       Possible lawsuit due to an invasion of privacy (Netiquette, n.d.).

b.      Unpopularity among users (Netiquette, n.d.).

c.       Possible dismissal from employment depending on what was said (Netiquette, n.d.).

d.      Faced with a monetary fine (Netiquette, n.d.).

.   Be forgiving of other people’s mistakes (The Independent Institute of Education, 2015,).

Images

POE Question 3

Question 3


The social economy:unlocking value through social technologies.


There are many benefits and risks associated with using digital media, depending on who uses it, how it is used, why is is used and what it is used for.


Individuals in South Africa mainly use social technologies like Whatsapp, Mxit, Instagram, Snapchat and Facebook in order to hear about the latest celebrity news, communicate with each other and post pictures of their whereabouts. Individuals are more vulnerable to the risks of social media because they are less likely to understand the consequences of posting online. They tend to post more personal items like phone numbers or location- this is the perfect target for criminals (rapists/murderers). Keeping our private information to ourselves is critical because putting it on the internet can cause stalking, fraud and illegal activity. Digital etiquette is important in order to have safe relationships online.

On the other hand, social technologies have changed the way we, as individuals, live, for the better. we are now able to communicate with distant relatives and friends over social media platforms like Facebook, twitter and whatsapp, we are able to access the latest news from around the world and to access information for assignments and homework online from our mobile devices. Social technologies have made our lives  lot easier. We no longer have to send out letters or smoke signals to get the attention we need. As time goes on, more and more people are able to access social media- In South Africa, the number of instagram users increased from 680000 in 2013 or 2.68 million in 2015. (Fn24tech, 2015)

Corporates have benefited largely from the use of social technologies in the sense that it has opened up a huge opportunity for advertising above the line platforms. For example, companies like apple are now able to use Facebook as a social site to advertise their latest product releases and specials and send them viral. Companies can use users information like age and sex to advertise to their selected target market for example, Ultra music festival can have sponsored pages that pop up on teenage Facebook users' news feeds because they have a target market of ages 18-24.

Although there are many advantages of having access to social media, in business, There are the risks of fraud and identity theft and it is therefore important that businesses  protect their private information. the fact that 90% of companies use technologies that benefit them shows that the benefits outweigh the risks. In South Africa, Corporates use LinkedIn as a main source of business activity, depending on the business of course, and their target market.

Finally, communities also benefit largely from social technologies too- mainly because social media is the most simple and real time way of communicating. For example, a neighbourhood or complex could have a Whatsapp group to alert the people around them if there are any strange people roaming around, like a neighbourhood watch. This could save a lot of robberies and theft from occurring.

In conclusion, If the digital citizenship is practised, the internet can be a relatively safe place- with millions of people benefiting from all the blogs, social networks, wikis etc.
26.8 people in South Africa have got access to the internet and this number continue to grow every month (htxt.africa, 2016).