Children and youth safety on the Internet: Experiences from Czech Republic and Poland

The aim of the article is to present research results concerning sharing confidential data and risky behaviors that are derived from it among the young Internet users. The analysis of the topic was depicted on the basis of quantitative research carried out in Poland and Czech Republic. According to the analysis, behaviors connected with sharing the sensitive data on the Internet determine a range of further risky behaviors in the virtual space and the real world. In the article, the type of data shared on the Internet, ways of interpreting risky behaviors by young people were determined and the attempt to distinguish factors that condition dangerous behaviors was made. The research is of comparative character and its aim is to present the specifics of the analyzed phenomenon in the perspective of the two biggest countries of the Visegrad Group. The article includes the examples of educational actions which aim is to improve the awareness of children and youth in the matter of improving their own level of safety on the Internet. These actions serve as good educational practices and are the answer of the education environment to e-threats presented in the paper. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.