It’s possible for other people to see which Internet addresses you have visited by looking at the Internet browser’s web history. In most browsers, the log and history can be deleted using the «tools» menu. If you don’t remove the log, other people can see which sites you’ve visited.
What are schools allowed to check?
Basically, schools do not have permission to check pupils’ Internet usage. If something illegal has happened, the police can use the information log on a school’s server to find out who was responsible. The Norwegian Data Inspectorate recommends that schools limit the monitoring of pupils and that they should report what they record and why.
You have the right to be heard
The UN has issued a law on children’s rights that says:
-
No child shall be subjected to arbitrary or unlawful interference with his or her privacy, family, or correspondence, nor to unlawful attacks on his or her honour and reputation.
-
States Parties shall assure to the child who is capable of forming his or her own views the right to express those views freely in all matters affecting the child, the views of the child being given due weight in accordance with the age and maturity of the child.
|
In Norway, we also have the Children’s Act, which says that children have the right to have more influence in decisions as they become older. The Ombudsman for Children recommends that parents take their children seriously and that they listen to the child’s view when they want to post information and photos of the child on the Internet. This means that your opinion counts, even if you are a child. But the UN’s Convention on the Rights of the Child also says: «Both parents have a principal responsibility for the child’s care and development according to what is best for the child». Your parents must therefore protect you if they think something is harmful to you. If they think that you’re doing something on the Internet that is harmful or dangerous to you or others, they can set limits on what you’re allowed to do. |
|
Vocabulary
| log = | overview of your Internet activities, ex. which pages you have visited or a display of the conversations you’ve had on MSN. |
| filter = | a program which stops access to certain websites. |
