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KIDS LEARN CYBERSAFETY
How does the internet work?
If you’re reading this article on a screen right now, it’s very likely you’re using the internet to read it! Have you ever thought about how the internet works?
Imagine the internet to be like a giant constellation of stars! They are constantly chatting to each other, exchanging and sharing information across the skies.
Servers are helpful machines that make the internet work for us. These machines talk to each other in ‘programming language’ that look like a bunch of random letters and numbers to us.
Servers can quickly sort through information to get the best answers when you ask a device a question. They make sure the right messages get sent directly to you and not to your neighbour by accident!
Information travels across the internet in two ways: 1. Across underground cables - There are actual cables running through our oceans that help make the internet work! 2. Via overhead satellites - Have you ever seen a blinking light in the sky that looks a little different from a star? That’s a satellite! They work by sending signals back and forth between devices to satellites in the sky, making our mobile phones work anywhere!
Did you know? There are 20.4 billion devices connected to the internet!
That means there are all kinds of characters online, which is why it’s important to learn how to protect ourselves online.