Pedagogical prevention of juvenile internet offenses among adolescents in a general education organization

Background. Adolescents, without realizing their responsibility for their online actions, become vulnerable to various risks, in particular cyberbullying and Internet fraud. Due to the growth of cybercrime, as well as the increasing number of teenagers initiating cybercrime, it was decided to conduct a study to identify whether students have a propensity to commit cybercrime and to determine the level of awareness of students about the existing threats of the Internet.

Purpose. The goal is to identify factors that contribute to committing offenses in the digital space, as well as to develop effective methods and approaches to teaching adolescents safe behavior on the Internet.

Materials and methods. The study analyzed existing approaches to teaching cyber hygiene and digital ethics and conducted empirical research aimed at assessing the level of adolescents' knowledge about cybersecurity and their propensity for risky behavior. The questionnaire “Risk propensity assessment” by G. Schubert in the adaptation of M. A. Kotik was chosen as the main diagnostic technique.

Results. The results showed that there was a negative correlation between cybersecurity knowledge and risk propensity, which highlights the importance of educational programs to increase adolescents' awareness of possible online threats. The authors suggest the implementation of thematic lessons as part of an after-school course to help teens develop critical thinking skills and responsibility for their actions online. The study emphasizes the need for a comprehensive approach to the problem, including joint work between educators, parents and teenagers themselves, which will create a safe educational environment and reduce the level of online delinquency.