At National Online Safety, we provide multi-award-winning online safety education for the whole school community. It’s our mission to make the internet a safer place for children. We believe that when children go online to learn, communicate or play, they should be able to do so safely. That’s why we provide schools all over the world with the knowledge they need in order to tackle new and evolving online risks.
The Cloud
Part of our Online Privacy & Security Series 2020-21

What is the cloud?
Most of us use ‘the cloud’ every day without realising, and some without understanding what ‘the cloud’ is.
Short for ‘cloud computing’, the cloud simply refers to software and services that run on the internet, instead of locally on a PC.
Most cloud services can be accessed via a web browser, rather than a dedicated programme installed on a machine.
The cloud has endless benefits, from allowing students to work collaboratively and accessing the same file to backing up all of your important information; if you lose your PC or instance, your files in the cloud will remain safe.
However, given it relies heavily on the internet, cloud computing isn’t without its risks.
For more information on the associated risks and online safety tips for parents and carers, watch our explainer video, available to those with a National Online Safety membership.