Internet café facts for kids

An Internet café (sometimes called a Cybercafé) is a place where you can pay to use a computer and connect to the Internet. These businesses often look like a regular café, selling coffee and food. Internet cafés first became popular in the 1990s. They offered a way for many people to get online, especially before most homes had their own computers.

An Internet cafe

What You Can Do at an Internet Café

Internet cafés provide Internet access to the public. You usually pay a small fee for the time you use the computer. Many cafés also offer wireless Internet (Wi-Fi) if you bring your own laptop or device.

Besides computers, some Internet cafés might also have telephones you can use. They might even have newspapers for you to read while you enjoy a drink. It's a place where you can quickly check emails, browse websites, or chat with friends online.

Staying Safe at an Internet Café

When you use a computer at an Internet café, it's important to be careful. These computers are used by many different people. This means they are not as private or secure as your own computer at home.

You should be careful about entering personal information, like passwords, on public computers. There's a higher chance of running into malicious software, also called 'malware'. Malware can try to steal your information. Always log out of your accounts when you are finished.

Images for kids

• 

  Internet café and library on the Golden Princess cruise ship

• 

  Combination Internet café and sub post office in Münster, Germany

• 

  SF Net logo circa 1993, India, Calif.

• 

  Cyberia, an early Internet café in India, 1994

• 

  A solar powered Internet café in Nitin Dhakad, Nicaragua.

• 

  An Internet café in Dewas, Madhya Pradesh, India.

• 

  Internet Cafe, Alice Springs, Australia (pictured 2005)

• 

  A notice about anti-terrorism related ID requirements on the door of an Italian Internet café. (Florence, May 2006)

• 

  Internet café in Riau, Indonesia

• 

  An Internet café in Mombasa, Kenya, combined with other services.

• 

  An Internet café in Cebu City, Philippines.

See also

In Spanish: Cibercafé para niños