Today is Safer Internet Day, which is this year urging people and especially youngsters to not take any risks online.
So much of our private lives and information get transferred over the internet, Safer Internet Day reminds us to protect ourselves from the dangers there and make the internet a little safer for everyone.
Don’t share your personal information
It goes without saying that you should never share your passwords, banking information, or address online. But other information, like details about your relationship, could be used to figure out answers to your security questions or even give hackers a tip-off when it comes to guessing your password.
Be careful who you and your children talk to
Cyberbullying, threats, and harassment are very real online issues. We recommend being choosy about who you talk to and engage with online. And if they cross the line, document the issue and hit that block button. No one deserves to be treated that way.
The internet has information that can enrich our lives. It also can harm us and the people we love. You want your children to have access to it, but you also want them to be safe online. How can you get both things?
Tip: Know the dangers of the internet
When it comes to cybersecurity, kids are often one of your family’s weakest links — and that can be for lack of knowing the dangers of the internet. Teach kids about suspicious activity online and encourage them to ask for help if something seems unusual.
Tip: Beware of strangers
Offline, you’ve probably already introduced the idea to your kids that all strangers can be potentially dangerous. Remind them this also applies to their online activities and strangers are on the internet.
Tip: Choose strong passwords
Passwords are the primary defence against hackers. Yet, many people reuse the same password for multiple accounts and use passwords that are easy to guess, because they’re also easy to remember. Teach your kids to create a hack proof password by selecting a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols, and make sure it’s at least 12 characters long.
Tip: Be careful what you post
It’s important for children, teens, and family members to know how much information is too much information. In their excitement to share milestones, teens may sometimes post their personal information online. For example, a driver’s license or a travel itinerary shared online could be valuable information for identity thieves or burglars. Also personal or inappropriate photos can attract online predators, or could affect future educational or employment opportunities.
Tip: Keep privacy settings on
Web browsers, mobile operations systems, and social media channels all have settings in place to protect your privacy, and it’s up to you to adjust them. Keeping them turned off means your information might be shared with marketers to help your browsing experience, but it also could be intercepted by hackers. Play it safe and keep your privacy settings on.
Tip: Monitor online activities
Monitoring your kids offline is enough stress. Thankfully, there’s some cybersecurity tools to help you monitor their online activities. Install a cybersecurity software.
[Credit: us.norton.com]
