Today is Safer Internet Day, and as you are reading this blog you spend some time online – but how safely?
Cybersmart is a service that knows a lot about this area and have tips and tricks for most situations you can come across online. Below is an overview of their key online safety areas for all their tips and tricks visit their site.
Your Digital Footprint
The internet is a great place for sharing stuff, but remember that what you share with your friends could be seen by other people that you don’t know. They may also be able to look at it for years to come. Once it’s online, it could be there forever. So think before you post. Find out more about your digital footprint.
Location-Based Services
You may have heard of services such as Foursquare, Gowalla, Google Latitude and now Facebook Places. These are geospatial social networking services or location-based services – in other words, they use the technology in your phone or mobile device to pinpoint and publish your current location. They can also tie in with other social networking services, such as Twitter, which means that more people than you might think can see where you are at any particular time. There are some simple steps you can take to protect your privacy and make sure that total strangers can’t see where you are: Check out Cybersmarts Location-Based service tips here.
Unwanted Contact
Sometimes you can meet someone or see something online that is offensive, upsetting or makes you feel uncomfortable. This could be communication from an online friend who starts asking personal questions or sends you photos or material that you either don’t like, find unpleasant or find confronting. In some cases, it may be from someone you know in person—but what they’ve sent seems offensive or obscene. What should you do? Check of these tips for unwanted contact.
Cyberbullying
The same rules apply online as in real life about how to treat other people. Unfortunately, people don’t always treat each other well online, and you, or a friend, may find that you are the target of cyberbullying. You might be teased or have false rumours spread about you online, receive nasty messages or even threats. It can happen in school, or out of it, any hour of the day, from people you know, and sometimes people you don’t know. It can leave you feeling unsafe and alone. Check out their tips to avoid the cyberbullies.
Online Friends
Chatting to friends using IM, in chat rooms and on social networking sites can be a great way to keep up to date. Meeting new friends online is also pretty fun. You can meet people online that are into the same bands or sports, or you can keep in touch with old friends who have moved away. But while there are lots of good points about keeping in touch, there are also some risks with meeting people online—especially if you don’t know them in real life.
To help stay safe while you chat online, discover some simple tips.
Keeping a Balance
Playing games online and using consoles or games on a computer is great fun, but you to need to be careful about how much you play and who you play with. Too much gaming can affect your school or social life. It is important that if you chat with other gamers, you protect your privacy and don’t share personal or private information. For more on keeping a balance online heck out Cybersmart.
P2P File Sharing
Peer-to-peer (P2P) services can be a great way to share music, software and movies, but if the owner of that media does not want them to be shared, you could be breaching copyright laws, and liable for a large fine. Also, many files available from file-sharing sites are deliberately mislabelled, so you could end up getting more than you bargained for, like viruses, trojans or offensive and illegal material.
Most files on P2P are not very good quality, so it’s worth checking out services that you can purchase stuff from so that you can be sure that what you’re getting is legit. For more on P2P File Sharing check our Cybersmart.
Offensive of illegal Content
When you’re surfing the web you may come across websites and other material that is offensive, obscene or illegal. There are some easy ways to handle these situations – find out more at CyberSmart.
Online Financial Stuff
Online shops are increasingly popular as they provide an easy, fun and convenient way to buy the things you want or need. To avoid any issues when you’re shopping online, aim to use the websites of well-established, recognised retailers. These sites rely on people feeling safe, so they manage their site to ensure that transactions are secure.
Auction sites, like eBay, are also popular. To keep safe, use a reputable auction site and read the privacy policy to make sure you are comfortable with how the business works. Also check that you can make a complaint or cancel an order. If you need a hand going through the details, ask a trusted adult. Many parents enjoy using these sites too. Cybersmart have some great tips and tricks for online purchases.
Identity Theft
Identity theft is when your personal information is used without your knowledge or permission. This can take a variety of forms, and, in the worst case, it can involve criminals using your information to steal money from you or to open bank accounts or credit cards in your name. While this may not seem a problem if you don’t yet have a credit card, it might damage your chances of getting one when you’re older.
Personal information can be accessed from your computer or at a public computer terminal. With sufficient information, criminals can make credit card purchases, apply for loans or transfer money directly from your bank, while pretending to be you. Criminals use many methods to gather personal information, including sending viruses and spam, and setting up fake websites. You can also have your identity ‘stolen’ if someone uses your personal information to impersonate you online. They might pretend to be you on MSN, make a fake profile of you or hack into your actual profile! For tips and tricks on keeping your identity safe online line visit Cybersmart.
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Image Reference: By Enterprise UK via Creative Commons License from Flickr
Tags: cyberbullying, online
