Tuesday, February 9th of this year was Safer Internet Day. Since Teresa and I were late in doing our Women’s History Month observation, I thought I would keep that streak going and give you a late post on Safer Internet Day.
I think it may be safe to say not many people know about this day since I didn’t and have never heard anyone mention it. You have no idea how much research and digging I do to come up with little known discussion points for these blogs. (Not true: When I logged on this morning the message proclaiming February 9th Internet Day, popped up and I thought to myself (as I usually do): Is there a blog in there somewhere?
Teresa and I recently did an episode titled Social Media Shy (https://www.earringsoff.com/podcast/episode/497e42fc/social-media-shy) where we talk about our reluctance to post more on social media. You may feel that way also. While the internet is an amazing tool and helps us manage life better and engage with others in ways that makes our days brighter, we all have heard stories about how things can go terribly wrong. The internet is full of mean folks who can remain anonymous and spew all manner of hatred and vile upon others. We also know that there are hackers, whose sole occupation is to get your personal information and make purchases in your name or assume your identity which never has a good ending. With that said, what can we do to better protect ourselves when using the internet?
The following information was taken from https://us.norton.com/internetsecurity-kids-safety-stop-stressing-10-internet-safety-rules-to-help-keep-your-family-safe-online.html.
What are the dangers of the internet?
One of the prevalent dangers of the internet is cybercriminals and the ever-evolving cybercrimes they create. Because so many cybercrimes are launched to target any internet user, it’s likely that no family member is exempt of such attacks, either. There are many threats children face online, as well as adults and teens.
Educating the whole family on how to identify and avoid each cyberthreat is an important part of internet safety. Here are at least 10 risks or dangers of the internet to know, but be aware that new cyberthreats are constantly evolving.
Identity theft
Cyberbullying
Online predators
Faulty privacy setting
Phishing
Online scams
Malware
Inappropriate content
Bait and switch
What Can You Do
· Choose strong passwords
· Be careful what you post
· Shop online only from secure sites
· Keep privacy settings on
· Backup data regularly
· Keep your internet connection secure
· Be careful what you download
· Go private on public Wi-Fi
Hopefully, this information will help you better navigate the internet and stay safe!
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