SAFER INTERNET DAY
SAFER INTERNET DAY
Added 832 days ago. 31 January 2022
Safer Internet Day is celebrated globally, and this year falls on Tuesday 8th February with the theme of ‘Together for a better internet’. The aim of the day is to help inspire conversation around using technology responsibly, respectfully, critically and creatively.
The internet is an incredible tool with endless possibilities, from the convenience of online shopping and the abundance of knowledge and learning available, to the ability to connect family and friends, near or far, at the push of a button.
To mark Safer Internet Day, we’ve prepared some top tips for staying safe online:
1. Use a strong password
Make sure all your accounts online use a strong, memorable password. Ideally with mix of upper-case and lower-case letters, numbers and special characters. Fraudsters will find it much harder to break strong passwords.
2. Install antivirus software
Antivirus software prevents, detects and removes malware (software which has been intentionally designed to cause damage) from your device. Protecting you from online threats and warning you against visiting websites which have malware hidden in them.
3. Watch out for the padlock
When shopping online, always look for the padlock sign in the browser bar. This means that the website you are using is secure and your payment details are encrypted. Do not shop online with websites which do not show the padlock.
4. Beware of phishing emails
Phishing emails are emails which try to entice you to click on a link or download something which contains malware that infects your device. Look out for the address which the email has come from, do you recognise the address or are you expecting an email from this address?
Google have a useful quiz you can take to find out more about phishing emails and how to spot when something is suspicious - https://phishingquiz.withgoogle.com/
5. Check your privacy settings on social media
Ensure your privacy and security settings on your social media accounts are set to private so that only your friends and family can see your pages. This will protect any personal data you have on your account and what you’re sharing with friends and family.