Many people would agree when we say that the internet is a blessing but at the same time, the internet could also be a curse for you if you are not careful enough while using it. While the internet makes things a lot easier for you, if you are not careful with it, you could find yourself in a situation that could be damaging to you in a lot of ways.
Some of the best internet service providers (ISPs) are very transparent when it comes to your questions about your safety while you use their internet service. For instance, you could always hit up the WOW! Phone Number and get all the information you need in regards to the safety that they provide their customers. If not, there are also some other practices that you can incorporate so that you could make sure that you are as safe on the internet as possible. Here are some ways to make sure not only you but also everyone close to you is protected while they are using the internet:
Don’t Open Links You Aren’t Familiar With
The first thing that you need to practice is that you make sure that you don’t open links that you don’t recognize. Most of these links can be misleading and they can lead to potential scams such as phishing or pharming and in some cases, they may even hack into your personal accounts. Only proceed with opening a link if you are familiar with it, try hovering over the link first to see if all of the information adds up and if it is safe for you to open the link or not. If the information does not add up, then it would certainly be a bad idea to open the link.
You can see a large number of misleading links when you are going through your emails. Most people tend to send emails with a caption that really catches your attention and compels you into opening the link. Some of these links are also used in ransomware in which people tend to put an encrypted control on all your data, which makes it inaccessible no matter what you do until you pay them a certain amount so that they could release your data. Therefore, it is important that you don’t open links that seem unsafe to you.
Supervise your Children While They Use the Internet
It is important that you keep a keen eye on your children while they are using the internet. This is because children are innocent and they can fall prey to absolutely any kind of attack or scam and they wouldn’t know what to do about it. Children can also easily fall prey to catfishing where someone random could pretend to be absolutely anyone and since children are highly vulnerable, they could very easily fall for it. You need to make sure that your children are not sending anyone pictures of themselves and they are not talking to people who are pretending to be someone they are not, since the internet is saturated by predators.
You should also tell your children to post as little information about themselves on the internet as possible. You should also keep tabs on the kind of content your children are accessing while on the internet because most of the content isn’t age appropriate for them and this could lead to various other problems. Also, if your children spend too much time in front of a screen, they could also end up weakening their eyesight, which would make them develop a need for glasses. It is also very likely that your children would tell you if they find themselves in a troublesome situation, so make sure that your children know that you are easy to talk to so that they could communicate with you better.
Make Sure You Stand Against Bullying
Bullying is not only an issue in real life but it is a prevailing issue on the internet as well. People tend to hide behind fake accounts and they take their frustration out on random people on the internet and try to hurt their sentiments and their feelings. While this may be an easy thing to do, people don’t realize how potentially damaging this can be for the person who is at the receiving end. This is where you need to step in and need to be an advocate against bullying. If you see anything online that could be taken as bullying, be sure to call the person out and make sure you report their comments as well. With enough reports, their accounts could also get terminated so that they wouldn’t continue either.
You need to make sure that everyone around you is protected from bullying simply by playing your role in society.
Wrapping Up
These are some simple steps in which you can make sure not just you but everyone in your family is safe on the internet and you wouldn’t have to worry about anything whenever you are using the internet.
The internet has become a primary tool for information, entertainment, and communication. It is, however, important to keep safety in mind when online. Here are some ways to stay safe:
1. Only share personal information on secure websites. Before submitting sensitive information to a website, make sure the site is secure by looking for the lock icon on the website address bar.
2. Use strong and unique passwords. Your passwords should be at least 8 characters long and include a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, symbols, and numbers. Also, make sure to update your passwords regularly and to never use the same password across multiple sites.
3. Use two-factor authentication. Two-factor authentication (sometimes referred to as two-step verification) adds an additional layer of security to your accounts and requires a second form of identification, such as a security code sent to your email or phone, in order to access them.
4. Monitor your connected devices. Always keep an eye on the devices connected to your network, and make sure these devices have strong passwords with two-factor authentication set-up.
5. Be aware of phishing. Phishing emails typically appear to come from a legitimate source and contain links that lead to malicious sites. Never click on a suspicious link, even if it appears to come from a trusted source.
6. Limit your activities on public Wi-Fi networks. Public Wi-Fi networks are a major security risk and should only be used for basic tasks such as checking your emails and browsing the web. Never perform sensitive activities such as logging in to accounts or shopping online on these networks.
By following these simple tips, you can greatly reduce your risk of being a victim of cybercrime and keep yourself safer online.
