With the rise of social media, its become second nature to share every single thought we have on the internet as we chase internet fame. No one can guess what just might take off and make them famous, so people have become more bold and open with strangers with the assumption that everyone will appreciate their transparency.
This clearly isn’t safe for anyone but especially for the younger generation. The previous generations are now reaping what they’ve sown when it comes to internet transparency as many of them realize that there is no way to fully erase their actions online. It’s because of this notion that it’s important to teach kids how to navigate the internet safely, and it’s a lot easier than one might think.
Social Media
When using social media, keep in mind that every platform has built-in security features, most of which are turned off when an account is first made. Take some time to familiarize yourself with every platforms’ security features, and use them. Here are some of the main ways to stay safe when using social media:
- Set accounts to private and be choosy about who is let in
- Never post anything that would give away an address, phone number, name, or social security number
- Never post any financial information such as bank account numbers or show off a new card
- Remember that everything posted has the chance to be screenshot, so even if a post is deleted it could still exist somewhere
Websites in general
- Try to stick to encrypted websites if possible. the Url will have ‘HTTPS and a padlock next to it, which means data is safe even if it’s leaked
- Use a VPN if possible, but make sure the VPN doesn’t store personal information either.
- Make sure any usernames and passwords chosen can’t be easily guessed
These are just a few ways to stay safe online, but the world within the internet is always shifting and changing. The best mindset is to be vigilant and not overshare. If something seems too easy or too good to be true it usually is.
For more helpful tips, click here.