Do this to Protect your Information Online

Being online can be fun, but it can also be dangerous if you ignore safety when surfing.

23:12 04 May 2022

Spending time online has become mandatory for today’s jobs, but also when it comes to relaxing. Being online can be fun, but it can also be dangerous if you ignore safety when surfing.

 

It’s easy for digital savvies in today’s digital world to be informed and perfectly understand all the risks that the Internet brings. But what about the rest of the online community that is less cautious and can be easy targets for hackers or online scammers?

 

The younger generations growing up on the Internet often don’t have much awareness about the dangers of sharing too much information about themselves. Spending time online while learning, relaxing, getting to know each other, and socializing also means sharing a large amount of data. 

 

That leads to cybercrime, data theft, and misuse of personal information. Many victims report attempted fraud or have experienced fraud. According to the FTC statistics, they have received 2.2 million fraud reports from users in 2020. The numbers, sadly, might continue to grow as we gradually do everything possible online. 

 

The good news is that there are many ways to be safe online, so let’s go through five security guidelines to make your online journey safer and more comfortable.

 

1. Keep your identity safe

Everyone needs to understand how the digital world works. Unfortunately, the most valuable thing today is personal data and data trading. Having information about someone’s interests, hobbies, life habits, and principles is very valuable, especially when data trading is spreading all over the planet. Internet businesses use this knowledge to offer and sell products to you. 

 

Have you ever talked to a friend about a product, and later an advertisement for it appeared on your phone? That perfectly explains the power of today’s digital tools.

 

1. Secure all your accounts

Having a solid password is a must. We do not mean entering the date of birth, name, and surname, or the name of the pet. For cybercriminals, cracking codes like this is a piece of cake. Make sure your passwords contain different characters, numbers, and font sizes. 

 

It’s also essential not to approve the save passwords or auto-fill option because leaving login codes on various sites can make it much easier to steal your data and identity. 

 

1. Install and update your antivirus software 

It must have happened to you at least once that your computer suddenly slowed down and something strange happened. Yes, this is a sign that malicious software has been installed on your computer without your approval and may cause many problems. Even worse, today’s viruses are so sophisticated that it’s not that easy to detect that your computer is under threat.

 

Many viruses and malware programs simply enter our computer because we inadvertently click on links we receive by email, thinking that the email arrived from a verified address. Check who sends you emails and messages carefully, and it is better not to open spam or questionable content if you are not sure who the sender is. The best is even to delete them immediately.

 

Having a strong and proven anti-virus program will let you sleep carefree, but don’t also forget that updating your software and devices is even more important.

 

1. Use a VPN

Using a Virtual Private Network is a smart solution when you want to control the information you share online. Consider starting off with a free VPN download, which will let you test the waters of this technology. The chances are that you will see its benefits instantly. Here are some of them: 

 

• Prevents your Internet Service Provider (ISP) from reading information about your internet activities.
• Hides your online activity by encrypting everything you do online.
• Secures your browsing via public Wi-Fi networks.
• You can change your location to access services that are unavailable in your region.

 

1. Don’t overshare on social networks

Most of the population uses social networks and dating apps. Here, sharing personal information is most common, as are the risks of fraud, cybercrime, and cyberstalking. In the desire to express ourselves, we share our current location, what we do, what we eat, and where we plan to go without much thought. 

 

By connecting multiple social platforms and synchronizing accounts, we can communicate freely between all these channels. Let’s face it, although all of this makes it easier for us to function within networks, and the risks are enormous. 

 

With the use of more communication channels and platforms, we have less control over the content we share. Therefore, this makes us the easiest target for big tech to sell data to third parties.

 

Bottom line

Without a doubt, anyone at some point can be the victim of an online scam or virus. To reduce risks, always pay attention to the content you access and the sites you surf. By following security instructions and finding out about the dangers of leaving personal information all over the Internet, you can be much safer when you spend time on your favorite sites.