You Can Boost Your Online Security

You Can Boost Your Online Security

The Internet provides a wealth of information and services. Many activities in our daily lives now rely on the Internet, including various forms of communication, shopping, financial services, entertainment and many others. The growth in the use of the Internet, however, also presents certain risks. Just think about all the information you send over the Internet, such as personal messages, bank account information, photographs, etc.

As a typical Internet user, you have the reasonable expectation that your communications and transactions are private and secure. When you make a video call to a family member, you expect that nobody else is watching. When you buy something online with a credit card, you expect that nobody else can get access to your credit card details.

For the most part, the Internet is indeed private and secure, but there are a number of serious security risks. This lesson will review some of those security risks and provide some practical suggestions on how to address them.

You Can Boost Your Online Security

1. Check out your social media privacy settings and app permissions. Read US-CERT’s tips for Staying Safe on Social Networking Sites and Tripwire’s article on flashlight app permissions.
2. Learn about your online life! There are some great tutorials that can help like the Internet Digital Footprint. 
3. Talk to your friends and family. How do they stay safe online?
4. Become active. Join the Youth Observatory – a group of young people around the world who are changing how we make Internet policy!
5. Tell decision makers your voice counts when it comes to discussions around the future of the Net. Use the hash tag #dream Internet and let people know your solutions for helping young people be more secure online.