Did you know that 400,000 kids per year are victims of identity theft? Or that literally millions of people lose their money, privacy and sense of security every year due to online scams?
There are many things you can do to keep yourself, your kids and your senior loved ones safe online. Here are just a few.
Online Safety Tips for Adults & Seniors:
New Device Safety – Change the default password, disable photo geotagging and watch these helpful videos.
Online Shopping – Use a credit card, not a debit card, because you then have more fraud protection. Don’t store your credit card number on the websites. Use ‘https’ when visiting websites. Create strong, unique passwords.
Avoid Phishing Scams – Learn how to identify and avoid bogus emails from trusted brands that aim to collect your private information to open new accounts—or invade your existing ones.
Make Sure Your Internet Connection is Secure – Rename routers and networks. Use strong passwords. Turn on encryption. Use a VPN (virtual private network).
For Kids:
New Device Safety – Change the default password, disable photo geotagging and set up non-administrative accounts. Remind your kids not to share any personal information. Set up a charging station away from the child’s room to limit screen time at night. Learn more about how to talk to kids about cyber safety.
Gaming – Encourage your kids to have private in-game chats only with their IRL (in-real-life) friends, set rules for time limits and allowed games and implement restrictions in the app store to prevent downloading any questionable apps.
Social Media – Require parental approval of social groups and networks and ‘friend’ or ‘follow’ your children to check in on their social media activity. Ensure your child’s profile is set to private.
Cyberbullying – Teach your children to immediately report offensive and harmful comments. Talk with them about cyberbullying, including unintentional bullying, recognizing signs of cyberbullying. Act swiftly and help your children take action.
About the Writer
https://iamcybersafe.org/
Center for Cyber Safety and Education
The Center for Cyber Safety and Education is a nonprofit dedicated to educating children, adults and seniors on how to be safe online. Their mission is to empower students, teachers and whole communities to secure themselves online through our cyber safety education and awareness programs, information security scholarships, and industry and consumer research
