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For better or for worse, we spend most of our time online these days. This constant digital exposure has made us far savvier in some ways, and yet, over 60 percent of Americans admit that they’ve been victimized in cyber scams.
Internet Safety Month is almost here, and it provides a much-needed reminder of the ongoing threats we face, as well as the need to boost security measures to keep hackers and other malicious players at bay. Below, we’re discussing the meaning behind the month and how you can get a head start on cybersecurity before June arrives:
What Is Internet Safety Month? Why Does It Matter?
In 2005, the United States Senate passed a resolution designating June as National Internet Safety Month. At the time, senators saw a strong need for improving awareness surrounding common cyber threats. Since then, this month has continued to provide excellent opportunities for educating the public – especially kids and teens – about digital safety.
The nature of top cyber hazards has changed greatly since Internet Security Month was first observed, with smartphones and social media transforming how we interact online. Still, the status of the internet as a social tool has remained, and young users often overlook significant threats because they’re so eager to interact with their friends. Such issues are by no means limited based on age, as adults are also quick to give up sensitive data and slow to adopt necessary security measures.
Protecting Yourself on the Internet: Safety Tips for Kids and Adults
When was the last time you updated your internet safety protocol? How often do you keep tabs on your children’s online habits? Keep these cybersecurity tips in mind as you promote cybersecurity for your entire family:
Update Your Passwords
Let Internet Safety Month serve as a helpful reminder to keep on top of your passwords. Ideally, these will be swapped at least once a year – or better yet, every few months. However, simply switching passwords on a regular basis isn’t good enough; new passcodes need to go above and beyond to reduce the risk of brute force attacks. Ideally, your updated passwords will feature random strings of characters, complete with uppercase and lowercase letters. Avoid words or phrases that are easy to guess, especially if they relate somehow to your personal life.
If your kids struggle to choose quality passwords or change them regularly, lend a helping hand by getting involved with the selection process. Show them how you choose your passwords and why you opt for more complicated options – even when they’re inconvenient. Better yet: Start using a password manager. This application stores passwords within a secure, encrypted database and can even generate the types of passwords that are the least likely to betray your personal information in the event of an attack.
Restrict Your Kids’ Activity with Parental Control Tools
It’s difficult enough to avoid cyber threats on your own – now, imagine how vulnerable your kids must be when they browse the internet. Despite their status as digital natives, children are often unaware of the range of hazards they face. While it may feel impossible to protect them from a digital sphere full of threats, you can at least limit their access to the most problematic sites and content.
Parental controls form the first line of defense by granting you much-needed oversight. Customized security solutions restrict access to specific programs and sites. Monitoring is also available so you can get a better sense of your child’s web activity – and whether any problematic trends may be emerging.
Be Cautious on Social Media
Today’s seemingly innocent social media updates can spell big trouble in the future. Most adults realize this by now, but it’s not always clear to kids and teens – many of whom still naively trust that disappearing content such as Instagram Stories will keep them safe. They may hate hearing reminders that their online behavior could come back to haunt them, but it bears repeating.
In addition to educating your kids about cautious social media use, take a close look at their privacy settings. While even strict settings will be no match for a conservative approach in which kids avoid sharing sensitive details, it helps to set all accounts to private and disable features that connect contacts.
Look Closely at Privacy Policies Before Downloading Apps
These days, we’re often perfectly willing to sign away our personal privacy in the interest of scoring a new app for free. Often, however, a brief look at the privacy policy will be enough to make us think twice before downloading. At a minimum, determine the extent to which apps can access your data. Don’t forget to take advantage of parental control features that restrict app downloads.
Use a Virtual Private Network
It’s tempting to use any available Wi-Fi hotspot, but many lack even basic security features. If you need to use these connections, avoid making any financial transactions that could jeopardize your information. Instead, opt for a virtual private network (VPN), which acts as a digital tunnel to provide a secure connection. Beware, however, as many web-savvy teens use VPNs to override restrictions placed by schools and parents.
How
For better or for worse, we spend most of our time online these days. This constant digital exposure has made us far savvier in some ways, and yet, over 60 percent of Americans admit that they’ve been victimized in cyber scams.
Internet Safety Month is almost here, and it provides a much-needed reminder of the ongoing threats we face, as well as the need to boost security measures to keep hackers and other malicious players at bay. Below, we’re discussing the meaning behind the month and how you can get a head start on cybersecurity before June arrives:
What Is Internet Safety Month? Why Does It Matter?
In 2005, the United States Senate passed a resolution designating June as National Internet Safety Month. At the time, senators saw a strong need for improving awareness surrounding common cyber threats. Since then, this month has continued to provide excellent opportunities for educating the public – especially kids and teens – about digital safety.
The nature of top cyber hazards has changed greatly since Internet Security Month was first observed, with smartphones and social media transforming how we interact online. Still, the status of the internet as a social tool has remained, and young users often overlook significant threats because they’re so eager to interact with their friends. Such issues are by no means limited based on age, as adults are also quick to give up sensitive data and slow to adopt necessary security measures.
Protecting Yourself on the Internet: Safety Tips for Kids and Adults
When was the last time you updated your internet safety protocol? How often do you keep tabs on your children’s online habits? Keep these cybersecurity tips in mind as you promote cybersecurity for your entire family:
Update Your Passwords
Let Internet Safety Month serve as a helpful reminder to keep on top of your passwords. Ideally, these will be swapped at least once a year – or better yet, every few months. However, simply switching passwords on a regular basis isn’t good enough; new passcodes need to go above and beyond to reduce the risk of brute force attacks. Ideally, your updated passwords will feature random strings of characters, complete with uppercase and lowercase letters. Avoid words or phrases that are easy to guess, especially if they relate somehow to your personal life.
If your kids struggle to choose quality passwords or change them regularly, lend a helping hand by getting involved with the selection process. Show them how you choose your passwords and why you opt for more complicated options – even when they’re inconvenient. Better yet: Start using a password manager. This application stores passwords within a secure, encrypted database and can even generate the types of passwords that are the least likely to betray your personal information in the event of an attack.
Restrict Your Kids’ Activity with Parental Control Tools
It’s difficult enough to avoid cyber threats on your own – now, imagine how vulnerable your kids must be when they browse the internet. Despite their status as digital natives, children are often unaware of the range of hazards they face. While it may feel impossible to protect them from a digital sphere full of threats, you can at least limit their access to the most problematic sites and content.
Parental controls form the first line of defense by granting you much-needed oversight. Customized security solutions restrict access to specific programs and sites. Monitoring is also available so you can get a better sense of your child’s web activity – and whether any problematic trends may be emerging.
Be Cautious on Social Media
Today’s seemingly innocent social media updates can spell big trouble in the future. Most adults realize this by now, but it’s not always clear to kids and teens – many of whom still naively trust that disappearing content such as Instagram Stories will keep them safe. They may hate hearing reminders that their online behavior could come back to haunt them, but it bears repeating.
In addition to educating your kids about cautious social media use, take a close look at their privacy settings. While even strict settings will be no match for a conservative approach in which kids avoid sharing sensitive details, it helps to set all accounts to private and disable features that connect contacts.
Look Closely at Privacy Policies Before Downloading Apps
These days, we’re often perfectly willing to sign away our personal privacy in the interest of scoring a new app for free. Often, however, a brief look at the privacy policy will be enough to make us think twice before downloading. At a minimum, determine the extent to which apps can access your data. Don’t forget to take advantage of parental control features that restrict app downloads.
Use a Virtual Private Network
It’s tempting to use any available Wi-Fi hotspot, but many lack even basic security features. If you need to use these connections, avoid making any financial transactions that could jeopardize your information. Instead, opt for a virtual private network (VPN), which acts as a digital tunnel to provide a secure connection. Beware, however, as many web-savvy teens use VPNs to override restrictions placed by schools and parents.
How
For better or for worse, we spend most of our time online these days. This constant digital exposure has made us far savvier in some ways, and yet, over 60 percent of Americans admit that they’ve been victimized in cyber scams.
Internet Safety Month is almost here, and it provides a much-needed reminder of the ongoing threats we face, as well as the need to boost security measures to keep hackers and other malicious players at bay. Below, we’re discussing the meaning behind the month and how you can get a head start on cybersecurity before June arrives:
What Is Internet Safety Month? Why Does It Matter?
In 2005, the United States Senate passed a resolution designating June as National Internet Safety Month. At the time, senators saw a strong need for improving awareness surrounding common cyber threats. Since then, this month has continued to provide excellent opportunities for educating the public – especially kids and teens – about digital safety.
The nature of top cyber hazards has changed greatly since Internet Security Month was first observed, with smartphones and social media transforming how we interact online. Still, the status of the internet as a social tool has remained, and young users often overlook significant threats because they’re so eager to interact with their friends. Such issues are by no means limited based on age, as adults are also quick to give up sensitive data and slow to adopt necessary security measures.
Protecting Yourself on the Internet: Safety Tips for Kids and Adults
When was the last time you updated your internet safety protocol? How often do you keep tabs on your children’s online habits? Keep these cybersecurity tips in mind as you promote cybersecurity for your entire family:
Update Your Passwords
Let Internet Safety Month serve as a helpful reminder to keep on top of your passwords. Ideally, these will be swapped at least once a year – or better yet, every few months. However, simply switching passwords on a regular basis isn’t good enough; new passcodes need to go above and beyond to reduce the risk of brute force attacks. Ideally, your updated passwords will feature random strings of characters, complete with uppercase and lowercase letters. Avoid words or phrases that are easy to guess, especially if they relate somehow to your personal life.
If your kids struggle to choose quality passwords or change them regularly, lend a helping hand by getting involved with the selection process. Show them how you choose your passwords and why you opt for more complicated options – even when they’re inconvenient. Better yet: Start using a password manager. This application stores passwords within a secure, encrypted database and can even generate the types of passwords that are the least likely to betray your personal information in the event of an attack.
Restrict Your Kids’ Activity with Parental Control Tools
It’s difficult enough to avoid cyber threats on your own – now, imagine how vulnerable your kids must be when they browse the internet. Despite their status as digital natives, children are often unaware of the range of hazards they face. While it may feel impossible to protect them from a digital sphere full of threats, you can at least limit their access to the most problematic sites and content.
Parental controls form the first line of defense by granting you much-needed oversight. Customized security solutions restrict access to specific programs and sites. Monitoring is also available so you can get a better sense of your child’s web activity – and whether any problematic trends may be emerging.
Be Cautious on Social Media
Today’s seemingly innocent social media updates can spell big trouble in the future. Most adults realize this by now, but it’s not always clear to kids and teens – many of whom still naively trust that disappearing content such as Instagram Stories will keep them safe. They may hate hearing reminders that their online behavior could come back to haunt them, but it bears repeating.
In addition to educating your kids about cautious social media use, take a close look at their privacy settings. While even strict settings will be no match for a conservative approach in which kids avoid sharing sensitive details, it helps to set all accounts to private and disable features that connect contacts.
Look Closely at Privacy Policies Before Downloading Apps
These days, we’re often perfectly willing to sign away our personal privacy in the interest of scoring a new app for free. Often, however, a brief look at the privacy policy will be enough to make us think twice before downloading. At a minimum, determine the extent to which apps can access your data. Don’t forget to take advantage of parental control features that restrict app downloads.
Use a Virtual Private Network
It’s tempting to use any available Wi-Fi hotspot, but many lack even basic security features. If you need to use these connections, avoid making any financial transactions that could jeopardize your information. Instead, opt for a virtual private network (VPN), which acts as a digital tunnel to provide a secure connection. Beware, however, as many web-savvy teens use VPNs to override restrictions placed by schools and parents.
How NerdsToGo Can Protect You and Your Family Year-Round
Internet Safety Month provides an excellent opportunity to get up to date on the top cyber threats, but these certainly won’t go away when July arrives. Awareness is important, of course, but the best long-term solutions can be implemented by the technicians at NerdsToGo.
Our certified Nerds are happy to assist you with setting up parental controls, password management, and other solutions to protect both your digital identity and that of your children. We also offer a wide array of commercial security options to keep your business safe.
Contact us today to learn more about our child internet safety services and other residential and commercial offerings.
Can Protect You and Your Family Year-Round
Internet Safety Month provides an excellent opportunity to get up to date on the top cyber threats, but these certainly won’t go away when July arrives. Awareness is important, of course, but the best long-term solutions can be implemented by the technicians at NerdsToGo.
Our certified Nerds are happy to assist you with setting up parental controls, password management, and other solutions to protect both your digital identity and that of your children. We also offer a wide array of commercial security options to keep your business safe.
Contact us today to learn more about our child internet safety services and other residential and commercial offerings.
Can Protect You and Your Family Year-Round
Internet Safety Month provides an excellent opportunity to get up to date on the top cyber threats, but these certainly won’t go away when July arrives. Awareness is important, of course, but the best long-term solutions can be implemented by the technicians at NerdsToGo.
Our certified Nerds are happy to assist you with setting up parental controls, password management, and other solutions to protect both your digital identity and that of your children. We also offer a wide array of commercial security options to keep your business safe.
Contact us today to learn more about our child internet safety services and other residential and commercial offerings.