Tuesday 8^th February 2022 is safer internet day. The theme for this year is ‘Together for a better internet’ and whilst its main aim is focused on what big businesses can do to keep people safe, there are ways to make sure that you’re using the internet appropriately, and your privacy is secured. When you post something online, it’s there for good. Yes, things can be deleted, but you can’t be 100% sure that it isn’t sitting somewhere in the virtual void. Read on for some of the ways to check your internet habits.

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Be internet safe by having strong passwords

People are advised not to store their passwords on their laptop, phone etc – especially if they are using google drive for storage. Write and store them in a written notebook somewhere that can be kept safe. Also don’t be tempted to use the same passwords for different accounts.

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Be aware of what you post online and not just on Safer Internet Day

Our online profiles reflect so much of our real lives, we often forget who has access to what social page – we connect with friends and colleagues and even sometimes people we don’t know. If you share everything, there could potentially be people who could use this information against you.

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Be careful where you allow use of location services

Enabling location services on your phone can be useful occasionally but be careful who you are allowing access to your device. Unfortunately, we don’t know just how much of our information is being tracked without our knowledge. However, we can limit which information we make available.

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Pay attention to what you download

Certain files that you download may contain viruses that can effect your device and even leak some of your personal information. Avoid files that contain extensions like .exe., scr., bat, .com, or .pif.

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Safer Internet Day – Don’t be too trusting

It’s important to keep the internet as a kind space for people to share – but it contains so much anonymity that some people can take advantage of this and portray a version of themselves that is far from the truth. Be careful who you share your information with. If you agree to meet people that you’ve met online remember to let someone else know where you’re going and with who.

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Learn more about how you can get involved by visiting the Safer Internet Day website.