Today internet has become an important part of each one of our lives. Digital technology is growing at a fast pace. From making money online to entertainment and shopping, the internet has given so much comfort, convenience, and innovation to users. But, at the same time, it has given birth to some negative components in society like cyber-crime, cyber- bullying, cyber-harassment, etc. There’s when the safer internet day came into existence in the year 2012 when the United States of America recognised the importance of safer internet by granting official recognition to it. The day is celebrated each year on 8th February around the whole world. The day is celebrated to promote the positive use of the internet and digital technology for children as well as for young and older people.
What is the Internet?
The internet is a global network of billions of computers and other electronic devices. With the internet, it’s possible to access almost any information, communicate with anyone else in the world, and do much more
– GCF Global
Importance of Internet Safety
In the last decade, the cases for cybercrimes, cyber-bullying, etc. were rapidly increased. Till now, 45% of the world population has experienced some sort of cyber-harassment. This is why the importance of a safe and secure internet for every individual or organization is necessary.
According to Wikipedia, Internet safety or online safety is trying to be safe on the internet and is the act of maximising a user’s awareness of personal safety and security risks to private information and property associated with using the internet, and the self-protection from computer crimes.
In short, online safety means the act of staying safe online. Being safe here means protecting yourself and others from all the harms and risks present online. Safer internet day is working towards raising awareness and promoting internet safety across the globe. The slogan of this day, this year is “Together for a better internet”.
Tips to secure yourself on the Internet
1. Use strong passwords – You should use smart and complex passwords for your various accounts on different platforms. The passwords should be a combination of lowercase and uppercase letters, numbers, and symbols.
2. Use verified and trusted applications – Downloading trusted applications from verified sources like the app store and play store is safe than downloading apps from unrecognized platforms.
3. Use Anti-virus software in your system – Try to use antivirus software in your device to make your device virus and online violations free.
4. Use privacy features on various applications – Every verified and trusted application have some unique privacy features to protect your personal information from threats present online. For example- Facebook has a “Lock my profile” feature, Instagram has “2-factor authentication”, What’s app has “end to end encryption” and
turns off the “live location” feature. Multiple apps provide privacy features to their users for secure use.
5. Protect your financial information – Be careful while entering your credit/debit card information online. Avoid entering your financial information at unauthorized platforms because storing your information on these sites can be easier to access by hackers.
6. Avoid using public wifi – Avoid using unsecured wifi, try using a VPN (Virtual Private Network) rather than an unsecured connection.
‘Together for a better internet’.
With that in mind, we thought it might be a good time to explore what online safety is and why it’s more important now than it has ever been.
– National online safety