Staying Safe Online

[AeonOracle]

While the Internet is a fun, informative and educational experience for all users, there are some people who are intent on ruining that experience. There are many hazards people face, such as malicious software, identity fraud, cyberbullying and potentially offensive content. Here are the following tips that can help you stay safe in the World Wide Web:
- Never reveal any personal information to anyone - this ranges from name, address and telephone number, to sensitive information such as bank details. Some Internet users try to collect sensitive data with intent to commit organised crime, so keeping your confidential information secret from all users will help protect you against identity theft and organised crime.
- If registering in the Integrated Resource Forum, or any other forum, we advise using a gender-neutral username for your account. If a forum requires you to provide your date of birth or other personal information, we recommend that you hide your personal information, if a setting which allows you to do so is available.
- If using social networking sites, be careful when putting content on your page because as your page is in the public domain, you could risk putting yourself in trouble if you add friends to your buddies list or post inappropriate content on your page. Also, find out what measures are in place to tackle abusive remarks and bullying, and how complaints are dealt with before registering yourself on a social networking site, ideally using a gender-neutral nickname if possible.
- If using chat rooms, make sure you use a gender-neutral nickname to prevent people from finding your contact details, and never reveal personal information to anyone. Don't arrange a meeting with someone you are talking to online; because you are effectively talking to complete strangers, people may not be who they say they are. If considering a meeting with someone you have met over the Internet, always discuss this with your parents first; if they agree to the meeting, make sure that the planned meeting will take place during the day, and in a public place. Always ensure you are accompanied by a responsible parent or guardian before you go to the meeting.
- Make sure you have security software such as antivirus, internet security, or all-round security software installed on your computer, and that it is kept up to date. If your security software has a setting that lets you change how often it looks for updates, I would strongly recommend setting it so that the software will update itself as frequently as possible.

For more information, the following websites that offer essential information on staying safe online and other topics are;
- Directgov
- Get Safe Online
- Thinkuknow
- Stay Safe Online