. #Collaborative post
How is lockdown 3 going for you?
Good? Bad? Can’t tell the difference between the other lockdowns? We’ve always been relying on digital to manage some of our activities. But, the pandemic has brought digital technology at the heart of our homes. Whether it’s work, school, or catching up with friends, your laptop is always turned on. For many families, the Internet connection is an indispensable link to the outside world. In short, the internet has turned into a lifeline and many of us around the world are making full use of the connection provided by the various broadband, fibre, and satellite internet providers out there to keep up to date with family, friends, and loved ones. It keeps you active. It supports education. It delivers entertainment to your home. It keeps you connected. And with a connection come risks. When the entire family relies on digital content, it’s important to have a conversation about digital security with your whole family.
Young children and teens
The youngest members of the family are just beginning to get to grips with the immense potential of the Internet. Social media platforms have seen a surge in new accounts from children and young teens under lockdown. Understandably, a media profile can help your child stay in touch with their friends. Unfortunately, an online profile could expose your child to digital risks. Therefore, as the youngsters in our family are becoming more active online, it’s important to talk about Internet safety. To be on the safe side, your child needs to be aware of the best practices to protect their privacy and sanity online.
Teens and savvy adults
Savvy teenagers are more likely to look for exciting content online. Torrent sites are still hugely popular, as there’s a great way of getting access to films that may not have been released in the UK yet. On the premise of being free, these sites could expose your device to cyberattacks and vulnerabilities. Rather than banning them from downloading online content, you can recommend safe sites that publish legitimate content such as Torlock. You can also recommend some essential cyber safety steps, such as checking the comments for clues on the content and running a good antivirus software solution.
Home-based workers
Unlike the office, your home may not have a safe network. The business data, such as client names and financial details, could easily be exposed by hackers if your connection isn’t secure enough. In a home-based environment, it can be helpful to learn to recognise some of the most common cyber threats, such as phishing emails and fake platforms (these are used to copy your password). You can also secure your device from unwanted intrusions and attacks with a VPN provider. It’s a good idea to compare VPNs, as some allow torrenting, which will protect your family further!
Smart household
Have you purchased new smart home gadgets since the start of the pandemic? There’s nothing more satisfying than asking Alexa to boil the kettle when you want a fresh cuppa! But a lot of smart tech devices can be easily hacked. People could use these to gain access to your property when you’re away at the end of lockdown. You may want to check your privacy settings or ensure that your IoT network doesn’t share information publicly.
The International Data Privacy Day is coming at the end of January (January, 28th). It’s the perfect excuse to kickstart your digital safety strategy at home. Discussing the risks and taking preventive measures together as a family will keep everyone safe and happy online!