How to Stay Safe Online
Our society is no stranger to theft. We keep our credit cards close and our phones even closer. But when it comes to the internet, we freely share our most valuable assets. Where exactly is that information going? If you think you know the answer, you may want to double check. Protecting your sensitive information can feel like an ongoing battle in this tech-driven world. Here’s how you can be sure to stay safe online:
Shop on Secured Websites
One letter can make all the difference when it comes to your online safety. The next time you’re indulging in a virtual shopping spree, check the URL – does it say “http” or “https”? The “s” stands for “secure” and indicates that the site you’re on has been verified. In other words, it lets users know that the site isn’t a hoax and that it is safe to provide your information. While every website should have “https” in their URL, make sure this is always the case when providing sensitive information, like your credit card, Social Security Number or any password.
Check Privacy Settings on Social Sites
You may only have 500 friends on Facebook but that doesn’t mean that the other 14 million users can’t see your posts, too. Privacy settings are always changing when it comes to social networking sites (and these companies don’t always tell you when they do). The next time you want to share a photo of you and your family online, ask yourself: who can really see this? As a precaution, check your privacy settings on a regular basis, to determine who can see your posts, view your profile and access your information.
Send Sensitive Files Securely
Documents can house everything from elementary school papers to highly classified government information. Regardless of the content, make sure you’re protecting your work by sending files securely over the internet. Services like Dropbox allow users to share files with business-grade security so that there’s no question about who’s receiving them or where they’re going. Even large companies utilize this service as it meets their privacy and security standards. Take a page from their book and protect your files, too.
Protect from the Source
Even with new technologies, internet scammers are using old tricks. To better protect yourself (and your kids) from falling victim to fraud, let the professionals step in. Internet service providers like Cox protect you from online threats so that you can keep your sensitive information safe on all devices. Better yet, Cox provides an easy way to hide content from your kids so that you don’t have them poking around on sites that they shouldn’t be seeing. Sit back, relax, and let your high speed internet provider do the work for you.
Protecting yourself on the internet starts with making smart decisions. On top of being cautious of the information you share, it’s important that you check your settings and invest in the right tools to ensure that your information is kept safe. When all is said and done, your safety is in your hands.
