Safety… If ever there were a topic that instantly makes you yawn, this has to be it! But in our ever-increasingly cyber-filled lives, we need to know how to protect ourselves from the nasties that are out there. The internet is something that we take for granted these days. It feels like it has always been there. How on earth did we exist before we knew the ins and outs of our acquaintance’s lives on social media? Before we could watch the latest film releases without trekking to Blockbuster? Before we could sit on our backside in front of the TV and order our weekly Tesco shop?
There is no disputing that technology has come on leaps and bounds over the years. And there is no doubting that it has enhanced our lives in ways we could have only fantasised about in our youth. But it does come at a cost. How safe do you feel when you are online? There is forever some horror story emerging about online fraud and scams, grooming, cyber bullying. It seems the online world is a dangerous and scary place that we should live in constant fear of.
But enough of the scaremongering. A fundamental part of evolution is identifying dangers and adapting our responses to protect ourselves from them. The same is true when it comes to e-safety. Of course, there are some obvious points that we are all aware of; don’t give out personal data online, don’t give your bank details to an unrecognised company (no matter how much money you have apparently won on the Nigerian national lottery!) and don’t take for granted that the male-model look-alike who is trying to friend you on Facebook is not actually a 60-year old perv.
By taking a few simple precautions and using a little bit of common sense, there is no reason why you cannot be safe when you are online. This blog is here to challenge the dangers and to help keep you protected when using the internet. You’ll find plenty of useful tips, expert advice and general guidance. Come back regularly to see the latest posts about how to guarantee you stay safe online.