Having the world at our fingertips in the form of Internet has its pros and cons. While you get access to an unlimited store of information, you also put your own privacy and data at risk. There are thousands of malicious computer viruses that can invade your computer system and steal your data, if you do not have an antivirus software program installed. Here are some Internet safety tips for parents and children, that will protect your privacy and data.
Thou Shalt Not Share Personal Information
One of the prime Internet safety tips for children and adults is about sharing personal information. Do not share your name, address, social security number, phone number and other such personal details on the Internet. You don't know how this information will be used by third parties. Hence it is best that you withhold such information.
Thou Shalt Avoid Talking to Strangers
Children are advised to be suspicious of any strangers that they meet in chat rooms and social networking sites. Avoid talking to strangers and do not give out any personal details if you do. You don't know what are the intentions of a person at the other end of the line. Would you give out any personal information to a man you meet on the street? Similarly, avoid talking to strangers on the Internet. Check out some Internet safety facts.
Thou Shalt Avoid Sharing Pictures
Never share your pictures and home videos on any public forums or website on the Internet. These pictures can be used for nefarious purposes. So, do not share your personal photos or videos on any portal on the Internet.
Thou Shalt Not Share Financial Information
Do not divulge any financial information on the Internet like bank account numbers, credit card numbers and other such information. Do not believe in any mails that you get, offering you with a surprise lottery amount or any such financial reward. If you go ahead with such offers, you are bound to fall for some of the popular Internet scams. Please do not go ahead with any financial transaction on the Internet, before you are sure about the authenticity of the website. This is one of the prime Internet safety tips for adults.
Thou Shalt Avoid Sharing Login Name & Passwords
Under no circumstances should you share your passwords related to your email accounts and online bank account transactions. Otherwise, if you do, there are chances that your account will get hacked, leading to dangerous consequences.
Thou Shalt Not Download Stuff Without Permission
Children are advised to avoid downloading any stuff on the Internet without taking permission from their parents and elders. This is one of the prime Internet safety rules that children should follow.These programs may contain malicious viruses which may crash your computer system entirely. Check out five tips for Internet safety.
Thou Shalt Install Parental Control Filters
One of the important safety tips for parents is to install a parental control software, or change web browser settings, so that children are protected from obscene and pornographic material that is rampant on the Internet. This is very important for your child's safety and mental health.
Thou Shalt Not Violate Copyrights
Do not download pirated music or movies via Internet. This will be considered as a violation of copyrighted material for which you could be prosecuted. Your Internet service provider closely monitors illegal P2P downloads which can be reported to the authorities. So you are advised to be careful.
Thou Shalt Not Misuse Internet Resources
Do not take advantage of the access to personal information that social networking sites like Facebook provide you with. Hacking an email account is a punishable offense and do not indulge in such nefarious activities.
Thou Shalt Get an Antivirus Software Installed
It is very important that you safeguard your PC from attack of malicious software that may get downloaded from the Internet. See to it that you get an antivirus software that has special Internet security features.
By: Gray Pilgrim
