The Internet has become an unavoidable and crucial part of our lives. No matter where you go, being connected to the internet is an absolute necessity. But with the rise of the Internet came many shortfalls, especially scams and privacy violations.
Some common safety violations of the internet include; Identity theft, Data Breaches, Malware and Viruses, Phishing and Scam Emails, Fake Websites, Online Scams, Romance Scams, Inappropriate Content, Cyberbullying and Faulty Privacy Settings.
To make people aware of safe internet practices, 6th February is annually observed as Safer Internet Day, especially for children and young people. According to their website:
“The Safer Internet Day slogan of “Together for a better internet” encourages everyone to join the movement, to participate, and to make the most of the internet’s potential to bring people together”
To observe Safer Internet Day, we will look at five practices you must follow to remain safe on the Internet.
- Don’t Share Email Addresses or Bank Details With People You Don’t Know
- Avoid Multi-Level Marketing (MLM)
- Beware of Romance Scams
- Report Hate Speech and Cyber Harassments
- Don’t Click on Unknown Links
There are times when you might be asked to share your email address. Many people share it because they think they are safe as they are not sharing their passwords. However, a mere email address can be enough to hack into your social media accounts. Sometimes, hackers even message you through fake profiles of your friends. So, if a friend asks you for an email address. It is better to contact them through other means before sending the email address.
To entice money with false promises of getting rich quicker, many influencers promote Multi-Level Marketing. However, MLM schemes are unsuccessful and can lead to financial ruin. MLMs are primarily focused on getting new members rather than selling products. This creates a structure where the people at the top benefit, while those lunging at the bottom ruin their lives. An excellent documentary by Vice exposes the scam and the dangers in the industry.
Taking advantage of lonely men and women, there are accounts on the Internet promising emotional attachments only to dupe you later. These accounts ask you to share your private photos or nudes, only to leak them to the public sphere. Sometimes, they may even get you trafficked by asking you to travel to foreign locations.
Trolls and hatemongers are rampant in today’s socio-cultural climate. Many people often send death threats and hateful vindicative comments which target a person’s gender, race, religion, caste, and sexual identity. Cyberbullying is dangerous as it can lead to long-term mental health effects. In November 2023, a queer teenager named Pranshu Yadav committed suicide due to excessive cyberbullying for his bi-sexual identity and love for makeup. If you see any hate messages or death threats in comments, it is important to report these accounts to the police.
Clicking on pop-up ads can cause undue damage to your data and security. Enticing users with relationships and money, these ads can cause viruses to be downloaded to your laptop, which will crash your entire system.
Thank you for taking the time to read this article. Make sure to share it with all your friends and family members.