The Basics
Don’t Give Out Personal Information
Keep your personal information private, and be careful about what information you share online. This includes sensitive information like a name, address, and phone number. Always check your privacy settings, and only share information with people and websites you know and trust.
Create Complex Passwords or Passphrases
Create passwords with a combination of letters, numbers, and symbols. Or create passphrases that you will remember, for example, "Aren't tigers awesome and number 1 in the nation?". Use two-factor authentication when available, and do not share your passwords with others.
Update Your Devices
Keeping your internet connected devices up-to-date is crucial for several reasons. Regular updates provide essential security patches. Just like locking your doors at night, updating your devices ensures protection against vulnerabilities and cyber threats. Hackers often exploit outdated software. Software isn’t perfect, and many updates address bugs, glitches, and performance issues, along with optimizations that may improve speed and battery life.
Avoid Suspicious Links & Websites
Some websites or people on social media and other platforms may try to steal your personal information by asking you to take a quiz. This quiz may try to trick you into entering personal information about yourself, family members, or financial information. Be careful and avoid links you receive that are unknown and unexpected. While shopping online, be cautious of unknown websites and avoid suspicious sites that offer great deals for items that seem too good to be true.
Free Games
Some free games have a catch: when you download the game to your device, it may capture your information in the background and infect your device.
The Ethical
Respect Others Online
Treat others the way you want to be treated. This means not posting hurtful comments, spreading rumors, or engaging in other forms of cyberbullying.
Be Aware of Your Digital Footprint
Everything you do online leaves a trace called a digital footprint. Be mindful of what you’re leaving behind, and think twice before you post something.
Be Balanced Online
Make sure you’re balancing your time between the internet and other activities, like sports or hobbies, and spending time with family and friends.
Be A Good Digital Citizen
Your online actions can have a real impact on the people around you. Be mindful of this and strive to have a positive impact on your online community.