The UK is developing an internet safety strategy in an attempt to secure a position as “the safest place in the world for young people to go online”.
The post Major internet safety strategy to ‘bolster online safety’ for children in the UK appeared first on WeLiveSecurity
When you got behind the wheel of a car for the first time, you probably underestimated the power of the vehicle in your hands. Most likely, you had someone teach you how to drive and educated you on the good and bad that can come of it, preaching that your chances of having a safe and enjoyable experience are best if you know the rules of the road and learn how to practice a little defensive driving.
It’s really no different when teaching kids how to navigate the Internet.
According to recent findings out of Common Sense Media, online media use is at an all-time high and when we give our children access to the Internet; be it through a smartphone, tablet, PC or any other connected device, we are really giving them access to a powerful vehicle. It’s the job of parents, educators and other influencers to teach safe and responsible Internet use.
Last year I first introduced the Smart User initiative in which AVG vowed to make meaningful strides in educating Internet users from its dangers with the right content at the right time. One year and multiple partnerships later, the Smart User mission is well on its way. While it’s everyone’s job to keep kids and those new to the Internet informed, here are some things you can do as a parent to help your child successfully and safely use the Internet.
Finally, don’t forget to continue your education on the Internet’s latest threats and risks by visiting our blog regularly at now.avg.com. For more information on #SmartUser, visit smartuser.com.
This week I noticed two news stories that brought this advice to mind.
The first involves the popular dating app Tinder, where a developer exposed a serious security flaw to trick men into flirting with each other, thinking they were talking to a woman.
I am sure you can imagine the type of messages that went back and forth and the anger when men realized that they were talking to other men looking for women.
The developer claims that he created the hack to highlight the harassment that women often face on dating apps.
The second story is rather amusing but also very serious, a convicted fraudster escaped from prison by tricking prison officers with a fake bail email.
Using a mobile phone, Neil Moore created an email account belonging to a fake domain closely resembling the court service’s official address. He then emailed the prison’s custody inbox with instructions of his release.
Authorities only noticed Moore was missing three days later when lawyers turned up to interview him. Fortunately, he later turned himself in and was charged with “escape from lawful custody” where the judge described the behavior as ‘ingenious’ criminality.
There’s a chance that you’ll think these stories are quite amusing, which of course they are, but both have different but serious consequences.
When we communicate with others online it’s important that we validate them in the same way we would in real life. We scrutinize people’s behavior and appearance to make an informed decision on trustworthiness and character.
You of course can’t look someone in the eye on the Internet, so it’s doubly important to scrutinize their credentials (email addresses, user names etc) and their behavior (what they are asking of you and what they claim).
Perhaps that’s a lesson that the folks at Her Majesty’s Prison Service could do with learning.
Follow me on twitter @tonyatavg
Safer Internet Day is fast approaching on February 10. and now is a great time to think about what we can all do to help make the Internet a safer place for everyone, especially children or those just coming online.
I am pleased to announce that AVG is a registered supporter of Safer Internet Day and that this year we will be working with the Anti Bullying Alliance in the UK to create valuable resources for young people and parents.
The Internet is an incredible tool and every one of us uses it in our own way. It is important to think about small steps that you can take to make the Internet a safer place for yourself, your friends and family.
These days, being safe online doesn’t just mean on your computer. Mobile browsing and gaming is more popular than ever and with micropayments available at the click of a button, staying safe on your mobile is a must.
Here are some great tips on how to stay safe on your Android device.
Whether you run a business or just use Facebook, Safer Internet Day is about working together to create a more secure, harmonious web for us all to enjoy.
The Safer Internet Day website has several resources that can help you get started if you are thinking of getting involved.
Here are a few ways I plan to mark Safer Internet Day 2015:
At very least, I would recommend taking the Safer Internet quiz, which has loads of great tips on staying safe online.
Organised by KidsBusiness.com.au, Bloggers Brunch is interactive event where brands can engage with bloggers and talk about the issues affecting their children.
AVG’s Michael McKinnon attended to help talk to parents about online safety and give them some great tips on how to keep their family safe.
Sadly, the hassle of managing the family technology is only going to get greater. The number of connected devices in our homes is growing rapidly. In 2013, the average home already had more than five connected devices. Homes like mine, with more than 20 devices, are driving this average up with every passing day.
As we start to realize that our families are spending so much time online, it is our responsibility as parents to ensure that they are doing so safely. Then the long to-do list of Internet safety comes into focus.
Our tablet has run out of space? Has my son set his privacy setting correctly on social media accounts? Is the security software on my own phone updated? What can I do to speed up my wife’s laptop?
As our list of devices continues to grow, so too does the to-do list of the family tech wiz.
There must be a simpler way to manage my family’s devices without having to actually track down each device every time I want to do something.
That’s why for 2015, AVG is launching AVG Protection: the one-stop solution to help me keep my family protected across all our devices—no matter how many—wherever we are.
AVG Protection brings together our best security products for all platforms: AVG Internet Security for Windows desktop, laptops and tablets; AVG AntiVirus for Android smartphones and tablets; and AVG AntiVirus for Mac under a single subscription. Add to this AVG PrivacyFix and AVG Cleaner for Mac and Android, which are free, to complete my protection, performance and privacy needs — the solution is a compelling one.
But most importantly, AVG Protection has AVG Zen to tie them all together. AVG Zen allows me to manage all of our devices from one screen, fix issues, scan machines, and enable protection remotely from my PC or my Android device when mobile. And the alerting system lets me know when something needs my attention so I can rest assured my family is safe online. The days of checking up on each of my direct family or my extended family devices one by one are over.
It couldn’t be easier to start protecting your family using AVG Protection, click here to get started.
AVG kicked off its session with an informal lunch inside one of London’s most iconic landmarks, Tower Bridge.
We were very lucky to be joined by Maddie Moate and Luke Franks who have earned thousands of fans on social media. Maddie and Luke gave a talk to the group about how you can stay safe and private while using social media.
AVG’s own Tony Anscombe then led the group in an interactive sessions to demonstrate just how much they might be sharing online without realizing. In a few simple steps it is possible to find out some very personal information about a complete stranger using nothing but a few public websites.
In his final session, Tony gave some easy to follow advice on how we can all stay safer while using social media and debunked a myth that messages sent over apps like Snapchat cannot be saved.
Two primary school children, Felix and Tom conducted an interview with our two celebrity guests. They quizzed them on everything from technology addiction to online safety. You can read the full interview here.
After a long day discussing Internet safety, here are some of the best tips raised in our session:
If you have any tips on how to stay safe on social media, let us know on our Facebook community.
