The internet is a wonderful place for learning, entertainment, and staying connected for everyone in your home. Every time you begin to browse, you do face the risk of cyber threats though and it isn’t something to be ignored. Face the hackers head-on to protect you from any online scams.
There is no denying how many lives are positively impacted by being connected, but if you’re not doing it safely then you are increasing the chance of you and your family falling victim to a cybercrime.
Adding parental controls
Securing your computer is about more than protecting personal information. You need to be confident that your children are browsing safely. Parental controls are easy to set up and they can prevent your children from visiting websites that can put them at risk or make them vulnerable to scams. It doesn’t matter if you’re a Windows or Mac user, both of them have built-in features that allow you to activate these simply.
Consider creating an individual account for each family member, adding specific restrictions to the child’s accounts. This is where you can block sites with harmful content, adult sites or social media platforms. Something so simple yet will give you total peace of mind while teaching your children the necessity of responsible internet use.
Online scams and phishing
Scammers are becoming increasingly sophisticated, targeting users through emails, fake websites, and even social media. This is something some adults struggle to spot, meaning that young children are even more vulnerable when they’re browsing.
Phishing scams are a major threat. These fraudulent attempts to steal sensitive information, like usernames, passwords, and bank details to use to their advantage. What may look like a legitimate communication from a trusted organisation could be a hoax, luring you in to use the information you share with them for unlawful purposes.
An email may appear to be from your bank asking you to verify your account details, but in reality, it’s designed to steal your data. Falling victim to this causes many problems so avoid this by always double-checking URLs and be cautious about clicking links or downloading attachments when they’re from unknown senders, or if they just look a little ‘off’.
The power of a strong password
You can protect your online identity by using strong, unique passwords. Choosing one that combines upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters is harder to guess and can significantly reduce the risk of someone gaining access to your accounts. You should practice this yourself and advise everyone in the family to do the same thing.
The key is variety. Never use the same password across multiple sites – it’s one way to make life easier for cybercriminals. However, memorising a different login for each website or platform is a challenge, and that’s understandable. This is where a password manager comes in handy though. It will securely store and organise your logins in the same place, making it easier to access them without having to remember every detail, especially when your password looks something like ‘ua)nK`Qa`@77’.
By setting up parental controls, being aware of online scams, and using strong passwords you’ll be well on your way to securing your shared computer and protecting your loved one. The internet may never be risk-free, but with the right precautions, you can dramatically reduce the threats your family faces while you all browse.
Post in collaboration
Follow me on Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter
