It’s summertime and the 92nd Meridian Dairy Days is here! That means it’s time to break out the sunscreen, put on your walking shoes, and remind your family how to be safe online.
School is out so there’s more time to be outdoors and on the internet. Beyond being the proud host of this year’s Dairy Days, we know a thing or two about fast internet and staying safe online.
Just like you put on safety gear before heading on an outdoor adventure, prepare yourself to be online this summer with these quick and easy online safety tips:
1. Use good passwords! Passwords are like keys—you want them to be strong, kept in a safe place, and never used for different locks. Make your passwords long and don’t share them—especially your email. Remember: if a stranger gets into your email, they can request new passwords for any account tied to that address.
2. Turn off geotagging on mobile devices. Using location services and “checking in” on social media can pose both safety and privacy risks. Geotagging shares where you are with anyone who sees a post on social media, and also implies where you’re not—home. Advertising a home is sitting empty could make it an easy mark for criminals.
3. Don’t share personal information. Whether it is in a post, over private message, or via a live chat during a game, never share your address, Social Security number, account information, and passwords.
4. Watch out for “free” stuff. Malware can hide in games, ring tones, and other freebies. Only download from trusted sources and be sure to scan any downloads using security software to be sure.
5. Never be phished. Regardless of how old you are, scammers send fake texts, emails, instant messages, or pop-up messages, trying to phish for personal or financial information. Often these attempts include links or attachments, too. Be skeptical of unsolicited emails and don’t share information, click on links, or open attachments (the latter two could lead to malware!).
One more bonus tip: Don’t do anything online you can’t tell your grandmother about. The internet is forever so don’t share photos or comments you couldn’t share with your grandmother!
For more information about TDS’ fiber services, visit TDSFiber.com. For more summer online safety tips, visit the FTC’s Protecting Kids Online webpage.
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