The internet has become an essential part of everyone’s life—from searching for the latest news and trends to communicating with our loved ones across the globe. Hence, great power really comes with great responsibilities. With the wide range that the Internet can reach, it is important for us, netizens, to know the weight of risks and compromises that comes with it.
In celebration of #SafeInternetDay, Google Philippines shared some tips and Google features we can use to keep ourselves and our families safe online.
Use strong passwords
We are encouraged to have a stronger password whenever we sign up for an account to prevent hackers from getting into our personal space.
Passwords truly do matter and it is vital to secure our accounts. With Google Password Manager, it helps us create unique passwords that are hard to crack, store them all for you instead of you writing them down, and alert you if your credentials have been compromised by a breach and if you are entering them into malicious websites.
Make sure you’re going to legit sites
Now that hackers and scammers already reached our personal data including email addresses and contact numbers, it is encouraged to be mindful be alert whenever we encounter suspicious emails, texts, or phone calls from sources pretending to be from your bank, stores we frequently visit, or even a friend, as these can contain phishing links that aim to steal your sensitive data and information.
While URLs and HTTPS are a great indicator of whether the website you’re visiting is legit, it’s always best to avoid directly clicking on a link. Instead, type in the URL that you wanted to check. If you do click a link, explore it first if it is a safe site to visit, as sometimes this can indicate it’s going to take you to a malicious site instead.
For a safer internet browsing experience, it’s ideal to use Google Chrome and always ensure there is a grey locked icon in the URL field, which will indicate a secure connection. Also make sure the sites you visit include HTTPS, which confirms your browser or app is securely connected to the website you’re visiting.
Today, over 5 billion devices are automatically protected by Safe Browsing technology.
Get extra protection with 2-step verification
You can take a Security Checkup which is a step-by-step process for addressing personalized security recommendations, including enrolling in 2-step verification for an extra layer of security at sign-in, setting up your account in the event you need to recover it, managing risky apps, and more. A simple step helps strengthen your Google Account security.
Be in control of your online privacy
Keeping your activity private is one of the most important things you can do as an internet user. Google can easily help you set up your privacy settings on your Google account through the Privacy Checkup feature. It will help you in making sure your online activity and data are well-protected from anyone you don’t want to see it. This also goes a long way in controlling and personalizing the online ads and content you see as you browse, which you can set and customize in My Ad Center as well.
Protect your devices
Our devices are connected to so many things, so securing them is essential. Make sure you’re applying security updates and patches and not ignoring those notifications, they’re crucial to closing open doors to attackers that vulnerabilities open up. When installing apps, ensure they’re from trusted sources. Again, unique passcodes are key. Don’t reuse codes across your devices, because in the event one gets accessed, they all could be.
To know more about how you can be safer online and in using the Internet, you may visit safety.google.