Safer Internet Day
Safer Internet Day (SID) happens every year in February. This year it falls on 7th February 2012
This year's theme is about connecting generations with the slogan "Discover the digital world together...safely!" so you can show people like your parents/guardians or grandparents how to use the internet.
Have you ever wondered who is looking at your information online? Ever been tagged in a photo you didn't know was on the internet?
If you do one thing over the next few weeks, check how safe you are online and see who can really access your personal information. If you have moved over to the new 'timeline' on facebook - have you checked all your privacy settings are all up-to-date?
Being able to instantly upload things to social networking sites like facebook, twitter, YouTube, video blogs and iPhones, we have all turned into publishers of information, pictures and videos in a matter of minutes. But what if you don't want your information everywhere? Tagging people in pictures, like on facebook, makes it very easy to search for any person's photos online. Have you thought about who is watching your twitter conversations and tweets?
Photos, once online, stay online and can be seen by anybody, even years after they have been posted. Some people don’t realise that personal information they post stays online and it can be accessed by anyone (including parents, teachers, future employers, predators…)
Did you know?
Many employers now check their job candidates online. Personal information contained in social networking profiles can be used by individuals who aren’t very nice for purposes which may include grooming. Innocent pictures can easily be displayed in a completely different context, leading to embarrassment, or even bullying. Photos online can be cut, pasted, altered, distorted and shared.
What can you do?
Keep your privacy settings tight and think before you post.
Before posting a comment, picture or video, think about what you are posting and who could see it. Can anyone see your details if they used a search engine? Can everyone see your status updates or photos? Who might be looking at your profile? It’s never too late to tell someone if you see something online that seems weird or makes you feel uncomfortable.
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