Every day we are gradually becoming more dependent on the internet. Maybe you have started using the internet at the age of 12, maybe more or less. But if you look at the situation these days, you will see that a small kid who has not even started talking is crying to view videos on YouTube. But, are we aware of internet safety facts or e-safety rules, or are we considering cyber safety for kids? Maybe we are not that aware of internet safety rules. If so, then we should know it right now.
Internet Safety Facts & E-Safety Rules
In this article, I shall highlight some shocking internet safety facts related to both kids and adults. Then we will discuss some internet safety rules or e-safety rules. These discussions will also bring out some essential points regarding internet safety for kids.
Internet Safety Facts
Before going to the main discussion about internet or e-safety rules, I will tell you some horrific internet safety facts about children. I think these safety facts will make you understand how serious the condition is now. By measuring the state of our present children, we can think of the future and probable risks. I hope these facts will also help us to be careful about internet safety rules.
Following are the percentages of:
- Parents allow children of age 2 to use the internet: 12.5%
- Parents allow children to use the internet after the age of 10: 10%
- Parents do not check the web of children of age 14 and more: 71%
- Teenagers either hide or delete browsing history from the device: 16%
- Children (10- 17) visits Sexual Content sites: 15%
- Teens who keep their Social ID (FB) private: 62%
- Teens who keep all info open (FB): 17%
- Teens who shared nudes to someone else: 15%
- Percentage of children who reported for cyberbullying: 10%
These internet safety facts statistics were made after surveying nearly a thousand children from the age of seven to the age of 16.
Cyber Safety For Kids
Children need special care always thus the cyber safety for kids demands special e-safety rules. We, especially the parents, need to know the internet safety facts, standard safety rules, and the safety rules for kids. We will discuss some critical issues related to cyber safety for kids.
Cyber Safety for Kids: Symptoms
As parents, you are supposed to look after your kids closely. There are specific symptoms that can be possible reasons for your kids to be the subject of cyber safety. When should you especially take care of your children on this issue? Let’s see:
- If your kids are spending a noticeable time with devices that allow access to the internet.
- If you find your children turning off their devices once they step into their rooms.
- If they hesitate to show their devices if you ask for anything.
- If they keep awake at night and wake up late in the morning.
- If they keep them separated from everyone.
- If there are unknown calls that you get unusually.
- If you find unwanted gifts from an unknown person.
- If you get an unexpected bill of your phone and credit/ debit cards.
These are some common symptoms when you should think of cyber safety for kids to consider for your kids. However, as parents, there are more symptoms that you should understand as you know your child most. Anything unusual should be checked and dealt with nicely following e-safety rules. Otherwise, you and your kids will be an example of cyber safety facts.
Cyber Safety for Kids: Measures
It is a time when things are readily available, which includes both good and bad things. We must take extreme care of our children so that these bad things do not contact our children and keep them safe. Parents should do the following items:
- A family rule and e-safety rules should be set to use the internet and devices that allow internet access, and children should be taught to follow those strictly.
- Children should be taught not to share any photo public, be it a personal photo or a family photo.
- They should be taught not to provide any personal information anywhere without their parent’s attention, and parents should sometimes check whether they did so or not.
- Children must know that they must not respond to any message that contains the threat, and they should also report it to their parents.
- You must have a close look over them that whom they meet.
- They must know the danger and consequences of sharing passwords with others.
- You must remain acceptable and advise if they report any issue to you.
Cyber Safety for Kids: What Parents Should Practice
As parents, you should make some practice that will gradually become a habit for your children and regular exercise. Let’s have a look at them:
- You must spend quality tie with your children so that you get their minds and problems. It will act as a significant means of cyber safety for kids.
- You must keep the devices with internet access in a place where you can easily supervise, and they can’t hide anything within a short time.
- You should keep some websites selected which are required for your children, and you should keep them bookmarked. Your children should also learn that they can only visit those bookmarked places.
- Keep your credit and debit cards away from the kids so that they can’t go for any purchase or sharing of info.
Internet Safety Rules for all Ages
These are the standard internet safety rules that everyone should follow, irrespective of age, sex, profession, location, or anything else. These rules will help everyone avoid possible internet threats, and hopefully, none will face any cyber attack.
1. Has the Site Started with HTTPS?
We all know the meaning of https. The ‘S’ stands for secure. If you find any website that is not https, that means HTTP; then it is wise not to browse this site. If there is no option rather than using it, you must not provide any information on those sites. This because giving information about yourself may bring a problem for you in the future.
2. Think Before You Click Anywhere
A click may take you to disaster. The internet world is full of blessings. This world is also the right place for bad people to do nuisance. It is a severe internet safety fact. These evil people spread numerous floating, harmful things around the websites. Those usually look lucrative, and thus people being attracted click those.
This happy clicking brings disaster for the device or himself who clicked. Because these things carry worms, viruses, and many harmful elements like these. So you must see, observe carefully and then finally decide whether you click something which is not regular, you see. This wrong click may put you in great danger. Clicking correctly should be one of the e-safety rules.
3. Provide Least Essential Information on any Website
You must understand the extent of the information that you provide to any website. If you are using a social network and ask for your credit card information, you need to be very careful. It may happen if you have not done anything which demands money. Judge the site you are using and provide essential information.
4. Keeping Privacy Settings Strict & Updated
Almost all the websites, especially where there is a provision of making any profile with personal information, have privacy settings. These settings allow you to keep your personal information hidden from unwanted people. Other privacy settings also restrict the site from using your information in some other places.
It is one of the shocking internet safety facts that some bad people use social sites for harm. You must keep the privacy setting to the maximum restricted way. Then after a particular time, you must update the settings as privacy settings also change with time due to the innovation of bad ideas by the wrong people.
5. Investigate the Content Before You Download
Hackers and other bad people try to spread their hacking tools and viruses in many ways. One of the prevalent and secure means for hackers is to cover it with download content that people usually look for. While downloading any content, you must be sure that it is from a trusted and useful website.
Make sure you read each detail and website standard before you download anything from any website. Do not just start downloading any content by seeing its bright and attractive outlook. Those are made to attract you. Most of the time. You will find that you are getting unbelievable offers. Those are just trapped so that you download and become a victim.
6. Make an Ugly & Big Password
Compromise of the password is like losing everything. In any category of account or profile, you have to create a password that acts as your key. You must use a password that is ugly like “%$d,?Nq)”>mjiOgT@”. And it must be at least 15 characters. While selecting a password, you must make something that is unpredictable.
7. Is There any Camera While Entering Password?
It may sound funny, but if someone wants to take your ID, this is a straightforward process. If you are entering a password for an account, you must see whether any camera can see what you type. You may not find any cameras as those can be camouflaged or concealed out of your sight. Then what to do?
If you are that serious about your password and ID, you should do something to press the keys not visible from any side. You can place one hand while pressing any key with the other hand. Offices, any other hotels, or places where security cameras are present should be your concern to protect your password.
8. Never Allow Remember-Password
You have surely noticed that once you enter any password for the first time, a new window popup. It asks you to remember your password. Please do not allow it to save your password. You may do it if you have a complete personal device that is highly secure.
9. Make Your Online Purchase from a Secured and Trusted Site
Numerous websites make your life easier, allowing you to buy almost everything online. Many of us search for cheap things, and many of us search for quality things. And most of us search for affordable items and of good quality. Please ensure that you are purchasing from a trusted and secure website.
You must not compromise your security for cheap goods. Many sites are renowned and have already earned fame among the people. Be very careful as you have to provide some information about your credit card. Many dangerous things happen due to sharing credit card info on unsecured websites. It is one of the most hazardous internet safety facts.
10. Take Time Before You Publish Something
Think about Facebook. Once you publish something on your wall, there is a chance to remove it whenever you want. But, there are people out there who are very much knife and have the intention to make a stupid thing out of you. Surprisingly you will find screenshots of those if there was something that you did not want to post.
If you mistakenly post something, either any writing or photo, then it becomes hazardous. Because once someone has spotted that post and taken a screenshot, then there is no chance to remove that from the guy.
11. Use A Good Antivirus
The present world of computers, mobile, the internet, etc., is full of the threat of the virus. The web is one of the most significant ways to spread this virus from one device to another. With time the risk of the VIRUS becomes higher; unfortunately, this is one of the shocking and alarming e safety facts. So, there is no option to delete these internet safety rules from your mind.
12. Update Antivirus Regularly
Once you make a fence so that thief can’t steal coming inside, the thief also makes a ladder to cross the wall. Then you need to think about barbed wire. It is called updating the system. In the same way, new viruses are coming up, defeating the antivirus mechanism, and antivirus also updates to make that barbed wire.
So, you have to update your antivirus once an update is available. This updating should be catered for both your device and the internet. Otherwise, you will be a sufferer of many unpredictable and unexpected consequences.
13. Use the ‘Firewall e Safety Rules’ to Resist the Hackers
There are good people to shelter the unprivileged people. At the same time, some people also provide shelter and help bad people to grow stronger. Unfortunately, this is one of the shocking internet safety facts that hackers get shade from many corners. There are around thirty thousand websites that fuel the hackers.
These hackers are of different categories, some are less harmful, and some are catastrophic. However, not taking preventive measures against hackers will allow simple hackers to be prominent hackers. And the already active hacker will become a hacking don. We must follow the firewall e safety rule to stop these hackers.
Many internet security tools provide a firewall to protect your device and data from hackers. Remember that firewall acts as the main defensive wall against hackers.
14. Do Not Open Unknown Email or Attachment
Hackers or people trying to harm you will always try to find out the means for accomplishing your mission. It is still easier for them if they can install a program on your device. To do this, they need to send that program to you. Email is a straightforward way to apply this. Thereby you must remain careful before opening any email or attachment.
15. Control Your Kids; They May Do What You Don’t Want
Kids either naughty or calm may do something which you never want to happen. Keeping your desktop open and unattended is risky if there is any kid. Kids may click anything without understanding, and that may bring disaster for you. So you must control your kids and keep an eye on them.
E Safety Rules for Any Company or Organization
So far, I have covered the internet safety rules, which are applicable for all. Now I shall provide e safety rules for any company where many people are working, and a single mistake may cause massive damage. All the laws which I have already discussed are applicable for all the persons of a company. Besides the following rules to be followed:
1. Know All the Safety Related Issues
If you are the owner of any company or enterprise, it is the first point. At first, you need to know all the safety-related issues before you expect to see your employees know. You should know what may happen and what are the internet safety facts. You must be a master of internet safety rules before everyone.
2. Train Your Members About e Safety Rules
When you know everything about e safety rules, then it is the turn to teach and train your employees about it. You must ensure that all members who are dealing online have adequate training and knowledge on internet safety rules. They should also see the internet safety facts to make them serious about the training.
3. Company Documents on Cloud Network
All companies have enemies who will always try to destroy the image to gain their interest. All company information and documents are essential to keep secret for a company. If the materials are uploaded in some ordinary places like drives, then there is a very high possibility of losing or facing a cyber attack.
The company may have cloud computing. The company must follow all the security aspects of cloud computing, and they must continue cloud computing once they know the advantages and disadvantages of cloud computing. It should be strict rules for the company to keep company documents only on allowed network and devices.
4. Allow Only Authorized Devices
Your device and your employees’ devices are traveling many paces over the internet. This browsing may bring unwanted and harmful things you will never want to incorporate into your company network. So, you must not allow your employees to use any devices which are not authorized.
Unauthorized devices may contain some program given by your enemy, which may activate once you come online. So you must not allow any device which has the touch with outside. It is one of the fundamental e safety rules.
5. No Installation of any Software without Permission
Designs of some software are such that it extracts all the information inside any device. Then it sends everything to a preset, adds, or uploads in any place automatically. This software is designed to destroy or harm any company or personnel. People may do it for your company as well. So, you must not allow anyone from your company to install any software or anything without prior permission.
6. No Response to Unknown
Official jobs to be done through formal means. So, if you are getting any message about your office or company other than the usual channel, consider it seriously. None is supposed to discuss anything about the company in personal mail address or social media unless permitted.
If an unknown person is sending any text or mail, you must not respond to that. Without any hesitation, these things have to be reported to the authority. If an unknown wants to talk or contact, he has to be told to proceed through conventional means. Messages from unknown person received in official mail should which was not expected should be justified by the authority before opening.
7. Get Support Only from Authorized Sources
Sometimes you may find some difficulties which you can’t solve, and you need the help of others. You might feel shy to take the support of your authority, but taking support from outsiders may bring disaster for you and your company. Many companies suffered from incidents like this. It is one of the dangerous internet safety facts.
8. Report Issues and Do Nothing with Confusion
During work, there will be many unusual things that will pop up at any time. People generally do not report these things, either being not severe or feeling shy and finally take action with confusion. Everyone must report to their higher authority if they find anything unusual and not take any action with complexity.
9. Necessary Training for Both Newbie & Old Employee
Internet safety rules or e safety rules are not something which is known by all. So, after any recruitment, the company must inform all the internet safety facts and teach all e safety rules. Again, there should be a refreshing program where everyone will be revised to refresh his memory about these rules. It will keep people alert always.
10. Remain Updated about Changing Safety Rules
Each day new things are coming up, and further incidents are happening. If you are running a company, then you must keep your eyes and ears open. It is to know what exactly is going on and the new threats so that you can remain alert and take action accordingly. You must convey this information to your people as well to keep them alert.
The way you upgrade your defense mechanism, your counterpart prepares further imported means to gain his goal. So, improving the security mechanism is one of the vital internet safety rules. You must keep pace with time and improve your system in the same manner. At the same time, everyone must know about the change.
Final Thoughts
Internet is an essential thing in our life. We can not stop using it; instead, we have to think of improving it with time. But, to keep our children, our future, and keep all of us safe from internet hazards, we must follow e safety rules. We should follow the rules of cyber safety for kids. Knowing all the internet safety facts are also essential.
If you have any better idea and suggestion, please share with us. Share this article if you found it useful so that everybody becomes aware of these essential things, and we get a safe internet.
