Nowadays, we can hardly do anything without surfing the internet to access some vital information. This highlights the essence of the internet, as well as our increased reliance on this awesome technology. However, despite the importance of the World Wide Web to us, it is crucial to acknowledge the fact that surfing the internet can be risky. This is because it exposes us to various cybercrimes that can hamper our online and offline experiences in different ways.
Well, we cannot stop enjoying the benefits of the internet because of these challenges. So, what we can do is to learn about how to use this technology without exposing ourselves to certain problems. Let’s check out this detailed guide that explains 7 ways for safe surfing.
1. Always secure your personal information
As you use the internet, you are likely going to come across various websites that will request your personal information. Nevertheless, before dropping your personal information, ask yourself whether it is worth it or not.
You must be wary of submitting your home address, personal relationships, bank details, or any other personal information. Don’t let the assumed anonymity of your online presence fool you. Therefore, when you are online, you should treat your personal information like you would do offline.
2. Only purchase items from secure sites
Since e-commerce has become a common avenue for most individuals to shop for different products and services, it is not strange to provide bank or credit card information online. However, cybercriminals are lurking around the internet and, as such, they may get the information. You don’t have to run away from shopping online, but you should make sure that you only make purchases on secure websites.
To be certain that a website is secure, look at its address. If it starts with https instead of http, the website is secure. Notably, the “s” refers to secure. Also, if you can see a padlock icon around the address bar, the site is secure.
3. Think deeply about what you want to post online
As they say, the internet never forgets. Even after you have deleted the original post, others might have made copies of it and you cannot delete these copies. So, before posting any remark, picture, etc., you should think about whether you would want others to see it or not. Ask yourself whether it could have any negative impact on you now or in the future.
4. Always switch on your privacy settings
Hackers, marketers and other individuals want to learn so much about you through your social media and browsing history. With the help of an IP location API, they can know the details of your city, country, latitude, longitude, current time, and lots more.
Fortunately, you can limit the information that they can access by using your privacy settings. Facebook and many other sites have privacy settings that can give you an extra layer of protection from harmful activities. So, if there is a site you use regularly, look for its privacy settings, and keep them on.
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