Online Safety

After reading the information shared in Thing 6, I feel better informed regarding online safety. The first point it made was that it can be difficult to manage various usernames and passwords so some people are guilty of using the same login details for numerous sites. This would be me.

It turns out, that my laziness is actually making it easy for me to be hacked, if one set of my login details is compromised, then the hackers will have access to every platform I use.  So, within minutes, I learned to use multiple usernames and passwords to ensure my online safety. I was reassured to read that there are online tools available to help you make sure your login details are of the highest level of safety. I plan to utilise these when I change my details. I was embarrassed once more when I discovered that people are advised against using any personal information in passwords or usernames such as partner, children or pets’ names, dates of births, favourite sports teams. Guilty, guilty and guilty! I am shocked that I have yet to have my data compromised!

I was interested in the advice given on how best to create your login details, using random words or certain letters from memorable phrases is suggested, my main worry regarding passwords was always that I might forget them so this advice seems plausible and something I will utilise from now on.

Changing passwords regularly. This is another aspect of safety that I have failed miserably with! I think I have had the same passwords for about 15 years! Well not now. Now that I am better informed, I can ensure that my online safety is up to scratch.

Regularly reviewing software and data storage options is another learning curve for me, this again is something I have never done up until now and I never really thought about it. I always jut presumed that my phone would be secure. Clearly, I was wrong. I now plan to download the recommended app and use it to enforce the safety measures on my online data.

Social media games. O dear. I am a sucker for these silly friend’s quiz’s or ‘create your celebrity’s name’ puzzles in which you happily hand over all of your personal information for no reason whatsoever and leave yourself open for all sorts of trouble. What a silly woman I have been. We really do need to think about what we are sharing.

The Wi-Fi safety video was an eye opener as well, I was completely ignorant to the fact that hackers could gain your personal information via your link to a router. I instantly panicked about every document I have ever shared and every system I have ever logged into in a public space. Luckily for me, I tend to favour using my phones hotspot over public internet so thus far I have avoided compromising myself. But this information is good to know and should be shared widely.

When working with service users, you are often inputting, reviewing or sharing sensitive information and you should be doing your upmost to ensure that this information is stored and shared safely with no chance of confidentiality breaches. Online safety should become part of mandatory training in the workplace, this does not just relate to social media. Think about what you’re sharing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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