The use of the internet has grown tremendously in the recent past. Social media sites have for example become quite popular among people of different age groups. However, this increased use has come with data threats and privacy issues for both individuals and organizations. Individuals and organizations can protect themselves online through multiple precautionary measures.
The first step in ensuring online privacy is the use of unique passwords. Using a single password for all internet platforms increases the risk of hacking and unauthorized access.
Unique passwords make it hard for hackers to access individual’s online platforms such as social tools. Gaining access to one means gaining access to all, which may lead to the locking of an individual out of their entire online life (Symantec par. 2). In addition to using unique passwords, the passwords need to be optimized. Optimizing passwords makes them impossible to guess by malicious people. Password optimization can be achieved by avoiding the use of birthdays, names, or easy combinations as passwords (Marcus par.14).
The use of unique passwords is therefore the first step in online privacy protection.
The second step involves ignoring suspicious emails and links. Phishing is a general threat to people’s online privacy. Phishing is mostly done through rogue links sent in emails and messages. Opening such links can expose important passwords (Symantec par. 2). Besides, links shared by friends may also pose privacy risks by exposing an individual to phishing websites or other dangerous sites. Clicking links from only trusted websites can enhance online security.
There is, therefore, a need to ignore suspicious links sent on mail or other internet platforms to maintain online safety.
Thirdly, people should avoid providing too much information online. Usually, internet users might be required to fill certain online forms mostly by people or organizations posing as potential employers. Filling such form may lead to the entry of personal information on web results, therefore compromising online safety. This can be avoided by using a disposable email not used for professional or personal contacts (Collins par.2). This can limit access to personal information.
Online privacy can also be maintained by being cautious about what is downloaded on online platforms. Videos, music, books and software downloads can increase the risk of being tracked online. Such downloads can report an individual’s surfing habits to phishing companies or other third parties who may use the information to send unwanted emails and adverts(Collins par.4) Being cautious about programs and files downloaded on the internet can, therefore, enhance online privacy.
In conclusion, online safety can be achieved through many personal initiatives. These initiatives include the use of unique passwords on different online platforms. Additionally, it can be made by ignoring suspicious links sent via emails or on social media posts. People can also maintain their online privacy by being mindful of the information that they provide online and the content downloaded from online platforms.
Collins, Jerri. “10 Steps You Should Take To Protect Your Online Privacy”. Livewire, 2019, https://www.lifewire.com/protect-web-privacy-3901571.
Marcus, Fiona. “How To Protect Your Internet Privacy? 13 Tips For 2019”. Secure Thoughts, 2019, https://securethoughts.com/11-tips-to-protect-internet-privacy/.
Simmons, Jay. “5 Simple Steps To Protect Your Online Privacy In Social Media Platforms – Vpncrew”. Vpncrew, 2019, https://www.vpncrew.com/5-simple-steps-to-protect-your-online-privacy-in-social-media-platforms/. Accessed 9 Apr 2019.
Symantec employee. “5 Tips For Social Media Security And Privacy”. Us.Norton.Com, 2019, https://us.norton.com/internetsecurity-privacy-5-tips-for-social-media-security-and-privacy.html. Accessed 9 Apr 2019.
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