Microsoft Asks Consumers to “Do 1 Thing” To Support Safer Internet Day

In support of international Safer Internet Day (SID) and following the release of the latest results of the third annual Microsoft Computing Safer Index (MCSI), Microsoft Corporation is asking consumers to “Do 1 Thing” to stay safer online and commit to doing so on a new, interactive website it opened.

The new site allows Internet users around the world to share how they plan to avoid online risks, learn what other people are doing to help protect themselves and receive instant tips to enhance their digital lifestyle.

“The Internet touches our lives every day; we email to stay connected, share photos and videos, pay bills, and shop,” said Jacqueline Beauchere, chief online safety officer, Microsoft. “Sometimes, though, the very experiences that we love about the Internet put us at risk.”

“In Africa, this risk is growing fast”, said Marius Haman, Anti-Piracy, Legal & Corporate Affairs lawyer for Microsoft Middle East & Africa, “Sub-Saharan Africa is home to one of the world’s fastest growing internet populations, which means more and more people are accessing the internet for the first time, providing a large and unsuspecting base of targets to cybercriminals. Combine this with the lack of strong cybercrime laws and high piracy rate on the continent and its clear why we’re seeing more and more people fall victim to attacks”.

According to the MCSI survey, the annual worldwide impact of phishing and various forms of identity theft could be as high as $5 billion, with the cost of repairing damage to peoples’ online reputation higher yet at nearly $6 billion, or an estimated average of $632 per loss.

This means that education and guidance about how to avoid online risks remain key and is why Microsoft is asking people to “Do 1 Thing” today and make it part of their daily digital routine.

Of the more than 10,000 consumers surveyed, 15% said they were victims of a phishing attack, losing on average $158; 13% said their professional reputation had been compromised, costing on average $535 to repair, while another 9% said they had suffered identity theft at an average cost of $218.

In spite such losses, only 36% said they limit what strangers see on social networks and the amount of personal information online, while 33% said they adjust their social network privacy settings. And, only 33% use a PIN (personal identification number) or password to lock their mobile device.

“There are many things you can do to stay safer online. If we all do just one thing, imagine how much safer we all will be, together,” Beauchere said.

“Go to our website to share your one thing. Tell the world that you’re committed to helping keep the Internet safer and more secure. And once you do, you’ll be part of that positive change.”

 Internet users can make more informed decisions and help better protect their online activities by visiting http://www.microsoft.com/saferonline, which provides a range of hints, tips and guidance including the following:

Help guard your devices and online accounts. Use a unique four-digit PIN for mobile devices and strong passwords for online accounts;

Perform sensitive transactions over secured networks. This includes paying bills, banking or shopping. Don’t share personal account information over “borrowed” or public Wi-Fi connections;

Take charge of your online reputation. Discover what information about you is on the Internet, periodically re-evaluate it, and remove unwanted or inaccurate content to cultivate an accurate, positive reputation and

Help protect your social circles. Use privacy settings to manage the information you share and with whom you share it. Be selective about what you post and accepting friends.

Now it its third year, the MCSI survey measures the online safety behavior of almost 10,500 consumers in 20 countries.