Norton Encourages Online Safety in Nigeria, Gives Tips on Protecting Children

Norton, by Symantec, is encouraging individuals to manage their children’s growing online independence by educating them on the many serious dangers of the Internet, and ensuring they can surf the web knowing they are protected from the threats out in cyberspace today.

Ms. Marian Merritt, Norton’s Internet Safety Advocate of the Company made the call during conversations at the Safer Internet Day which held recently.

She said, “The increasing accessibility of the internet on mobile devices, such as tablets and smartphones, mostly amongst the younger generations across the world calls for safer and more responsible use of online technology,”

Meritt went on to mention that cyberbullying has been identified as one of the main issues of online safety which is increasingly becoming a serious concern and happens online or on mobile phones. She stressed the importance for adults to educate their children on online etiquette,

She stated that “this includes cautioning them to avoid talking to strangers or accepting friend requests from people they do not know, limiting their time allowed online or by restricting the apps they download on their mobile phones.”

In addition to this, she provided the following top 10 tips for parents and care givers for ensuring young people remain protected online:

“Don’t give out your personal information – Don’t put personal details such as your home address, telephone numbers or parent’s work address online as cybercriminals can use this information to create a fake profile with your details.

“What goes online, stays online – Use privacy settings to make sure only your friends and family can see photos you post. Avoid posting holiday plans as criminals have been known to track your movements

“Check your security and privacy settings – Make sure your social network privacy settings are secured so only your friends can see your personal information and use your privacy settings to restrict who can see your posts, videos and photos

“Password safety – Sharing your password with your parents is a sensible idea, but avoid sharing your password with your friends, even if they promise they won’t tell anyone! Also, when setting your password, make sure it isn’t something people may guess such as your pet’s name. Use a mixture of letters, numbers and upper and lower case characters

“Always protect your mobile device – Make sure your mobile phone is pin-protected so all your personal information stored on it is safe. Download a security app which allows you to remotely wipe any personal data, should your mobile be lost or stolen

“Don’t talk to strangers online or offline – Don’t meet up with strangers and let your parents know if a stranger has tried to get in contact with you online. Often people you speak to online may not be who they say they are so only share your personal details on social media sites with friends, family and people you already know in the ‘real’ world

“Listen to the adults who know – Adults will always be worried about you. Help set their mind at rest and avoid chatting online with strangers or using the internet so long you neglect your real world activities and real world friends

“Be wary of unsecured or unknown websites – When shopping online, use reputable and known retailers. Make sure any transactions you make only take place across secure web pages which you can identify from the padlock sign in your browser address bar and where the address says https

“Be careful what links you click on – Avoid clicking links in an email, Instant Message or on your social network unless you are sure the message is from someone you know. Cybercriminals have been known to hack into your friends’ email accounts and social networks to send emails or post messages claiming they are in trouble and asking you to transfer them money. Don’t believe it if it sounds suspicious or offers something unrealistic

“Make sure your security software is up to date – Security software is now available on all types of devices; mobile phones, tablets and PCs. Make sure you have the latest security software on your devices to stay protected at all times,” she advised.