Technology is always changing. Be careful what you post, where you post, who you post about and always remember nothing online is truly private. Someone WILL always be able to see what has been posted.

Software developers are constantly updating versions of their software. This is mainly done to improve the user experience and correct previous mishaps with older versions. Making your devices, online identity, and activities more secure doesn't take much effort. Several of the following tips boil down to little more than common sense, yet they'll help keep you safer online.SafeSearch.net is a way to use Google without bad images or posts. However, there are a few bugs when I tried to use it. It’s worth thinking about the wider context of this too. Our ' Parenting through technology' article (part of the ‘Parenting in a digital age’ series) has some interesting points. Sexting Many excellent apps and settings help protect your devices and your identity, but they're only valuable if you know how to use them properly. To get the maximum protective power from these tools, you must understand their features and settings. For example, your smartphone almost certainly includes an option to find it if lost, and you may have even turned it on. But did you actively try it out, so you'll know how to use it if needed? Explore together — ask your mum, dad, carer or a trusted adult to play new games or apps with you at first. With the range of platforms and types, parents and carers need general advice, as well as guidance for specific gaming environments.

Harmful content is anything online which causes a person distress or harm. What may be harmful to one person might not be considered an issue by someone else, but we generally talk about eight types of harmful content: Have you ever heard of the term “phishing”? Phishing is the deceitful practice of sending information to people with the intention of getting their personal information. Phishing can be in two main ways. When you and your family use the internet, you are (often unknowingly) exposing yourself to a wide range of potential online threats. Digital landscapes as we know them are constantly evolving as cybercriminals devise new ways to target internet users. While grooming, predation and similar activities often cause the most concern for parents, it’s a sad fact that bullying is one of the most common issues young people will face online. Never assume another child would want to be on social media, always ask prior permission before posting.If someone you don’t know sends you a message or you receive a message that makes you feel uncomfortable or unsafe — tell your mum, dad, carer or an adult you trust straight away. Find out more. We live in a global village where communication is no longer dependent on smoke signals. The Internet enables us to communicate with magnificent ease drawing way for more people to socialize with each other. YouTube is the biggest and most widely used video service. Over 400 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube every minute, so there’s a wealth of great content that kids can access. Of course, there is also inappropriate content, and parents have a couple of options to control what children can watch.

Two-factor authentication, also known as two-step verification, is made such that logging into online accounts requires more than one access key. Many smartphones offer a four-digit PIN by default. Don't settle for that. Use biometric authentication when available, and set a strong passcode, not a stupid four-digit PIN. Remember, even when you use Touch ID or equivalent, you can still authenticate with the passcode, so it needs to be strong. Avoids the obvious – such as using sequential numbers (“1234”) or personal information that someone who knows you might guess (or that might already be online), such as your date of birth or a pet’s name. Don’t upload or share anything you wouldn’t want your parents, carers, teachers or future employers seeing. Once you post something, you lose control of it, especially if someone else screenshots or shares it. Incognito is a way to hide search history. Private searching so others cannot see what you are searching. However, just because someone is in incognito mode doesn’t mean the real “history” can’t be seen.

4. Use two-factor authentication

Setting up a time limit for using Google or using any search engine might also veer bad “driving” on this huge highway. We’ve already touched on some of the devices used for gaming, and looking more broadly at internet access, we see the dominance of the smartphone: according to Statista, over half of internet usage in the UK is via a smartphone, with the laptop in second place at about 20%. Avoid sharing personal information with strangers you meet online and be vigilant when online interactions become offline relationships. There are numerous vulnerability points when using the Internet directly to the user and indirectly to other users. This makes it important for everyone to have a good understanding of what is to be done to ensure you stay safe online.

To avoid all of these dangers, we recommend following our essential internet safety tips when you or your family are online: 1. Make sure you’re using a secure internet connection The internet might be a way to meet people but just because someone asks to be your friend, ask your parent permission first is priority! Although using public Wi-Fi is not recommended, it’s sometimes unavoidable when you are out and about. However, when you go online in a public place and use a public Wi-Ficonnection,Sadly, fake news, misinformation and disinformation are all present on the internet. It's easy to feel lost with the flood of information we're exposed to every day. If you read something you are unsure of, do your own research to establish the facts. Although many of the tips to stay safe online are the same for adults and children, they are not easy or straightforward to explain. Often, children can accidentally be a gateway for malicious actors to gain access to your digital systems. It is therefore