May 27 is Children's Day in Nigeria, a day when we celebrate the joy of childhood and the responsibility that society has in caring for them. Just as we work hard to ensure that they are safe in the home and when they go out we also need to be vigilant of their online activities. Sadly,they are just as much prey to being scammed, cheated and abused online as adults. With that in mind here are some vital tips to keeping our children safe in the cybersphere:
Updates - keep operating systems, software and anti-virus up to date. Zero day exploits are uncovered daily by malicious actors and they will use them to steal your vital personal data from you and your family members given the chance.
HTTPS - Use https:// instead of http://. https:// encrypts data between your hardware and the website server. This decreases the likelihood of a third party snooping on your activities.
GPS - turn off GPS tracking on mobile devices unless using a route planning app, such as Google Maps. Kidnappers, robbers and other miscreants could potentially get access to such data and use it to grab or rob your child.
Geotagging - geotagging reveals the location of the the file in question, typically images. There are few justifiable reason to reveal the location of your loved ones, particularly children. Keep them safe by keeping their location a mystery to strangers. Turn off geotagging when taking pictures:
iOS 9 - Settings>Privacy>Location Services>Camera>Never
Android has a number of camera apps and options but for many:
Camera>Options>Location Settings>Store Location Data>Off
Games - be careful when downloading games. Check the priorities that they request. If a game needs access to your contacts, SMS, email and phone dialling capabilities then it might be malware. There has been a rash of fraudulent games uncovered of late, particularly for Android such as Viking Horde and Black Jack Free.
Oversharing - avoid giving too many details about your children on social media sites. Some parents reveal their children's birthday and place of birth for the world to see, this allows identify thieves access to data that they crave. Their privacy is an asset, treat it as such.
In all, remember to be safe and responsible online. Have a wonderful Children's Day.
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