Back To School Online Safety Tips + Video

In between back-to-school shopping, end of summer activities, and gearing up for yet another school year, it’s important to talk to your kids (no matter what age!) about being safe online.

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Over the summer, warm weather, vacations, camp, and playdates keep kids busy (and offline), but the school year means that the Internet will yet again play a major role in their lives as they do homework, study, and do research for school projects. And, the more time they spend online, the more vulnerable they are to being preyed upon by cybercriminals.

To ensure that your kids are well-prepared for a safe and productive school year, use these guidelines below to discuss smart online practices. Then, watch the “Online Safety Tip” video with them — it covers some important topics, too!

1. Don’t Talk To Strangers Online.

This may seem like a given, but many kids view the Internet as a safe, protected place. And, because of that, they can often over-share personal data like their name, age, address or passwords. Teach your kids the importance of staying vigilant even when online, and you’ll protect not only them, but your whole family, from malicious threats.

2. Don’t Post Anything You Wouldn’t Want Your Parents & Teachers To See.

A great rule of thumb is to teach your kids not to post or share anything online that they wouldn’t feel comfortable with you or their teachers seeing. Even if they think they are sharing something in a private, closed forum, you never know who might “share” it, and who may end up seeing it in the end!

3. Use Long & Strong Passwords.

Inform your kids about the importance of using long, strong passwords for all their accounts. A hacker can crack a 6 letter, all lower case password in mere minutes. Instead, encourage them to use passwords that are 8+ characters long and include a combination of upper and lower case, numbers and symbols.

4. Monitor Online Conversations.

It’s essential to keep tabs on your kids’ online conversations via IM, email and social media. For this, you can use parental control software and also talk to your kids about appropriate vs. inappropriate online discussions. A sit-down family chat around the dinner table will do wonders!

5. Make Sure All Devices Have Security Measures In Place.

Kids access the internet in a variety of ways and at a variety of locations. That’s why it’s vital to consider putting safety precautions in place that will protect them in as many instances as possible. Install antivirus software with a strong firewall, and consider using a VPN to further protect your data and identity from cybercriminals.

Online Safety Tips: Send Kids Back-To-School With Cyber-Security

For more info about using a VPN to protect you and your children, check out GhostPath’s services HERE.

Should The Internet Be Free & Open? The Net Neutrality Debate

Screen Shot 2014-05-07 at 3.36.07 PMIn case you’re unfamiliar, let’s get you up to speed. 

Net Neutrality is the notion that the Internet should be “open” so that all users can access any content they please and use any applications without limitations and without being charged by internet service providers (ISP) based on the variety of content or quantity of bandwidth used.

What exactly is this debate about then?

Well, recently the Appeals Court ruled that the Open Internet Order’s rules are no longer valid.  And, these rules prohibited ISPs from blocking specific sites and charging for more bandwidth (i.e. faster connection).

With this ruling, ISPs are now allowed to block sites, limit, tier and give preferential treatment to those who are willing to pay for better, faster connections and more access.

Prior to this decision the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) enforced “Net Neutrality”, which meant users and consumers could consume the content of their choice in a fair manner.  Now, competition is the governing force, not regulation.

So, what does that mean?

It means that big companies that can afford it (think Netflix, Google, Facebook, etc.) will easily be able to pay for fast connections, whereas new start-ups will not.  Plus, users will be subject to slower connections for sites and applications that refuse to pay for faster connectivity.

Also, without Net Neutrality regulations, ISPs could give preferential treatment to a search engine (for example) that they signed a contract deal with, and then that ISP could incentivize customers to use that particular search engine by charging users more to use others.

You decide…

Should the Internet be free and open?  Or should vendors pay for the bandwidth they’re using?

Have something to say?

The FCC is collecting public comments to help them develop their new set of guidelines.  Click here to voice your opinion!