A New Hampshire candidate for public office who was only 19 years old learned the hard way about the significance of adhering to online safety guidelines. Seacoast Online reported that his detractors dug out provocative photos and references to drug usage in his social media posts. His political career ended as quickly as it had begun. Unfortunately, he isn’t the only one whose carelessness online has put them in danger; many individuals have fallen victim to online frauds, identity theft, and even physical assault after meeting someone they thought they knew in real life. These threats are evolving and expanding rapidly as more people utilize mobile devices to access the Internet.
The prevalence of applications in people’s everyday online lives has not altered the fundamental guidelines for being safe on the Internet. Unfortunately, identity thieves are constantly on the hunt for new ways to steal money from people’s bank accounts and credit cards.
In addition to the risks associated with being exposed to potentially harmful content, there is also the risk of becoming entangled with people you would prefer to avoid if you were to make the mistake of engaging in unsafe browsing practices, such as posting embarrassing comments or photos of yourself online that are then impossible to remove.
To help you stay out of trouble when surfing the web, we’ve compiled a list of the top ten safety guidelines to follow (and offline).
1. Keep Personal Information Professional and Limited
The marital status and residential location of a job candidate are not relevant to the needs of a business or its clientele. What they really need is information about your qualifications and professional experience, as well as a means of getting in touch with you. If you wouldn’t feel comfortable sharing such information with a random person, then you shouldn’t share it with millions of others online.
