Tips for staying safe

Anyone can become a target for scams, cyber abuse and hacking regardless of their online behaviour. But it’s still good practice to be aware of the type and the amount of information you share about yourself online.

You’re responsible for your online presence. Remember that once you share something about yourself online, it can be difficult to remove it. The more you share online, the more information is ‘out there’ in public about you. The internet also remembers more about you than you might expect, and your social media accounts hold information about you that is available to the public and potential employers.

Here are some ways you can manage or limit the information that is linked to you online:

• Protect your personally identifiable information by using strong passwords, updating and backing up your devices, and only using secure wi-fi networks.
• Learn about your digital footprint – the trail of data created by your online activities – and check your privacy and tagging settings in the apps you use.
• Online gaming can be a great way to have fun and relax, but it’s important to take some steps to stay safe and protect your identity while you play.

It’s also important to be aware of how much time you’re spending online. Here are some ways you can monitor and reduce it:

• There’s immense pressure to share things on social media. Here are some ways to reframe and resist the expectation that you must curate a perfect life in your feed.
• If you feel like you’ve lost control of the time you are spending online, you can use these techniques to find more balance.

The eSafety website has many other helpful articles about navigating the world online, from fake news to catfishing to being out/trans/gender-diverse online.