Protecting Our Children From Online Threats #MakeITsafePH
As a mother, the welfare of my child is my primary concern. Not only do I take care of her and provide all her needs religiously, I also try my best to instill in her good manners, and everything else she needs to grow up a good person. Although she’s still very young I teach her that she shouldn’t just trust anybody because the world is full of unpleasant people. She already knows how to use the computer and goes online at times. I get scared because the internet can be a haven for criminals that prey on women and children. Online threats are present all the time and to not be victimized, one should know how to protect herself and thus avoid becoming a victim.
We hear about internet-related crimes such as identity theft, rape, child pornography, piracy, bullying, extortion, etc. many times when we watch the news or read about them in the papers. A lot of people are at risk, especially the youth. Online dating sometimes leads to rape and then extortion. So what should we do to prevent internet / digital extortion? Digital extortion or internet blackmail is targeted at revealing some aspect of the victim’s personal life, found with information the victim has stored on their computer. This information can be in the form of sensitive pictures or any other information that you wouldn’t want others to know. The extortionist may request for money, in exchange for not ruining your online stature. If you’re the target of internet extortion, here are a couple of things that you can do:
- Physically disconnect your computer from the internet. The extortionist probably has no skills to monitor the computer but it’s better to be on the side of caution.
- Install a reliable anti-virus software and run a complete virus scan. Also install a firewall.
- Change your computer, emails, social media accounts passwords and any other passwords that you may have.
- Take screenshots of the contact you’ve received from the extortionist including his email address or chat handle.
- Call the police and report the matter.
All your activities online should be considered as public information. If you’re not sure whether to trust someone with something intimate, always be careful and cautious and just keep it to yourself. Avoid storing information or data on your computer that you wouldn’t want others to see.
My fear of online threats is the reason why I’m totally supportive of Globe Telecom’s #MakeITsafePH campaign which encourages cybersecurity and cyberwellness, as well as teach consumers about the many online threats that exist and find ways to avoid becoming a victim. The campaign also teaches the public proper online behavior so that there will be no chance for these criminals to terrorize them.
