It’s time to Get Safe Online

Get Safe Online cartoon

It’s Get Safe Online Week and a timely reminder to all of us to think again about how we protect our personal data and identities on the Internet.

If you’ve ever had to change a password because you realised or feared it had been compromised in some way you’re not alone. A new study shows that as many as 4 in 10 adults in the UK have had to change all their online passwords at some time to foil crooks who had stolen their identity. But many victims are too embarrassed to speak out about their experience so their stories often go untold leaving others at risk of encountering the same threats.

It’s time to take action, for yourself and your friends. If you’ve ever been a victim of viruses, email or social media hackers, fraudulent selling or online credit card fraud, please tell others about your experience. The Get Safe Online campaign call this ‘Click and Tell’ and it’s the very best way to learn from each others’ experiences. With the average successful online attack costing the victim £247, the best time to get prepared is now, before the bad guys find you.

For information on how to get safe online visit https://www.getsafeonline.org/.

This subject, and particularly the issue of safeguarding children’s safety online, is close to my heart. I continue to give talks to groups of parents of schoolchildren to help them understand the online world our children are growing up in and ensure they take steps to make it safer. To find out more about this, please get in touch.