ARTICLE CONTENTSOn this page 6 sections
Online Privacy and Security
Performance Objectives
By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:
- discuss the importance of privacy;
- describe security practices to protect privacy.
Meaning of Online Privacy
Online privacy is the protection of personal information and data from unauthorized access, collection and use while using the internet.
Whenever individuals use the internet to study, play games, or communicate, they leave digital footprints. Protecting these footprints ensures that personal details do not fall into the wrong hands.
Importance of Privacy
Maintaining privacy online is essential for safety and security in the digital world. The internet is a vast network, and information shared publicly can be accessed by anyone, including malicious actors.
The importance of online privacy includes:
- Protecting Personal Identity: Keeping personal details private prevents identity theft, which occurs when unauthorized individuals use another person’s name, photos, or details to commit fraud.
- Ensuring Personal Safety: Sharing physical locations, school names, home addresses, or daily routines can allow strangers to track individuals in the real world.
- Preventing Financial Loss: Protecting sensitive details like bank account numbers, passwords, and payment card information prevents cybercriminals from stealing money.
- Avoiding Cyberbullying and Harassment: Controlling who can view profiles and send messages reduces the risk of receiving abusive or unwanted communications.
- Maintaining Digital Reputation: Information posted online can remain there permanently. Restricting access to private photos and thoughts ensures that future opportunities, such as school admissions or employment, are not negatively affected.
Security Practices to Protect Privacy
Security practices are specific actions and habits that individuals adopt to safeguard their personal information and maintain safety while using digital devices and the internet.
Using Strong Passwords and Changing Them Regularly
A password is a secret combination of characters used to verify the identity of a user before granting access to an account or device.
A strong password acts as a lock on a digital door. If a password is weak, unauthorized users can easily guess it and gain access to private accounts.
Characteristics of a strong password include:
- Length: It should contain at least eight to twelve characters. Longer passwords are much harder for computer programs to crack.
- Complexity: It should include a mix of uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters or symbols such as @, #, $, or *.
- Unpredictability: It should avoid easily guessed personal information, such as names, birthdates, phone numbers, or pet names.
- Uniqueness: It should not contain common words or sequential patterns, such as “123456” or “password”.
The table below shows examples of weak passwords and how they can be improved into strong passwords:
| Weak Password | Reason for Weakness | Strong Password Alternative | Reason for Strength |
|---|---|---|---|
| chidi123 | Uses a common name and sequential numbers. Easy to guess. | Ch!d1_98#7 | Uses uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and special symbols. |
| password | Extremely common word. Easily cracked by automated tools. | P@$$w0rd_Secur3 | Replaces letters with symbols and extends the length. |
| 2010birth | Contains a birth year and a common word. | B!rth_2010*Day | Combines symbols, uppercase letters, and non-sequential structures. |
In addition to creating strong passwords, passwords should be changed regularly, such as every three to six months. Regular changes ensure that even if a password is leaked without the user’s knowledge, the window of opportunity for unauthorized access is limited. Furthermore, the same password should never be reused across multiple accounts.
Understanding Privacy Settings on Social Media and Other Platforms
Privacy settings are controls provided by social media networks, gaming platforms, and mobile applications that allow users to manage who can view their information and interact with them.
Many platforms default to public settings, which means anyone on the internet can see the user’s posts, photos, and personal details. Adjusting these settings is a critical step in protecting online privacy.
Important privacy settings to configure include:
- Account Visibility: Changing the account status from “Public” to “Private” so that only approved friends or family members can view posts and profile details.
- Contact Restrictions: Limiting who can send friend requests, follow requests, or direct messages to “Friends Only” rather than “Everyone”.
- Location Sharing: Disabling location services or GPS tracking within apps to prevent the platform from broadcasting the user’s physical location.
- Searchability: Blocking search engines from linking the user’s social media profile to public search results.
- Tagging and Mentions: Requiring approval before photos or posts tagged with the user’s name appear on their profile.
Recognizing Phishing Scams and Malicious Links
Phishing is a deceptive method used by cybercriminals to trick individuals into revealing sensitive information, such as usernames, passwords, or bank details, by pretending to be a trustworthy organization.
A malicious link is a harmful web address designed to download dangerous software, known as malware, onto a device or direct the user to a fake website that steals information.
Phishing scams often arrive through emails, text messages, or direct messages on social media. Recognizing these threats is vital to preventing security breaches.
Common signs of phishing scams and malicious links include:
- Urgent or Threatening Language: Messages that demand immediate action, such as claiming an account will be permanently closed unless a link is clicked immediately.
- Suspicious Sender Addresses: Email addresses that look similar to official ones but contain slight variations, misspellings, or unusual domain names (for example, support@paypa1-security.com instead of support@paypal.com).
- Generic Greetings: Using generic terms like “Dear Customer” or “Dear User” instead of the actual name of the account holder.
- Spelling and Grammatical Errors: Official communications from reputable organizations rarely contain obvious spelling mistakes or poor grammar.
- Mismatched Web Addresses: Links that display one destination text but actually point to a different, suspicious website when hovered over with a mouse pointer.
- Unbelievable Offers: Messages promising free money, expensive prizes, or lottery wins that require clicking a link to claim.
Observe the diagram below to understand the common red flags in a phishing email.
The procedure for handling suspected phishing messages involves the following steps:
- Do not click on any links or download any attachments in the message.
- Do not reply to the sender or provide any personal information.
- Verify the claim independently by visiting the official website of the organization directly through a browser, rather than using the links provided in the message.
- Report the message as spam or phishing using the built-in tools of the email or messaging platform.
- Delete the message from the device.
Summary of Security Practices
The table below summarizes the key security practices and how they protect online privacy:
| Security Practice | How It Protects Privacy |
|---|---|
| Using strong, unique passwords | Prevents unauthorized users from guessing credentials and accessing accounts. |
| Changing passwords regularly | Limits the duration of unauthorized access if a password is compromised. |
| Configuring privacy settings | Restricts access to personal profiles, posts, and location data to trusted individuals. |
| Identifying phishing and malicious links | Prevents cybercriminals from stealing login credentials or installing harmful software. |
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