Is Internet is Safe for Us: Let's Analyse this on Safer Internet Day

Sujeet kumar | Feb 11, 2025, 18:43 IST

As we celebrate Safer Internet Day, it's essential to examine the safety of the internet and its impact on our lives. The internet has revolutionized the way we communicate, access information, and conduct our daily activities. However, with its numerous benefits, the internet also poses significant risks, including cyberbullying, online harassment, data breaches, and identity theft. Safer Internet Day serves as a reminder of the ongoing effort required to make the web safe for all, particularly children.This year’s theme, ‘Together, for a better internet’, couldn’t be more relevant, especially here in Australia, where debates around digital identities, social media bans, and protecting the most vulnerable are heating up. It’s a timely reminder of our collective responsibility to make the internet safer for everyone.

We will Delve into the world of online safety, Exploring the following aspects:

Cyber threats:

Cyber Attack Threat While Increasing In Connectivity

The most prominent cyber threats include phishing attacks, ransomware, malware, social engineering, insider threats, distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks, supply chain attacks, IoT device hacking, and zero-day vulnerabilities; with a growing concern around threats fueled by artificial intelligence and escalating geopolitical tensions.

Online privacy:

Privacy Threat

In India there are Major online privacy concerns today include: data breaches, excessive data collection by companies, targeted advertising based on personal information, location tracking, third-party data sharing, social media privacy settings loopholes, phishing scams, malware, identity theft, and cyberbullying; essentially, the risk of companies and individuals accessing and using personal information without proper consent or knowledge, often leading to potential misuse and exploitation.

Digital etiquette:

Stuck In Trap Of Digital Etiquette

These are types of rules for online communication like respect others' privacy by not sharing personal information, photos, or videos that another person may not want published online. Never spam others by sending large amounts of unsolicited email. Show good sportsmanship when playing online games, whether you win or lose.

4. Safety measures: That We Should Follow While Using Internet

Internet Safety Tips

To stay safe while using the internet, you can:

Use strong passwords

: Use a mix of upper and lower case letters, numbers, and symbols. Avoid using common passwords or personal information like your date of birth.

Enable two-factor authentication

: This requires more than one way to log into an account, such as a password and a system-generated code.

Update your software

: Keep your browser, antivirus software, and firewall up to date.

Be careful with public Wi-Fi

: Avoid using public Wi-Fi if possible.

Backup your data

: Regularly back up your personal data.

Be careful what you share

: Don't overshare on social media and be careful about what you post.

Be aware of scams

: Watch out for financial scams and don't enter personal information on websites that seem suspicious.

Use a password manager

: A password manager can help you create strong passwords and store them in a secure digital vault.

Close unused accounts:

Close any accounts you don't use anymore.

Enable security features:

Enable security features on your devices and accounts.

Install a firewall:

A firewall can help protect your network and devices.

Understanding of Government Rules of Protecting from Internet Attacks:

Governent Policies on Internet

Every Citizen should have read and understand the government policies for their safety internet parameters, That Indian government's policies on internet safety usage include: implementing awareness campaigns about cyber threats, establishing a dedicated cyber crime reporting portal, strengthening cyber forensic capabilities, training law enforcement personnel on cyber crimes, and enacting laws like Section 67B of the IT Act to penalize child sexual abuse material online, all aimed at creating a safer digital landscape for citizens; particularly focusing on protecting women and children from cyber crimes.