A woman is special. She is a bundle of emotions, wisdom, love, strength, tears, courage and fear. She is at once prudent and innocent; loving and trusting; wishful and pragmatic. A woman may be erudite, brave and worldly-wise but still that inherent womanliness of hers, that quality which makes her offer her trust & love, might put her at risk, both in the real as well as in the virtual life. So, on the occasion of ’International Women’s Day‘ I have a cyber safety message for all you Ladies. You surely do keep an eye out for rowdy elements while travelling alone, but do you do so online?
Dear ladies,
Take a moment, girls, on your special day today and think about yourself, about your life. And here, I am referring to your cyber life. I know you all are net savvy, smart, independent, educated women who have control over their lives. But even the best of us can develop these “blind spots”, when we fail to take note of the implication of certain actions or words. I don’t want to advise you, but would rather that you think on these following points:
- Don’t be overconfident: OK, so you are very net savvy. You are well aware of the dangers in the cyber world and take adequate measures to protect your privacy and data. But does anyone know anything about the new friendships you have forged online, the funky groups you have joined or that cool guy you like chatting with when you feel low? Do you keep your Parents/Husband/friend informed about your whereabouts if you go to meet these online friends? THINK…
- Don’t share too much: A beautiful relationship developing today can turn sour one day. God forbid, but if this happens to you, what all private photos, mails, embarrassing videos might be in the possession of your ex-partner? Will you get them back? Can he misuse them? THINK… I have talked about this previously in my previous blog. Please go through them.
- Don’t reveal your lifestyle: There are often some sinister characters around, waiting for the opportunity to exploit your vulnerability. An envious friend, a jilted partner, a bully whom you had put in place—do you really want them to know where you plan to spend your Saturday evening; or have access to some embarrassing photos or facts about you that was posted in jest? THINK….
- Don’t share passwords: You may implicitly trust your current boyfriend, best friend or partner. What if the relationship fails or ends on a bitter note? Many girls in such position have ended up facing social media abuse and/or financial fraud. THINK…
- Don’t keep Webcams Connected: There are many apps available today to turn on the camera and slyly record you. So do you disable your camera when you don’t need it? THINK…
- Don’t allow others use your laptop/phone to download Illegal Content: You very well know what the consequences can be. Further, they can access your messages, mails, notes etc. If your device is not password protected, anyone can operate it & access all your data THINK…
- Don’t meet up with online friends without keeping people informed: What if the person turned out to be a monster in disguise? THINK….
- Don’t neglect renewal or upgrade of your security software: I know you have a lot to do through the day and the last person you think about is you. So you let your security software expire. Perhaps you do not install any software on your mobile phone. You are therefore at the mercy of crooks. THINK….
- Make use of smartphone apps to ensure your safety: there are many available in the market. Verify their authenticity and use them. Here are some great apps!
Last year, I shared some cyber safety tips for women. Read them here. If you have any queries/comments, I would be happy to hear from you. Stay safe and a Happy Women’s Day to you all!