By Shea Eckert

Since the world wide web was first invented in 1990, the world has had growing, high-speed access to information on any topic one can imagine. People across the globe have become more reliant on the internet for everyday tasks such as driving navigation, communication and shopping.

Since our business is so tied to online activity, today is an important day for the entire TLC Marketing Consultants team to share some info about keeping you and yours safe online. Today, Feb. 8, is Safer Internet Day and is observed annually to raise awareness of safety precautions that should be taken when using the internet.

Why is Safer Internet Day Important?

Observing Safer Internet Day has vital importance to frequent internet users as it teaches them further about the world wide web and its capabilities. The internet is constantly evolving with new technology inventions and new website creations; more information becomes accessible each second. Safer Internet Day reminds us that not all new technology is good technology; there is a dark side to the worldwide web.

Safer Internet Day encourages users to navigate the internet in the safest way possible – by protecting the information they put out there and having responsible internet habits.

Here are some of the safety basics:

  • Put as little personal information out there as possible & choose the highest level of security settings on all phones, computers, social media pages and more
  • Choose Strong passwords & be careful what you download – make sure you have an antivirus on your computer
  • Make sure your internet connection is secure & only make online purchases from secure sites
  • Be Careful What You Post
  • Be Careful Who You Meet Online

Why Should You Observe Safer Internet Day?

Many major organizations are dedicated to observing Safer Internet Day. Organizations such as Twitter, Facebook and Google have participated in Safer Internet, as they should.

If you observe Safer Internet Day, you are pledging to both yourself and the world around you to make the valued internet a safer place for all, but, you must remember safety practices every day you are online. The future is the internet; let’s keep it safe!