In Celebration of National Internet Safety Month, Dr Sanjay Jain Provides Five Tips on How to Protect Children and Teens Online
Washington, DC (PRWEB) June 26, 2014 -- People don't open their doors to strangers who come knocking, so just as locks and security systems for the home have a valid place, so does having necessary protection so that strangers can't gain access to home computers. This month is National Internet Safety Month, a month devoted to making everyone aware of the dangers that lurk online. While it's not meant to show the Internet as being an evil place from which people should flee, it's aimed at making people aware of the real dangers that lurk amongst the good.
Dr. Sanjay Jain says, "Criminals may use the information they glean to open lines of credit, secure passports, birth certificates and other fake real-life identities. Any one of these actions could create hundreds of hours' worth of hassle for the victim and their family, plus leave a lasting impact of a damaged reputation or credit history." To help people keep their personal information secure and private, and to protect innocent children, Dr. Jain offers these five tips:
Create fake profiles for those under 18. Whenever a social media network or website requires information--though it's wise to question why such information is asked for and see if the child really needs to be on that site--use a fake name, age and city. Attackers like to create fake accounts, using real information, as a way to gain access to the victim's network of peers, friends and family, so don't make it easy for them to find real information.
Make accounts and profiles private. If real data must be used, make the account private. It's easy for hackers and scam artists to get info from public profiles, even more so when kids are snapping selfies at local restaurants and sharing them on all their social networks. Never underestimate the intelligence of Internet attackers; it's so easy to find information on the internet, especially when people are leaving clues as to where they're living and who they're hanging out with.
Update your computer's security protection regularly. Most people know they need to run their anti-virus software regularly, but few people actually do. In a blog post, Dr. Jain says that a large number of ads on social media sites lead netizens to malware or phishing websites, so it's very important to keep the computer "clean."
Keep the computer in shared family areas. There's no reason children need privacy when interacting with peers online. Leaving the computer in the living room where the parents can keep tabs on the kids' activities is optimal.
Use website blockers. There are many tools that will block designated sites or ones that contains certain words or topics. While not fool-proof, it's a great help to keep younger eyes off of material that's not age-appropriate.
Each of these tips provide a layer of protections; implement them all in order to create the ultimate digital safety net. Schedule time this week to get started on this task to be fully protected as soon as possible.
About Dr. Sanjay Jain:
Sanjay Jain, M.D. MBA is a New York Times and USA Today Best Selling author, accomplished medical doctor, health expert, life coach and inspirational keynote speaker who has dedicated his life to helping people find their purpose by achieving a meaningful life that they deeply cherish.
Sanjay Jain is U.S. trained and a board certified physician with over 15 years of clinical experience. He holds certifications in Diagnostic Radiology, Integrative Medicine, and Healthcare Quality and Management. He is a graduate from the accelerated BS/MD program at The Northeast Ohio Medical University. He has diversified experience in the private practice, academic, and integrated multispecialty settings.
He was a former assistant professor at The Ohio State University where he also obtained his MBA at the Fisher School of Business. The combination of which has given him a unique voice and understanding of the many issues we face today in a real and practical sense.
Follow Sanjay on Twitter at @sanjayjainmd. His new book, Optimal Living 360: Smart Decision Making for a Balanced Life(Greenleaf) is available in stores now!
Ginny Grimsley, News and Experts, http://sanjayjainmd.com, 727-443-7115 Ext: 207, [email protected]
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