Technology has seeped into every aspect of our lives; much like tea from a tea bag into a mug of water. Our communication, social interaction, work, education, transport, payment systems are all technology driven. There are dangers that lurk here – the possibility of falling for a scam, negative impacts on mental and physical wellbeing and more. Here are a few tips to stay safe in this technology driven world:
Make time to have meals together as a family, play a physical game and remember that it is possible to have regular, offline conversations with people around. Take the time to do some offline reading, cook, engage in a hobby. Keep online time to a fixed amount or maybe set aside some offline ‘detox’ time when everyone puts away their gadgets. If you're working from home, ensure that there is a clear demarcation between work and other activities.
Check privacy settings on social media platforms and use spam filters on email. The aim of these platforms is to get you to buy stuff and to monetise the data of each of us like a commodity. There is so much information they have of you: information that is used curate your feed, make you believe in some things and even guide your beliefs and behaviour. Not only marketers and product manufacturers; governments are all very interested in snooping into what you like, what you hate, your secret desires. So go into privacy settings and make the necessary changes to safeguard your privacy. Users can bring pressure to bear on these platforms and ensure that they don’t exploit our information without our knowledge and permission… at least to some extent.
If a stranger gets in touch, with the user picture as a good looking person claiming to be XYZ, be suspicious. If someone calls or messages calls to tell you that you’ve won something or been chosen for a free holiday etc, disbelief should be your first reaction. If that person asks for any sensitive info, be assured that this is a scam. To protect yourself from scamsters, create strong passwords, keep them safe and update them regularly.
There are predators and abusers that are constantly prowling the net for susceptible prey. Young kids can be particularly at risk, with the amount of time they spend online and relatively little experience of the world. It is important to explain concepts such as stranger danger, phishing, to kids in particular. Parents can keep tabs on what kids are watching, the sort of games they play and put into place age appropriate parental controls on streaming services.
There are a lot of people who find that anonymity provided by the internet makes them very ‘brave’ and uninhibited. Hence, most of us have experienced some amount of rudeness, abuse, bullying or stalking at some or other point. You don’t have to tolerate any of it. If someone makes you uncomfortable, is forwarding obscene, fake or manipulated content go ahead and block them and also report them. You don’t need the stress in your life.
If you have seen anyone else's social media feed, you will see how very different it is from yours even if it is the same platform. This is because social media platforms have algorithms that curate content for us personally: things that interest us, that conform to our faith, beliefs and political leanings. This means that we see content that we want and expect to see. We see the stuff that is in line with our confirmation bias while other points of view are filtered out. This results in the proliferation of fake news, creates social divisions and hatred. So don’t share unverified news, learn to spot fake sites, and don’t just click on stuff that social media suggests for you. Subscribe to trustworthy news publications and as a rule don’t believe WhatsApp forwards. Being well informed and steering clear of fake news is about being a responsible citizen and is also an important part mental wellbeing.
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