PRESS RELEASE - Columbus Communications, operators of Flow and Columbus Business Solutions, celebrates World Safer Internet Day, today (Tuesday), February 10, 2015, under the theme “Let’s create a better Internet together.”
Jesse Edwards, Country Manager Columbus Communications (St Lucia) Limited says, “All stakeholders – individuals, businesses and governments have a shared responsibility to ensure a safer Internet. To create a better Internet together involves more than simply providing services. It involves educating the most vulnerable in our society on the proper and most secure use of the Internet – this includes the very young as well as senior citizens.”
Cyber security is globally recognized as priority for organizations and the issue of online privacy and information security remains a top priority for Columbus.
As the world observes the 12th Safer Internet Day today, Columbus is reiterating its commitment to promoting a safer Internet for all.
“As the Internet becomes even more accessible and user-friendly, the youth and the elderly are oftentimes the target of online predators,” said Edwards. “As a company, our goal this year is to provide our users with the knowledge and tools to help safeguard themselves. The internet provides excellent learning and communication opportunities, but it also opens the door to a higher degree of risk. Oftentimes this can be avoided completely.”
Columbus offers up some useful tips for parents and guardians to help protect their children from online predators and unwanted content.
Keep the computer in a high-traffic area of your home
Establish limits for which online sites children may visit and for how long
Remember that Internet technology can be mobile, so make sure to monitor cell phones, gaming devices and laptops
Surf the Internet with your children and let them show you what they like to do online
Be sure to continually dialogue with your children and make it your business to know who is connecting with your children online and set rules for social networking, instant messaging, e-mailing, online gaming, and using webcams
As for the elderly, Edwards said the convenience of doing business online is now attracting senior citizens to the Internet. “But this can expose them to certain risks that they are not necessarily aware of, including crimes such as fraud and identify theft. The more time someone spends online, the more opportunities they will have to expose information about themselves.”
“Thus, never share your password or account numbers over an e-mail or instant message; do not follow links from e-mails when conducting financial transactions; always be wary of callers, pop-ups, websites or e-mails asking for personal information; create secure passwords and change them often; invest in anti-spyware and anti-virus software; and finally, file a report with law enforcement and notify creditors if there is an incident or a suspicion of identity theft,” he added.