Dr. Charles' Tips to Stay Safe Online

Happy Cybersecurity Awareness Month! The theme for the first week is "Do your part. #BeCyberSmart." We're focusing on staying safe in the digital world, and Dr. Kellep Charles, Assistant Professor of Cybersecurity, has some tips for how you can keep up your online privacy.

For many of our Capitol Tech students, social media is virtually synonymous with social life. How can Capitol students live without their smartphones, laptops, and other devices that allow them to go online, communicate and have fun with their fellow students and friends in a safe manner?  As part of National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, we have provided a few tips they should remember.

1.     Keep Your Online Identity Private

We all understand on the Internet, you really never know who is at the other end.  Therefore, a good rule is to not tell anyone your real name and address or schedule such as practice locations, class schedules etc.

2.     Your Password Belongs to You … And Only You

Don’t EVER give your password to anyone. It’s just that simple, because someone can post information that gets you expelled from school, in trouble with the law or your parents.

3.     What You Post Can Live Forever

Watch what you post about yourself or others and watch what your friends post about you because you may have to live with it for a long time.  As you are applying for internships and employment, negative images can affect your chance of landing an opportunity.

4.     Be a Good Digital Citizen

Watch what you write and post while online. Somebody always is, or will be, reading what you write. Also, illegally downloading music or movies and making online threats are just as illegal on the Internet as they are in the real world. You cannot hide behind a screen name and get away with it.

5.     Be Careful and Smart about Meeting Someone in Person

The FBI provides a strict warning: “Never meet anyone in person that you meet online.” That said, many teens do make good friends online. If you are planning to meet someone you have meet online for the first time, you need to be careful and smart about it by meeting in a public place and letting others know you are meeting this “new” online person.

We hope these tips have helped and if you feel we have missed some items, please share them below.