Safety Online

Be careful what you put on the internet, as anyone anywhere can potentially see or read it.

Everything you do online can be recorded and saved forever on the servers of the websites and internet providers that you use, even the things you have deleted.

Everything you post online could potentially become public information even if you think it is protected. This includes things like your social media photos and your status updates even if your profile is set to private.

In most cases the police will be able to access online information from the service providers, even what you have protected by passwords. This includes emails and private messages.

It pays to be CyberSmart – take a look at this website for further information on how to stay safe online.

Social Media - restricting posts to friends

Limiting your personal details online by restricting posts to close friends only is a good start. You should still be careful what you post as you don’t always know who has access to your friends’ accounts.

Many ‘friends’ may only be ‘acquaintances’, so if possible you should limit how much information you share with them.

Making online friends

It can be fun to make new friends online, however, not everyone is who they say they are. You should always be careful who you interact with, and never give personal information to people you have not met in real life.

The internet, like anywhere else, is filled with people looking for potential targets. They may target you for a financial scam, identity theft or they may be a sexual predator. These people will often gain your trust and collect personal details you provide them.

Never give someone you have met online money or bank account details. If you decide to meet someone from online then do it in a public place, preferably taking a friend with you. Safety should always be your first priority.

Tracking your sporting activity online

Whether you track your runs or rides in real-time online with a tracking app, or upload your runs or rides when you get home, you should be aware of the amount of information you are putting out there, as your social sport tracking app may publicly show your activity.

If you are a cyclist, and you track your rides online, it’s a good idea to start and stop your tracking at a location other than your home – because you don’t want everyone to know where you keep your bike and equipment.

Online Scams

You should be aware and always know who you are dealing with online.  Check out this section on how to spot a scam.