Keep up with new technology and ways to manage privacy. Visit staysafeonline.org, our own Security Tip of the Day or other trusted websites for the latest information about ways to stay safe online. Talk about what you discovered with your family and engage them on a regular basis to share what they know about privacy.

During this global pandemic, be extra alert to the kinds of information being collected to complete any online transaction. If the merchant is requesting more data than you feel comfortable sharing, cancel the transaction. You only need to fill out required fields at checkout and you should not save your payment information in your profile. […]

Organizations such as insurance companies and banks may need your social security number in order to perform their services. However, this doesn’t mean you should give it out with no questions asked. Never share your Social Security number over email or text. If a trusted source is requesting it over the phone, ask them why […]

Make sure you are comfortable with anyone seeing the information you put on blogs, social networking sites, and personal websites—write it with the expectation that it is available for public consumption and that people you have never met will find your page. Although some sites use passwords or other security restrictions to protect the information, […]

If you create an account on TikTok, it’ll automatically be made public, which means anyone can view your content and location, as well as send you messages. Until they improve their privacy options, keep yourself and your kids off of social apps like TikTok.

People rarely read the fine print when signing up for something, but they should, especially when requesting access to a public network. By clicking “Accept,” you could be giving them permission to use your data. Do a quick scan of the terms and conditions on the splash page to locate any red flags before connecting.