Staying Safe online
The majority of Students entering University will already be
prolific users of the Internet for shopping, social networking,
banking and for finding information about just about
anything.
The web is an incredible tool for gathering and sharing
information, for collaboration and for generally keeping up with
friends and family. Sites such as Facebook are widely used and
many of our staff and students are already using these extensively
for social and study purposes.
Virtual environments such as Second Life offer almost limitless
opportunities to engage with people across the globe in real time
and tour simulated worlds created by other users.
In the main, all of these sites are enjoyed by the majority
of their users; but there will always be those with less than
honourable intentions. It isn't always easy to spot these but by
taking a few sensible precautions you can get the most out of your
online experience without taking unnecessary risks.
When you subscribe to certain sites you will be allocated a
username and password; these, like your University username and
password, should never be shared with anybody. No Bank, Social
networking site, Lottery, or Shopping site is likely to ask you to
reveal your password so if you receive an email asking you for this
the chances are it isn't genuine.
Remember not to reveal too much personal information on social
networking sites, in particular your address. Be extra careful
on group sites which are viewable by non members. Its equally
important to make sure you don't reveal personal information about
your friends and family- and be careful what pictures you post
online; your friends might not thank you if embarrassing photos of
them are stumbled across by potential employers and such.
Above all, exercise reasonable caution and always act with
courtesy when online. If at any point you feel that you are being
harassed or bullied in an online environment you should notify the
sites moderators and remember you can seek support from your
Student Advice team at any time.
Further guidance on staying safe online
Bank Safe Online
Get safe
online