Cyber Security Centre issues online safety tips as students return to school

Parents and pupils are being reminded about the importance of online safety as the new school year begins

The Isle of Man Cyber Security Centre has published a list of practical steps aimed at helping children stay safe while using the internet and social media.

Advice includes turning on privacy settings, not sharing personal details such as addresses or school information, and switching on multi-factor authentication to protect accounts from being hacked.

The Centre is also urging families to keep apps and devices updated with the latest security patches and to install anti-virus software on phones, tablets and computers.

Other recommendations cover limiting online friends to people known in real life, checking before sharing images or videos of others, and covering webcams when not in use.

Children are also being reminded to think carefully before posting online, avoid pretending to be someone else, and not to tolerate cyberbullying.

The guidance warns that once content is shared online it can be very difficult to remove, and encourages young people to speak to a trusted adult if they encounter problems.