Category Internet

What are the ways to stay safe online?

Do you spend a lot of time online? How can you stay safe in cyber space? Here are some simple tips to shield yourself from dangers.

When you download a game. you look for something that keeps you engaged. You possibly use it as a stress buster or to lift up your spirits. But imagine a game that draws you in such a way that you end up in a darker place, quite possibly a point of no return. That’s not all. Many children and teens are easy prey for online predators because they are wired to take on more risks, without considering the consequences. Here are some simple tips to guide you in cyber space.

Be alert to strangers

Do not let your guard down and allow the wrong people into your online circle. A false sense of security sets in on social networks and services where safety is an assumption. But remember do not interact with any unknown people. Anyone can create an online profile, so it’s best to be alert. You can turn down friend requests from strangers.

Set strong passwords and do not share them

Your password must consist of at least eight characters, which are a combination of letters, numbers, and symbols. Do not share your social media passwords with friends or acquaintances, no matter what situation arises. You may share it with your parents.

Mails, messages from unknown senders are best unread

One of the terrifying things about the Blue Whale is that it finds you, even if you do not. The best way to be safe is to not open any mails or messages from unknown people.

Do not respond to invitations sent by them.

Keep your account private on photo sharing sites

We tend to let our guard down on photo or video sharing sites such as Instagram, Snapchat and others. But the media uploaded on such sites inadvertently gives out a lot of personal information. Ensure that your account is private on this site, so that people would need to request your permission before following your stream.

Avoid open chat rooms

These places are filled with landmines and should be avoided like the plague. In a chat room, unknown people can strike up a conversation with you through private messages. What’s worse you never know if they are telling the truth about their identity. If you must, then log in using privacy settings.

Anonymous?

There are applications that allow users to send  anonymous messages to people. Recipient cannot respond to the messages. Although people usually use it to show their appreciation to writers or colleagues, it can be equally  harmful if fallen in the wrong hands.

Here’s how you can be cyber smart:

If someone on the internet asks you to meet in person-even if they are the same age- say no and inform a teacher or an adult whom you trust.

Passwords should be hard to crack. Avoid using obvious dictionary words. You can use online password generators, which jumble up characters and numbers. Change it often.

Your online posts should not reveal any personal information. This includes your moods, habits, locations, or information on your friends.

Do not participate in online surveys or contests requiring your personal information. It is illegal for companies to ask for any information from children under 13 years of age, without the consent of your parents.

Picture Credit : Google 

How to do Safety check in Google Chrome?

Chrome comes with a built-in tool to check for enhanced protection. Head over to Chrome Settings, and click on the Safety Check button on the left sidebar. Alternatively, you can go to chrome://settings/safetyCheck to access the safety check page directly. The Safety Check tool will then verify that Chrome is up-to-date, cross-check whether all your stored passwords are complex and not leaked in any data breaches, and confirm that Safe Browsing is set up properly. It will even check if you are protected from any potentially malicious extensions. Run it once in a while.

With this check Chrome will check all your stored passwords are complex and not leaked in the previous data breaches. In order to do this check, you have to login with your Google account. It helps Google to send the passwords in encrypted manner and check the database to match if the password is in the previous data breaches.

The result of the safe browsing section depends on the level of protection you have enabled on your browser. By default, Chrome will use the standard protection and hence you will see a message like “Standard protection is on. For even more security, use enhanced protection.”

 

Picture Credit : Google

What is deepfake app?

Deepfake generally refers to images on videos in which the face and/or voice of a person, usually a public figure has been manipulated using artificial intelligence software to generate visual and audio content with a high potential to deceive. Deepfakes are a source of concern because they are created to be intentionally misleading, such as by making it look like a politician said something they didn’t, or making it appear like a celebrity was in a video they weren’t in.

Everyone from academic and industrial researchers to amateur enthusiasts, visual effects studios and porn producers. Governments might be dabbling in the technology, too, as part of their online strategies to discredit and disrupt extremist groups, or make contact with targeted individuals, for example.

It is hard to make a good deepfake on a standard computer. Most are created on high-end desktops with powerful graphics cards or better still with computing power in the cloud. This reduces the processing time from days and weeks to hours. But it takes expertise, too, not least to touch up completed videos to reduce flicker and other visual defects. That said, plenty of tools are now available to help people make deepfakes. Several companies will make them for you and do all the processing in the cloud. There’s even a mobile phone app, Zao, that lets users add their faces to a list of TV and movie characters on which the system has trained.

 

Picture Credit : Google

What is the importance of digital detox?

Ever since gadgets entered our lives, we have been addicted to them. Checking the mobile phone as soon as we wake up has become part of our daily routine. Similarly, thanks to the pandemic, today our mornings begin with online classes.

While the computer is highly useful for academic purposes such as project work, it is also used as a means of entertainment. However, constant use of the computer can take a toll on our health and leave us feeling tired and exhausted.

The need to detox

Using the computer for long periods of time can affect the eyes as well as the body. The harsh light emitted by the monitor can tire your eyes and leave you with dark circles. The light is also said to affect sleep. Besides, in the absence of physical activity as a result of being confined to the house, your body will feel much weaker than it is.

Prolonged use of the computer can also lead you to develop a poor posture that can result in back and neck pain. Many people also complain of headaches and disorientation.

Another major health problem encountered by many of us today is obesity. Sitting in front of the computer for hours together can lead to weight gain. This in turn affects our heart and mind.

Ways to detox

The best way to stay away from the computer is to keep yourself occupied with other interesting things. Here are a few ways to detox and recharge yourself.

Take regular breaks:

Take a sand clock or set a reminder on your phone and place it on your computer table to remind yourself to get up and move around every half hour. During these small breaks, do simple stretches to relax your muscles before getting back to work.

Take power naps

You could feel exhausted with all the things you need to do during the day. So, to relax, take power naps instead of playing games on the computer or the Playstation.

Listen to music

Music helps us relax and destress. There’s a tune for every mood. So, start listening to your favourite songs in your free time.

Allocate time for play

Even if you can’t go out, you can still play at home. There are a lot of games you can play with your family. You could also invent a game.

Reward yourself

It can be difficult to detox. A reward is a good way to keep yourself motivated. Every time you do something other than using the computer, reward yourself with something useful.

 

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When was world wide web made available to all in an open access format?

On 30 April 1993, CERN made the source code of World Wide Web available on a royalty-free basis, making it free software. By late 1993 there were over 500 known web servers, and the WWW accounted for 1% of internet traffic, which seemed a lot in those days (the rest was remote access, e-mail and file transfer).

Tim moved from CERN to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1994 to found the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), an international community devoted to developing open web standards. He remains the Director of W3C to this day.

New permutations of these ideas are giving rise to exciting new approaches in fields as diverse as information (Open Data), politics (Open Government), scientific research (Open Access), education, and culture (Free Culture). But to date we have only scratched the surface of how these principles could change society and politics for the better.

In 2009, Sir Tim co-founded the World Wide Web Foundation with Rosemary Leith. The Web Foundation is fighting for the web we want: a web that is safe, empowering and for everyone.

 

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What is podcast?

A podcast is a digital audio or video file that a user can download or stream and listen to. It is like an on demand internet radio where you can listen to anything you want whenever you want Usually, a podcast is an episodic series, but an individual file can also be called a podcast. The word podcast was suggested by British journalist and technologist Ben Hammersley in 2004.

Podcasts can be accessed through several mediums such as Ipods, desktop computers and smartphones. The first podcast commonly believed to have been published online is the Matt Schichter Interviews in October 2003.

One can find podcasts on a variety of topics from education to travel and life experiences. While most podcasts can be accessed for free. some are also available on a subscription basis.

How can you listen to a podcast?

Podcasts can be listened to on a desktop computer, smartphone or a digital media player such as an iPod. On a smartphone there are several apps that offer free podcasts such as Google Podcasts Spotify and Podcasts Just download any of the apps and get started. On the desktop, you can visit podcast sites directly or go to a website which also hosts podcasts, such as the BBC and The Guardian.

Podcasts for you

Here are a few websites offering podcasts that you can listen to in your free time:

BBC Podcasts

The BBC offers free podcasts on several topics. It also has a special station called School Radio which has podcasts that introduce you to the world of drama language and dance among others.

Science Friday

As the name suggests the website has podcasts on topics related to science and technology. The site has discussions by eminent personalities on topics such as alien life. climate change. and neuroscience. Apart from listening to podcasts, you can read up on several topics and also take part in STEM activities created by educators from around the world.

Wow in the World

Premiered in 2017. this podcast is by the National Public Radio. Aimed at kids, it explores several topics that will leave you thinking. It can be listened to online, or via one of the many podcast smartphone apps. It can also be downloaded for later use.

Can you upload a podcast?

Yes. Several podcast websites allow you to record your own podcast and upload it. There are also sites such as iTunes that let you host publish and maintain your own podcast series.

So, make the best use of your free time and listen to resourceful podcasts on a range of topics. And, if you fancy, you can upload your own and share your stories with the world.

 

Picture Credit : Google