The advent of the Internet has brought the world closer together and made it possible for you to interact with your social circles directly from your mobile device or PC. Also, social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, etc. They’ve made it easier than ever to keep the people you care informed about what’s going on in your life. It’s no wonder, then, that almost everyone has a presence on these platforms. But while this is the positive side of the online social world, there is also another, more negative side to all of this.

A recent survey by cybersecurity firm Norton by Symantec conducted in 2017 shows that online bullying is on the rise in India, with 80% of users surveyed admitting to having encountered some form of it. Online bullying can manifest itself in many ways. We have listed some of the more common ways you can be harassed online and also some ways you can protect yourself against these risks:

Identity theft:

If you’re on social media, you likely have personal information, such as your photos, details of your education, your relationships, floating around. This gives online scammers the opportunity to take this information and use it to commit fraud or illegal acts. For example, scammers obtain private details like your Aadhaar card number or personal information like your email ID and then use it to carry out fraudulent or illegal activities, which gets you in trouble. Sounds scary? Is.

Cyber ​​stalking:

Have you ever taken a look at the message requests you get in your ‘Other Folder’ on Facebook? If so, and especially if you are a woman, you would have definitely received disturbing messages from strangers. This is just a very basic level of cyberbullying and it has been known to escalate very easily. Not only strangers, but there are also a growing number of cases of cyberbullying by acquaintances, friends and family. Not only can this be very frustrating and annoying, it can also lead to a situation where it becomes threatening and scary. And it can easily happen to anyone.

Responsibility of the media:

Most of us consider our social profiles the place from which we can express our opinions. But what happens when someone takes something you posted, takes it out of context, and misrepresents your point of view? It sounds harmless, but it can get you serious legal trouble. For example, if you create a podcast / blog and someone hacks it, takes control of it, and posts content that is defamatory, infringes on any intellectual property, or results in an invasion of an individual’s privacy rights, then you can legally land. trouble.

So how do you protect yourself?

Some basic practices you can follow to prevent these types of situations are:

Set strong passwords and don’t share them with anyone.

Check the privacy settings of your social profile and make sure you have enabled the settings that prevent unconnected people from seeing your details or downloading your images

Never share confidential details like your phone number, address, or email address on your social profile, and if you do, make sure they are hidden from the public.

Do not associate with strangers, no matter how familiar they may seem.

Censor yourself while posting through your social profiles.

Accept requests only from known users.

While these measures will keep you protected to some extent, antisocial elements who want to cause harm will always find a way to do so. In case you find yourself in an awkward situation online, you need to report the incident or user that is causing you trouble. You can also file a complaint with Cyber ​​Cell in case things get out of control. Our individual cybersecurity insurance will ensure that the financial setbacks you might incur due to such an event are minimized.