12 – 18 October 2015 is Get Online Week which is a national campaign devised to encourage Digital Inclusion by showing people who don’t use the internet, how it can make their lives a little easier.

As part of our attempt to promote the use of the internet and encourage people to use it and try something they haven’t done before, such as ordering your shopping online, we have put together our Top 5 Tips when going online.

1   Use email the Internet safely

Ignore unsolicited emails, and be wary of any attachments, links and forms in emails that come from people you don’t know, or see “phishy”. Avoid untrustworthy (often free) downloads from freeware or shareware sites

2   Choose strong passwords

Choose strong passwords with letters, numbers and special characters to create a mental image or an acronym that is easy for you to remember. Create a different password for each important account, and change passwords regularly.

3   Check your settings

Use the privacy and security setting on social media sites so that only friends and family see your pages. Then speak to friends and family, and encourage them to tighten their privacy settings too as they could affect you. Even if your account is locked as private, personal information you have shared with others could still be accessed through their pages.

4   Update your antivirus software

Often overlooked until it’s too late, a good antivirus program can make the difference between a nice, healthy computer and one which is overflowing with all sorts of computer nasties. Always keep an eye on your antivirus software and ensure that all its components are in good working order.

5   Use Internet search engines

Internet search engines are amongst the most useful tools at your disposal for finding information online, so use them. Rather than guessing the full addresses of websites, simply type the information into a search engine such as Google or Bing.  Not only will this lead you to the information you require, it will broaden your search to include other relevant sites.

As part of the week, our Digital Inclusion Co-ordinator, Helen Zinzan, will be visiting tenants at Purcell House, one of our retirement/sheltered housing schemes, this week to promote Digital Inclusion to the residents and tenants. 

For further information, visit your local library or visit www.getonlineweek.com/findanevent and look for your nearest Get Online event this week.