07.02.2011

Safer internet week 2011: own identity worth its weight in gold

'Online privacy' will be the theme of this year's Safer Internet Week, beginning today on Monday, 7 February 2011. The topic has become current as the use of social media services and online shopping have gained popularity.

Top tips for privacy protection

• Consider carefully what sort of personal information you publish of yourself and what your target audience is in the social media.
• In social media services, it is up to the users to decide which parts of their profile they allow outsiders to see. However, do not put too much faith in privacy settings.
• Your name and photo are public information, but, for example, be more careful with your home address, e-mail address, personal photos and other private matters.
• Take other people's privacy into consideration, too. Do not reveal more about them than what they wish.
• Be careful with your passwords. Ensure that they are sufficiently difficult and don't reveal them to anyone.

Advice for safe online shopping

• When you use online services, check that the web address is what it is supposed to be. Clearly-provided contact information and conditions of use are also a sign of an authentic service provider.
• It is handy to use credit card to pay for your online shopping as long as the data is transferred via an encrypted connection. When the connection is secure, the address field of the browser displays a lock symbol and the address begins with https://
• Credit card information, online banking usernames or passwords must never be sent by e-mail.
• When you register as a user of online services, read first from the file description how your personal information is used.
  

Further instructions are found on the onlinesafety.fi site at www.tietoturvaopas.fi/en/index/perusohjeet.html.

The young face risks, but not necessarily problems

Surfing online and especially in the social media requires consideration from both adults and children. According to the EU Kids Online survey, Finnish children and the young have, however, relatively good safety skills.

'European children and the young are heavy users of the internet and face risks, but only seldom face problems. Finnish teenagers say that they are best at mastering different digital skills, and have experienced less abuse of personal data than their European peers. The social media is popular and raises questions about the boundaries between the private and the public' says Professor Reijo Kupiainen, leader of the research team in Finland.

More than 25,000 teenagers and children aged 9 to 16 were interviewed for the EU Kids Online survey in 25 European countries. The survey has been implemented in the EU Kids Online research network. Read more: www.eukidsonline.net/

Safer Internet Week

The Safer Internet week will be held from 7 to 11 February 2011 and the Safer Internet Day will be held on Tuesday 8 February 2011 in Finland and around the world. The events during the Safer Internet Day and the Safer Internet Week are organised through the cooperation of more than 30 administrative authorities, organisations and corporations, and the project is coordinated by the Finnish Communications Regulatory Authority (FICORA). Read more: www.onlinesafetyschool.fi/ and www.onlinesafety.fi/.

Further information:

Anna Lauttamus-Kauppila, Communications Director, FICORA +358 50 563 5724, anna.lauttamus-kauppila(at)ficora.fi. Replace (at) by @.
Heli Alanko, Project Coordinator, the Finnish Communications Regulatory Authority, +358 40 581 1188, heli.alanko(at)ficora.fi. Replace (at) by @.

Project participants: Project partners: D-Fence Ltd, DNA Ltd, Edupoli, Elisa Corporation, Enter, FiCom, fiMUG, the Federation of Finnish Financial Services, F-Secure Oy, The National Emergency Supply Agency, Consumer Agency, Office of the Ombudsman for Children in Finland, Ministry of Transport and Communications, Mannerheim League for Child Welfare, Finnish Society on Media Education, Microsoft Corporation, Finnish National Board of Education, Ministry of Education, Save the Children Finland, Finnish Police, Sulake Corporation, Association of Finnish Local and Regional Authorities, Finnish Parents’ Association, Federation of Finnish Enterprises, Copyright Information and Anti-Piracy Centre in Finland, TeliaSonera Finland, Finnish Information Society Development Centre, Office of the Data Protection Ombudsman in Finland, Finnish Information Security Association, Technical Research Centre of Finland, Väestöliitto - Family Federation, Finnish Communications Regulatory Authority and Population Register Centre of Finland.