ad Working online is great and has opened up a lot of amazing opportunities for many people over the years. The internet and the demand for working from home and becoming self employed is only growing and many more people are turning to the online space to create, sell and influence their way into success.
But it’s no big secret that despite all the amazing things the internet has and can give us, it can also be a dangerous place for a whole host of reasons. For as long as the internet has been around, internet savvy hackers have been having a field day, hacking social media and spreading viruses around our computers. Getting good anti-virus software is so important and if you’re confused about which one is right for you, then check out bestantivirus.com for more information.
Anyone who’s a blogger, influencer, content creator or any other type of creative field online HAS to be wary and vigilant in keeping their online space safe and protected. This could mean ANYTHING from avoiding getting hacked to not losing all your work. Because there’s a lot that can go wrong with these incredible little computers that we rely on so heavily.
Here are 5 different ways to keep your online space and different aspects of your online life safe as a creator:
Invest in the best anti-virus software to cover all your devices
This obviously doesn’t just apply to creators. This applies to anyone who does anything online which might need protecting; even just buying your weekly food shop. The fact is, if you have a computer, a phone, a laptop or a tablet, then you are at risk of viruses on those devices.
Which is why getting the best anti-virus software is so important, especially when you buy a new device. It’s important to keep it updated regularly, to ensure it’s working by doing regular scans of your device so it can detect any potential threads and definitely renew it when it’s subscription is up.
Back up your work on USB sticks regularly
You can use your work on your devices for a bunch of different reasons; a virus could wipe it or perhaps your device has broken and shut down and you can’t get your work back. For a creator where this is so important, a great tip is to keep your files (photos, documents etc.) backed up regularly on a USB stick.
Use different passwords for everything
You don’t need me to tell you this, you really don’t. But it’s not something we always think about or think is important – but it is. Change your passwords regularly (especially if they’ve been victim of a data breach) and always use different passwords for every platform you use. Try and use something random, that no-one will guess. Also, consider investing in penetration testing to keep hackers away.
Be careful what you share on your social media platforms
Another pretty obvious point but something I think a lot of people forget, especially when they’re creators who rely on the online space and social media to grow their platforms and ultimately make money. A lot of creators share their lives on social media and YouTube, which is great. But you ALWAYS need to be careful and check what you’re sharing before you hit publish.
Related read: How To Have a Healthier Relationship With Social Media
Use the block buttons generously
If you experience anything dodgy online, use those block buttons wisely. I can’t tell you the amount of random accounts that I’ve blocked that I’ve gotten a bad vibe off of! The block button is there for a reason, use it. If someone is saying something you don’t like or makes you uncomfortable, block, block, block.
These are the basics when it comes to keeping your online space safe as a creator. There is lots more to think about but putting the basics in place, like strong passwords and anti-virus software to protect yourself, then you’re off to a good start!
Our Pinterest account with over 1M followers was shut down due to a hacker saying we had sexual and violent content. We are a design blog! Anyway, we have been banned from Pinterest. No way to recover it. Maybe not a security issue but we lots years of info. Good advice here.
Yes to all these points! Backing up your work is really important.
xoxo
Lovely
http://www.mynameislovely.com
I have been hacked and it was the worst experience ever!! My laptop, phone, and home security system all terribly hacked. It was frightening to say the least. Oh yeah, how could I forget, my car too. The hacker basically took over my life one device at a time. It took over 7 months to resolve. I haven’t logged into the old accounts that were hacked for fear of them receiving access again. I lost so many priceless photos of my daughter. I can’t even begin to tell you how much money was spent in an effort to resolve and our local police station, forget about receiving help from them. The FBI agent I spoke with told me he didn’t believe me and never investigated my case. Online protection is more important today than ever considering our lives rely heavily on digital ingenuity.
Always use all security methods , as phone confirmation , if u got hacked one time and take info as birthday or something could try with security question to get all access
These are great tips!
These area great reminders Jenny and so important to everyone. Thanks for sharing.
I always use different passwords for different websites as it’s so much safer! A great post x
Lucy | http://www.lucymary.co.uk
A timely reminder to back up my work, thanks 😂