Using Technology Responsibly

Best Practices for Safe and

Savvy Technology Use
 Why Become Tech-Savvy?
• College students rely heavily on
technology for both academic and non-
academic purposes
• Near-constant access to technology
• Need to accomplish many tasks online
• Skills are more than just how to use it;
need to be truly savvy about technology
Why do you use technology?
• Email
• Social Media
• Gaming
• Homework
• Research
• Shopping
• Blogging
 Good and Bad Effects
• Technology is so well-integrated into daily life
that we may not realize its extent
• Pros: convenience and efficiency
Cons: dependence and vulnerability
• Technology’s benefits usually outweigh its
risks
• However, serious problems can arise if you’re
not safe and savvy when using technology.
 Types of Technology-Related Risks

• Security Issues

• Safety Issues

• Privacy Issues

• Data Integrity Issues

 If You Post It, They Will Find It
• Anyone can find a lot of information about you
online.
• All it takes to find many details about you is…
– The motivation and persistence to look for
them
– A small amount of prior knowledge about you
• If you are careless about online safety and
security, they may also be able to access more
sensitive or private information about you.
 Potential Consequences of Irresponsible
Technology Use
• Disciplinary action from colleges/universities
• Losing a scholarship or athletic eligibility
• Use of posted information as incriminating
evidence in legal matters
• Being rejected over for a new job or internship
• Disciplinary action from an employer, including
getting fired
 How can you deal with the risks
inherent inusing technology?

You can’t ignore the risks, but you also

can’t avoid technology entirely.

The solution is to become “web wise”

and technologically-savvy.
 Becoming “Web Wise” and Tech-Savvy

• Understand that being tech-savvy is about more

than knowing how to use technology
• Learn about technology-related risks
• Take steps to avoid or minimize risks
• Take responsibility for your role as a member of the
online community
• Apply critical thinking skills and good judgment to
all your technology-related actions
 Tips for Becoming a
“Web Wise” & Tech-Savvy
College Student
 Keep a Clean Machine
• Use reputable security software like Anti-
virus, Anti-malware, and Anti-spyware
• Don’t bypass or disable security protocols
• Keep security software up-to-date
• Protect all devices that connect to the
internet
• Don’t forget about external devices like flash
drives
 Connect with Caution
• Access Wi-Fi hotspots wisely
– Pay attention to the networks you connect to
– Set tighter privacy controls for public networks
– Don’t conduct sensitive business on public Wi-Fi

• Make sure you’re using secure sites for all financial

transactions
• Protect your accounts with strong passwords and
additional identity-verification measures
 Create Strong Passwords
• Minimum length of 8 characters
• Include at least 3 different types of characters:
Uppercase letters, Lowercase letters,
Numbers,Symbols.
• NO personal information.
• NO dictionary words or names.
 Don’t Even Think About Using These Passwords…
password monkey iloveyou 123123 jesus

123456 letmein trustno1 welcome michael

12345678 dragon 1234567 shadow ninja

abc123 111111 sunshine ashley mustang

qwerty baseball master football password1

These are the 25 “Worst Passwords of 2012” as compiled by SplashData,

a company that makes password management software
 More Password Tips
1. Change passwords regularly
2. Use a different password for each
account
3. Store passwords securely
4. Do not share your password with anyone
5. Choose security questions and answers
wisely
 Take Common-Sense Precautions
1. Check and customize your security and
privacy settings
2. Never leave your technology unattended
3. Always remember to log out of accounts on
shared or public computers
4. Don’t open, download, or click on anything
that looks even remotely suspicious
5. Back up your data often and store it securely
 Share Safely on Social Media
• Consider limiting others’ access to your
social networking profiles
• Don’t rely solely on privacy settings to
protect your information
• Make decisions about what to share (and
what not to share) with a level head
• Learn to evaluate your social media
presence with a critical eye
 Be a Good Cyber-Citizen
• Good citizenship
– Becoming well-informed and educated
– Respecting legitimate authority
– Being involved and engaged to promote the welfare of the
community and people within it
– Treating your environment, yourself, and others with respect
and helping those who need support as you are able

• Good citizenship also applies to the global

community as accessed through the internet
 Good Cyber-Citizenship
• Understand your potential to impact others
through your online actions
• Respect laws and rules in cyberspace as you
would in everyday life, including intellectual
property rights
• Treat others in the online community with
respect
 The Bottom Line for Using
Technology Responsibly
Ask yourself:
• What are the risks?
THINK… • Why am I doing this?
before you post • Would I want someone
to see this?
before you act
• Do these actions/words
portray me as I want to
be perceived by others?
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attributi
on-
NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License.