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Digital Literacy

Being aware and safe online from Davis Library at the University of Rio Grande and Rio Grande Community College

Be Safe on Social Media

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Manage Your Privacy Settings - A list of how to manage your privacy settings on most sites.

Protect Your Social Media Accounts - Tips from Investor.gov

Facebook's Safety Center - Read about your safety options on Facebook.

@TwitterSafety - Keep up-to-date on Twitter's latest safety measures.

Socializing Securely: Using Social Networking Services - A U.S. Computer Emergency Readiness Team document.

Google Safety Center - Keep your Google accounts safe with the company's tips.

Passwords

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Choosing and Protecting Passwords - The U.S. Computer Emergency Readiness Team advice on strong passwords.

Passwords and Securing Your Accounts - Treat passwords like keys. Learn more from Stay Safe Online.

Creating Strong Passwords - Watch the video and follow GCFLearnFree.org's tips.

How Secure is My Password? - Think you've got a good one? Test your password here! (Hint: Don't use your real password, but one modeled after your own. Same concept, but different letters and numbers.)

Two Factor Authentication List - A list of all the websites that support two factor authentication, a second layer of accessing your accounts.

Cyberbullying

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"Cyberbullying is bullying or harassment that happens online. It can happen in an email, a text message, a game, or on a social networking site. It might involve spreading rumors or images posted on someone's profile or passed around for others to see, or creating a group or page to make a person feel left out." -Federal Trade Commission

What is Cyberbullying? - Tactics and prevention from stopbullying.gov

Cyberbullying - Help prevent cyberbullying with help from the Federal Trade Commission.

Understanding Cyberbullying in College - Get an in-depth look from Affordable Colleges Online at the types of cyberbullying happening in college, like sexual harassment cyberbullying, LGBTQ cyberbullying, and more.

Cyberbullying at Work - What happens when cyberbullies join the work force? From Stay Safe Online.

What Should I Do if I'm Being Bullied, Harassed or Attacked by Someone on Facebook? - From Facebook's Help Center.

Computer Extensions to Help Protect You

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HTTPS Everywhere - A Firefox, Chrome, and Opera extension that encrypts your communications with many major websites, making your browsing more secure.

CCleaner - The world's most popular PC cleaner.  It protects your privacy and makes your computer faster and more secure.

Malwarebytes - Detects and removes malware and other advanced threats.

Common Scams

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Common Scams and Crimes - The following are some of the most common scams and crimes that the FBI encounters, as well as tips to help prevent you from being victimized.

Federal Trade Commission - Learn about recent scams and how to recognize the warning signs. Read the FTC’s most recent alerts or browse scams by topic.

Common Fraud Schemes - The FBI's list of common schemes.

US-CERT Current Activity - The U.S. Computer Emergency Readiness Team's "most frequent, high-impact types of security incidents currently being reported".

Scam Alerts - The Federal Trade Commission's most recent scam alerts.

Phishing - Think an email you've received is a scam? Consult the Federal Trade Commission's site.

Tech Support Scams - Don't fall for the trap. Read about these scams at the Federal Trade Commission's site.

How to Identify and Protect Yourself from an Unsafe Website - Here are the most prevalent tell-tale signs of a threatening website and some ways that you can protect yourself.

Public Computers, Wi-Fi, and the Cloud

Davis Library Main Floor Computers.

Safety Tips for Using a Public Computer - Like the ones in the Davis Library!

How to Identify and Protect Yourself from an Unsafe Website - Here are the most prevalent tell-tale signs of a threatening website and some ways that you can protect yourself.

The Basics of Cloud Computing - A U.S. Computer Emergency Readiness Team document.

Tips for Using Public Wi-Fi Networks - From the Federal Trade Commission.

Securing Your Wireless Network - Don't let just anyone on your home network! From the Federal Trade Commission.

Browsing, Viruses, Secure Sites, and Spyware

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DuckDuckGo - A search engine that doesn't store your personal information or track your browsing.

Protect Your Privacy - Mozilla Firefox's resources on using its browser safely.

How to Identify and Protect Yourself from an Unsafe Website - From Boston University, learn how to spot an unsecure website instantly.

Malware and Botnets - What's the difference? From Stay Safe Online.

Malware - "Malware includes viruses, spyware, and other unwanted software that gets installed on your computer or mobile device without your consent." Learn more from the Federal Trade Commission.

What To Do If Your Computer Gets a Virus? - From GCFLearnFree.org

Hacked Email - How do you know you've been hacked? Ask the Federal Trade Commission.

Hacked Accounts - Signs of a hacked account and resources for common sites from Stay Safe Online.

Other Tips and Tricks

Safe Online Shopping - From GCFLearnFree.org

Disposing of Your Mobile Device - Removing your personal information and other advice from the Federal Trade Commission.

Disposing of Old Computers - The Federal Trade Commission recommends wiping your hard drive and more.

Online Dating Scams - Don't fall for a scam artist! Learn more from the Federal Trade Commission.

Protecting Your Privacy: Phone and Cable Records - Know your rights and get tips from the Federal Communications Commission.