This work was supported by the Official Language Support Program of the Department of Canadian Heritage and the Bilingual Ottawa program of the Association Communautés Francophone d'Ottawa.
We're all guilty of clicking "Remind me later" when notified by our device to perform a software update. This #InternetIntelligence tip is here to remind you why software updates are one of the best actions you can take to keep your smartphone secure and to prevent identity theft. Feel free to apply this tip to other devices such as your computer and tablet.
This #InternetIntelligence tip is here to teach you how to look out for your digital safety when downloading apps. Use this tip as a reminder to update your currently installed apps!
Have you heard of mobile or digital wallet systems like Apple Pay and Google Pay, but aren’t sure if they’re suited to you? Our #InternetIntelligence tip is here to explain how they work.
Mobile banking is a convenient and safe way to manage your money when used correctly. The apps are often more user friendly than traditional bank websites are, and they can often be more secure. With that said, when there’s money involved, there are scammers involved. With these tips, you’ll be ahead of the pack and well on your way to safe banking!
This #InternetIntelligence approved app is a fun one! Hushed is an app which lets you create secondary phone numbers to use. Security and privacy start with who you trust. Hushed is perfect for when you don’t want to give out your personal information: imagine you’re calling a stranger to buy their stuff and don’t want them to have your real number, or you don’t want to give your real number to a business.
This app recommendation is not sponsored content. We will not receive any compensation for this post.
Smartphones have enabled us to have information at our fingertips. However, they also carry our private data and sensitive information which can be put at risk if your smartphone gets lost or stolen. Apply these #InternetIntelligence steps to make sure you don't put your digital privacy at risk if your phone gets lost or stolen.
Sometimes, despite our best efforts, mistakes happen. We’ve all forgotten a phone, keys, or a wallet somewhere at some point in time. Luckily, though, just because your phone gets lost or stolen doesn’t mean that your personal information will end up in the wrong hands. With remote wiping apps, you can easily reset your phone once you realize it’s lost so that all of your sensitive information is removed before hackers get the chance to steal it.
These apps are customizable as well, so you can control just how much gets deleted and what can stay on your phone in case you get it back. This is a feature of Find My iPhone on iOS devices and is a feature of Find My Device on Android devices. There are also many third party apps available for each type of device, so you’ll be able to find one that suits your needs best!
Phishing scams can come to phones in the forms of calls (vishing) and texts (smishing). These calls and texts will pretend to be someone you trust like a bank or government agency. They may try to tell you that you've won some sort of prize, or say that you're in trouble and need to fix it. They will try to get you to press buttons, share sensitive information or send money or buy gift cards in order to claim your prize or solve your problems. Don't do it!
Hang up the phone or delete the texts, do not engage with them. If you're unsure, call your bank or the government agency yourself, using a phone number you look up rather than calling or text the one that contacted you.
