5 New Year’s Resolutions for 2016

When it comes to Internet nonsense, 2015 demonstrated that we’re still just as vulnerable to many types of online scams and hoaxes as we have been in previous years.

Thousands of people fell for scams, and even more were caught out spreading utter nonsense across the Internet, especially through social media. So, may be a few New Year’s resolutions wouldn’t go amiss…

5. I will learn that there is no such thing as a free lunch on Facebook

In fact, not only are there not free lunches, but also no free Range Rovers, airlines tickets, supermarket vouchers, high-street gift cards, iPhones, iPads, Dell computers, Samsung smartphones or tickets to Disneyland.

As much as we’d just love to win loads of free stuff just for sharing and liking a post on Facebook, these scams are hardly ever real. In fact, they usually lead to further scams like identify fraud, malware infections or luring visitors into unwittingly making themselves the target for spammers.

These scams are always going viral, because they’re just so easy to fall for since the victims feel that they have nothing to lose, which is often not the case… and so this leads us to our next resolution…

4. I will stop falling for scams “just in case” they’re true

The case against “just in case” is often overlooked by those unable to see or predict the consequences of falling for scams or hoaxes online.

The problem with this increasingly troubled philosophy is that the victim believes there is little downside to seeing if a particular scam or hoax is real or not, when there usually is.

For starters, signing up for scams that you think ‘might’ be true will usually lead to more scams, since scammers will continue with their cons for as long as people fall for them.

Scams that claim – for example – sharing photos of sick or injured children will result in donations or prayers actually exploit the children in those photos, and sharing them will ultimately continue that exploitation, and it’s a violation of their privacy.

Spreading scams or hoaxes simply diminishes the ability social media can act as a platform for spreading useful or accurate information since scams seek to turn it into a quagmire of misinformation and peril.

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3. I will be wary of links in emails or chat messages

Links in emails or chat messages can take you anywhere on the Internet, and considering how easy it is to send a message disguised as something or someone you’re not, recipients of messages should be extremely wary of any messages they receive that contain links.

Phishing scams often initiate contact by sending out emails or messages to unsuspecting victims that contain links to spoof websites that ask for personal information which is then sent straight to the scammers behind the scams.

Avoid clicking on links embedded in emails and chat messages and at the very least treat them with extreme caution and always make sure that you look at the web address of the webpages they send you to.

2. I’m not going to base my presidential election vote on rumours I hear online

2016 is an election year, and for all you US folk, that means an onslaught of nonsense is going to hit the Internet targeting pretty much everyone who will be seeking the position of president.

Political rumours are perhaps one of the most common types of hearsay on the Internet, especially in the United States. But it goes into overdrive during election years, and you’ll perhaps not be surprised that the vast majority of things you’ll hear online – targeting either side – will be misleading or totally bogus.

Whilst we tend not to delve too deeply into politically fuelled rumours over here, there are plenty of other sites that do, including FactCheck.org, Snopes.com or Politifact.com.

1. I WILL TAKE MY ONLINE PRIVACY SERIOUSLY

Well, there is a reason this is all in capitals. It’s because it really is important.

Not taking your online privacy seriously is like leaving the backdoor of your house open when you go to work. You only really regret it when it’s too late and someone has already been rummaging through all your personal stuff.

Whether it’s sharing too much, not having your privacy settings set correctly or just being unaware of the many do’s and do not’s of good privacy habits, thousands of people every year are being caught out by the ever increasing influence social media and the Internet has on our lives.

There are many guides on how privacy works and how not to get caught out, so read up and make sure you’re not the next victim.

Let’s all have a good, safe and hoax-free year for 2016 shall we!