Using the internet to have fun is a very common thing in the modern day and age – you can find all sorts of things online, from simple Youtube clips to full feature productions. There are a whole bunch of streaming services out there too, and you can pay a bit their way every month to have all of your entertainment needs met.
But you need to make sure you’re staying safe while you’re at it. Sure, it’s important to stay safe when you’re using the internet to work, but you need to ensure your casual internet time is just as secure! And there’s a good chance you spend more time online looking for entertainment, so there’s an increased chance of a hack or scam or a virus during these moments.
Spot the Scam
There are a lot of scams online, and if you go in search of something to watch with vague search terms and little to no filters, you’ll come across quite a few even in the top search results. You’ll want to make sure you’re not watching something that’ll instantly download a worm or a virus to your system, or ask you for money before watching when they first claimed the content was free.
How do you spot a scam? Well, you keep an eye out for general suspicious activity. What’s the website layout like? Are the download buttons looking pretty fishy? Is there even a secure lock and layer on the HTML?
Use a VPN When Streaming Content
VPNs are incredibly useful in the modern day and age. After all, it’s a closely interconnected world, and being able to retain your privacy while you just try to enjoy yourself is getting harder and harder.
A VPN not only helps to keep you safe while you’re online, but it ensures you have access to everything you could ever want to watch. You’ll no longer be region locked away from your favorite content; with something like Troypoint accompanying your media software, you’ll be able to stream content from all over the world.
Change Your Passwords Regularly
And of course, you’ll need to change your passwords regularly, to ensure you and only you have access to your streaming accounts. Something like Netflix, for example, can have up to 4 users watching at a time – make sure you know only you and the people you’ve willingly shared a password with are the people using these 4 slots.
At the same time, make sure you only share your password with people you trust. Make sure they won’t give it out to whomever they like; if you notice some unusual activity (like a few programs you didn’t watch, etc.), it’s time to reset your password and require all users to sign in again.
Staying safe when searching for entertainment online is a very useful skill to have. It protects you, your bank account, and your possessions, and it helps to ensure your online business lives to see another day.
This is a collaborative post
