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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20241202
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UID:10000158-1733097600-1733183999@knowledgeflow.org
SUMMARY:Cyber Monday 2024
DESCRIPTION:Prioritize Cybersafety While Shopping This Cyber Monday!\nShop until you drop fighting the crowds this Black Friday? Or shop safely online from the comfort of your couch and have everything delivered to your doorstep this Cyber Monday? \nYou choose! But if you are planning to spend some time shopping from the comfort of your couch\, make sure you’re caught up on the important cybersafety tips to make that an enjoyable experience. \nA Little History\nCyber Monday is part of a two day marketing scheme full of shopping discounts and sales following American Thanksgiving. Each year people flock to the box stores and malls on Black Friday to find the best deals they can. On Cyber Monday\, they turn on their computers and begin all over again looking for the best savings online. The e-commerce term “Cyber Monday” was first coined back in 2005 by the U.S.’s National Retail Federation and since then it has become one of the biggest online shopping days of the year in many countries\, including Canada. According to NBC News\, in 2020 Cyber Monday became the biggest online shopping day in U.S. history with sales reaching almost $11 billion. With staggering amounts of financial and personal information moving around the internet on Cyber Monday\, it’s more important than ever to protect yourself from those who might try to take advantage of that. \n5 Tips For Online Shopping Safety\nWith that in mind\, let’s take a look at 5 ways YOU can stay safe during Cyber Monday and anytime you shop online! \n1. Check The Source ⬇️ \nThe first thing to do when you are shopping online this Cyber Monday or anytime is to make sure you trust the sources and websites you are purchasing from. It’s easy to trust websites associated with popular brands and brick-and-mortar stores or well-known online retailers like Amazon\, but it’s important to do the research when looking into buying from lesser known online businesses. \nWhen you’re on a site\, check for the padlock symbol to the left of the URL in the search bar. This symbol signals that your connection while browsing is secure. Those websites are using the HTTPS protocol to encrypt the data being sent between the web server and your computer\, so others can’t read it. You can learn more about that and other cybersafety facts by taking KnowledgeFlow’s FREE Cybersafety for Everyone course on cybersafetyacademy.org. \nAnother good practice is to bookmark sites you regularly shop from to avoid typosquatting scams\, where fraudsters register a URL that is a slight variation of a legitimate website’s domain name in order to deceive users. Be careful when doing a Google search for a store’s website because malicious ads will sometimes appear before a legitimate website in your search. This is one good reason to use an ad-blocker and you can learn about how to do that here. \n2. Use A Secure Wi-fi Connection 🛡️ \nOne of the simplest ways to stay safe while online shopping is to use a secure wi-fi connection. This means that you should never do your online shopping or anything that requires inputting sensitive information into a site while being on public wi-fi. If you must browse check out these Public Wi-fi Safety Measures\, but wait until you return to the safety of your private home wi-fi connection before making any purchases. Learn about how you can secure your home network here. \n3. Avoid Online Fraud ❌ \nThere are many platforms out there selling counterfeit products. To avoid being scammed by these sellers always make sure to read the production description carefully\, looking for anything that might identify it as a fake. Some clues you might notice are vague contact details for the company\, being asked for more personal information than is necessary\, spelling and grammar mistakes\, and offers that seem to good to be true. For more information about types of online scams take a look at this tipsheet here. \n4. Avoid Phishing Scams 🎣 \nOn a holiday like Cyber Monday\, your email will likely be cluttered with marketing ads and newsletters from all sorts of companies who want you to BUY\, BUY\, BUY. It’s important to learn how to verify whether the email is legitimate or if it’s a spam email that made it through the email platform’s filters. Phishing scams are designed to trick you into revealing personal information or giving away your money\, and they often come in the form of an email or ad that looks credible\, but isn’t. Learn about what phishing is and how to spot it here. You can also practice spotting these scams by signing up for our Phishing Campaign\, which is a teaching course delivered straight to your email! \n5. Protect Your Payment Information 💳 \nA necessary part of online shopping is spending money\, but you should be the only one spending it! It’s crucial that you protect your payment information online so that scammers and hackers can’t steal your finances or even your identity. That means you should only give your credit card information to websites you trust. If a website asks to save your credit card information for faster checkout the next time\, it’s best to decline and re-enter it if you shop there again\, depending on how frequently you use and trust the website. Lastly\, you can use a third-party payment processor like PayPal to process your transactions when you are shopping online. By acting as a middleman between your money and the recipient\, it offers an additional level of security and buyer protection. \nBonus Tip: Gift Cards 🎁 \nIf you’re ever buying gift cards so that someone else gets a chance to shop\, be aware that they are becoming increasingly susceptible to fraud. Check out our Gift Card Safety Tipsheet to avoid any disappoint around purchasing them. \nMore Resources:\n\nScam Red Flags: The Hallmarks Of An Online Scam (knowledgeflow.org)\nOnline Shopping Safety: 5 Tips For Shopping Safely Online (knowledgeflow.org)\nHow To Be UnHackable: Claudiu’s 10 Rules For Cybersafety (knowledgeflow.org)\nBrowser Bookmark: How They Help You Avoid Online Fraud (knowledgeflow.org)\n\nHappy shopping this Cyber Monday! \n 
URL:https://knowledgeflow.org/event/cyber-monday-2024/
LOCATION:No Venue
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://knowledgeflow.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/event-banner-cyber-monday-dec-2-2024.png
ORGANIZER;CN="KnowledgeFlow Cybersafety Foundation":MAILTO:contact@knowledgeflow.org
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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20241210
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20241216
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SUMMARY:Metaverse Safety Week 2024
DESCRIPTION:Metaverse Safety Week 2024\nWelcome to Metaverse Safety Week of 2024 from December 10th till the 15th! This event is dedicated to raising awareness and providing guidance on how to navigate virtual spaces securely. This week-long event focuses on helping individuals understand the potential risks in digital environments\, from privacy concerns to cyberbullying\, and offers practical tips on protecting personal data\, avoiding scams\, and ensuring safe interactions. Whether you’re a newcomer or an experienced user\, Metaverse Safety Week provides valuable insights and resources to help you enjoy virtual worlds responsibly. \nWhat’s the Metaverse?\nThe metaverse refers to a collective virtual space that merges physical and digital realities\, where users can interact\, socialize\, work\, play\, and create in immersive\, 3D environments. It incorporates technologies like virtual reality (VR)\, augmented reality (AR)\, blockchain\, and artificial intelligence (AI) to enable real-time experiences across a shared digital universe. In the metaverse\, users can own digital assets\, create personalized avatars\, and participate in various activities\, from gaming to attending virtual events\, blurring the line between virtual and real-world experiences. As a decentralized and evolving space\, the metaverse is seen as the next phase of the internet. \n6 Tips to Stay Safe in the Metaverse\nIt is important for all of us to ensure our safety in the metaverse. For this year’s Metaverse Safety Week\, we offer you some key tips to stay safe in the metaverse: \n1. Protect Personal Information 🛡️\nIn virtual spaces\, just as in real life\, your personal data is valuable. Share only the necessary details about yourself and avoid using the same usernames or passwords across different platforms. Use strong\, unique passwords and enable two-factor authentication (2FA) to add an extra layer of security. 2FA makes it harder for unauthorized users to access your accounts\, even if they get your password. \nUse a reliable password manager to keep note of all your passwords by reading our Ultimate Password Manager Guide for Fraud Prevention Month post. \n2. Be Aware of Scams and Fraud 🔍\nScammers often target virtual platforms\, especially with the increasing use of NFTs and cryptocurrencies. Double-check the legitimacy of platforms before making any transactions\, and always verify the identity of individuals you’re interacting with\, especially when money is involved. Never rush into deals that seem too good to be true\, as scammers may try to exploit this by offering “exclusive” virtual assets or deals. \nRead The Newcomer’s Guide to Avoiding Scams and Fraud brochure for tips on how to avoid scams. \n3. Monitor Virtual Interactions 👁️\nBecause the metaverse is immersive\, it’s easy for bad actors to take advantage of users. Always be mindful of who you’re interacting with and report abusive or suspicious behaviour immediately. Platforms often provide tools for blocking users or reporting misconduct—be sure to familiarize yourself with these features to maintain a safe environment for yourself and others. \n4. Secure Virtual Assets 🔒\nIf you invest in digital assets like NFTs or cryptocurrencies\, keep them safe in secure\, encrypted digital wallets. Be cautious about sharing your wallet keys or login details\, as this could lead to theft of your virtual goods. Use cold wallets (offline storage) when possible\, and stay alert to phishing attempts that may trick you into giving away sensitive information. \n6. Set Boundaries in Virtual Spaces ⏱️\nThe immersive experience of the metaverse can make it easy to lose track of time or engage in unhealthy interactions. Set clear personal boundaries for how much time you spend and who you interact with to avoid overstimulation\, addiction\, or unpleasant experiences. Always ensure your mental well-being while enjoying virtual worlds. \n7. Use Reputable Platforms ✅\nNot all virtual platforms offer the same level of security or privacy. Stick to well-known\, reputable metaverse platforms that have strong moderation standards and clear privacy policies. These platforms typically invest in robust cybersecurity protocols to protect users\, making them safer for interactions and transactions. \nBy following these tips\, you can better protect your identity\, assets\, and well-being while navigating the metaverse. \nTips for Parents\nIt’s important for children to stay safe in the metaverse because they may encounter inappropriate content\, strangers\, or scams in this immersive environment. Ensuring safety measures helps protect their privacy\, well-being\, and fosters healthy digital habits while they explore virtual worlds. For parents who are looking for ways to monitor their children’s activity and safety in the metaverse\, here are a few tips: \n1. Set Parental Controls 📱\nMany metaverse platforms have built-in parental controls that allow you to monitor and restrict your child’s activities. Set limits on screen time\, restrict certain types of interactions\, and control access to certain features\, like purchases or messaging. \n2. Monitor Who They Interact With 🪪\nEncourage open conversations with your child about who they are meeting in the virtual world. Regularly review their friends list and discuss any new interactions. Teach them to only engage with people they know in real life and to report any suspicious or inappropriate behaviour. \n3. Stay Involved 📋\nSpend time with your child in the metaverse to understand the platform and its potential risks. This helps you stay informed about the content they are exposed to and gives you a better understanding of how to guide them. \n4. Teach Safe Online Behaviour 📖\nDiscuss the importance of protecting personal information and not sharing it with anyone in the metaverse. Teach your child how to spot scams\, phishing attempts\, and other malicious behaviours. \n5. Use Kid-Friendly Platforms 👦🏽\nOpt for metaverse platforms that are designed for younger users. These platforms often have stricter moderation\, more robust safety features\, and a more controlled environment to ensure children’s safety. \nBy staying proactive and involved\, you can help your child safely navigate the metaverse while minimizing risks. Enroll your child in one of our courses for children and teens to learn more about cybersafety. \n  \nNow that you know how to stay safe in the metaverse\, use this Metaverse Safety Week to share what you’ve learned to help others stay well-informed and increase their awareness. Encourage others to take part in the event and contribute to sharing these tips!  \n  \nCheck Our Resources For More Information\n\nYour Ultimate Cybersafety Library – Essential Resources | Your Ultimate Cybersafety Library (knowledgeflow.org)\nCybersafety Academy | KnowledgeFlow Cybersafety Foundation\n\nCybersafety Academy Course: Charting your Course – A Map from Cybersafety to Cybersecurity\nCybersafety For Everyone Course: Cybersafety for Everyone | Cybersafety Academy
URL:https://knowledgeflow.org/event/metaverse-safety-week-2024/
LOCATION:No Venue
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ORGANIZER;CN="KnowledgeFlow Cybersafety Foundation":MAILTO:contact@knowledgeflow.org
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