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What is Online Safety? A Guide to staying safe online
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The internet can be a scary place, so it’s important to know how keep yourself and your loved ones safe when you’re on the internet. Here’s everything you need to know about online safety, including what it is and what you can do to stay safe online
By Virgin Media Edit
- Published
- Wed 24 April 2025
What is online safety?
Online safety means protecting yourself and your personal information when you use the internet. It’s about being careful with what you and your loved one’s share, talk to, and the websites or apps you use while you’re online. Just like you lock your doors at home to stay safe, you need to take steps to stay safe online too.
One of the most important aspects of online safety is keeping your private information secure. This includes protecting things like your name, address, phone number, passwords, and even photos whenever you’re on the internet. You should never share this kind of information with people you don’t know or on websites that don’t seem trustworthy.
Another part of staying safe online is being aware of strangers. Not everyone on the internet is who they say they are. Some people might try to trick you or ask you to do things that make you uncomfortable. If that ever happens, it’s important to tell a trusted adult right away.
Online safety means being kind and respectful to others too. Saying mean things or spreading rumors about someone online can be dangerous due to how fast internet spreads online. Staying safe online helps make the internet a better place for everyone.
Why is online safety important?
Online safety helps protect you from harm while using the internet. There are many fun and helpful things to do online, but if you’re not careful, the internet can also be dangerous for you and your loved ones.
If someone gets your passwords, address, or other private details, they could pretend to be you, steal from you, or even hurt you, so it’s important to make sure that only you and the people you trust can see your important information.
This might like common sense, but with online scams becoming more common and more sophisticated than ever before, you always need to be on the lookout for suspicious or dangerous behaviour when you’re online.
Scammers can ask for money, try to get you to click on bad links, or send messages that make you feel scared or confused, so knowing how to spot the signs of a scam can help keep you safe. If you know the how to spot the signs, you can usually enjoy the internet without fear or problems.
Online safety risks to watch out for
There are many online safety risks that people should know about, especially when using the internet to talk, play, or learn. Knowing what to watch out for can help you stay safe and avoid problems. Below are some common online risks explained in simple language.
Cyberbullying is when someone uses the internet to hurt, embarrass or threaten another person. It can happen in many ways – someone might send mean texts, post rude comments on social media, or make fun of someone in a group chat or online game. Because it happens online, it can reach a lot of people very quickly and can happen at any time.
Online scammers often try to trick people into giving them money or personal details like passwords or bank card numbers. They might send an email or message that looks real, pretending to be your bank or a favourite shop or offering fake prizes, or saying say your account has a problem and asking you to click a link. If you get a message that seems odd or asks for personal information, don’t click on anything. Instead, check with a trusted adult or visit the official website to see if the message is true.
Looking for an extra layer of security against online scams? Virgin Media Advanced Security is our top-level security solution to help you stay safe when you’re online, with all kinds of clever, easy-to-use tools that keep your personal data out of anyone else’s hands.
Sign up for Advanced Security today for a no-commitment three-month trial.
Talking to new people online might seem fun, but it's important to be very careful with who you’re talking to. Some strangers online pretend to be someone they’re not – like a child – when they’re actually adults with bad intentions. They may try to get you to share secrets, photos or even ask to meet in person.
Sometimes we don’t realise how much we’re sharing online. Posting things like your full name, your birthday, and where you work or go to school can give strangers too much information about you and make it easier for someone to pretend to be you or even find you in real life. Always keep your social media private, don’t accept friend requests from people you don’t know, and think carefully before you post.
There are websites, videos and images online that are not safe or appropriate, especially for children. These can include violent scenes, bad language or things meant for adults. Sometimes you might see these things by accident, like from clicking on the wrong link or advert. If you see something that makes you feel upset, confused or uncomfortable, it’s okay to close the page and talk to an adult.
At Virgin Media, we provide our customers with the tools the portect themselves against online safety threats. All of our broadband deals come with Virgin Media Essential Security at no extra cost to give our customers peace of mind while they're online.
Read our Essential security guide to learn more about what Essential Security is and how to turn it on if you’ve got Virgin Media broadband at home.
Who is most vulnerable to online safety threats?
Some groups of people are more vulnerable to online security threats than others, meaning they’re more likely to fall victim to online scams and malicious activity on the internet. Children and teenagers are one of these groups, since they may not yet know how to spot danger online. They might trust people too easily, click on links without thinking, or share personal information without realising the risks.
The elderly are also common targets of cyber threats, since they're often not familiar with how websites, apps or emails work. If someone doesn’t know how to check if a website is safe, create strong passwords, or spot fake messages, they could accidentally share personal information with the wrong people.
Even though some people are more at risk, anyone can be affected by online threats. That’s why online safety is important for everyone, no matter your age or experience. Being careful, thinking before you click, and asking for help when needed can help keep you and others safe.
Online safety best practices
1. Use strong passwords
A strong password is one that is hard for others to guess. It should include a mix of letters, numbers and symbols, and you should avoid using easy things like your name, "123456" or "password". Try to have different passwords for different websites so that if one gets hacked, the others are still safe. You can also use a password manager to help you remember them.
2. Think before you click
Not everything you see online is safe. Sometimes, pop-ups, scam emails or links can lead to fake websites that allow hackers to steal your personal information. Before you click on anything, double check that what you're clicking on is legitimate and that it takes you to a legitimate website or page. When in doubt, ask a trusted adult or friend for help.
3. Keep your personal information private
Never share your full name, address, phone number, school name or other personal details with people online, especially if you don’t know them. Even posting photos or sharing where you are can give away too much. Make your social media accounts private and only accept people you know in real life.
4. Be kind and respectful
Being safe online also means treating others with respect. Don’t say mean things, post hurtful comments, or forward things that could embarrass someone else. If you wouldn’t say it in person, don’t say it online. Being kind makes the internet a better place for everyone.
5. Update your devices and apps
Your device provider often provide regular updates to keep your device more secure. This helps protect your devices from viruses, hackers and other online threats. Be sure to always install any updates on your phone, tablet, computer and apps. You can also turn on automatic updates, so your device does it for you.
6. Talk to a trusted adult if you’re ever unsure
If something online makes you feel uncomfortable, scared or confused, talk to someone you trust. This could be a parent, teacher, or another adult you know. You are never alone, and there is always someone who can help you understand what’s going on and how to fix it.
Stay secure online with Virgin Media Essential Security
Essential Security helps keep you and your family safe online by protecting any device that’s connected to your broadband network. It does this by blocking access to sites it believes are unsuitable for children, fraudulent or that contains viruses.
The best bit? Because it’s built into your home WiFi network, you get it at no extra cost and without having lifting a finger.
Essential Security is designed to give you peace of mind when browsing online by protecting you and your devices from petty scams and persistent hackers. And if there are any nasties already on your devices, it will ensure none of your data is shared with anyone outside of your network – so long as you’re connected.
Read out full guide on Essential Security to learn more about our online security features and how to enable them if you’re an existing customer.
Not a Virgin Media customer yet? Check out all of our broadband deals and get Essential Security at no extra cost with all of our packages.
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