THE ESSENTIALS
There are many components to the online world that are generally known and understood by most digital users, however, here are three essential terms that we need to understand to take control of our digital responsibility: Hashtag A hashtag (#) is a symbol added before a word or phrase to create a searchable category indexed by social media and discoverable by other users. Instagram, X , and TikTok are the primary platforms where hashtags are used. Hashtags are a way of making it easier to find and follow other users/posts within a particular category or contribute to a conversation. Username A username is a unique online identity that is chosen to represent someone online. Most platforms make you choose a username when you create an account, and this username is typically unique to this individual user (may not be used by others, unless that username is no longer in use). Be mindful that many social media platforms will also ask for a display or vanity name, which can be replicated by any user on the platform. Passwords We all know the challenge of trying to remember our passwords for a website or an app and it’s easy to fall into the habit of using the same passwords for all our logins. This is a dangerous habit, especially if it is something predictable such as a dog name or home address. We should remind our children not to share their passwords with their friends ! This is a major source behind accounts getting “hacked”. Use different passwords for each platform you have an account for and ensure they are strong with a mix of numbers, letters, and special characters (!@#$%^&*). TIP: Try a password manager! There are many free password manager apps available in the iOS app store, Google Play store, and in the form of browser extensions. Password managers store your passwords on a digital “keychain” and can help you to manage passwords (especially really strong ones), so you don’t have to! Make sure to do your research before picking a password manager and always use it at your discretion. If you do not feel comfortable using an online password manager, we recommend having a book with your passwords kept in a secure location.
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