To celebrate National eSmart Week, your libraries are promoting Cyber Safety with displays and handouts to help you keep yourself (and your loved ones) safe online.

Feel free to take home any handouts from our displays, and remember to always follow these Top 10 Cyber Safety tips: 

1. Care about the Share
   Social media wants you to share as much as you can bear! But the share should be rare. NEVER share: passwords, personal information, your location.
2. Privacy Matters
   If you care about the share, you’ll protect your privacy, no matter what. Regularly check your privacy settings on social media, and always think before you post.
3. Respect the Privacy of Others
   Treat others’ privacy as you would your own. Ask for your friends’ permission before uploading photos and videos of them.
4. Keep Everything Updated
   Any idea what causes the most security breaches on the internet? Software that isn’t up-to-date. Be vigilant about updating software, including apps.
5. Spam, Spam, Spam, Spammidy-spam
   Spam is the modern version of junk mail! Learn how to tell the difference between real emails and messages… and always be suspicious of hyperlinks in emails.
6. Control the Troll Within
   There be trolls out there – beware! Don’t feed them, don’t give them what they want: an angry response. Block/Report the trolls. But also: resist the inner troll. Don’t be part of the problem.
7. Cyberbullying and Harassment
   If you’re being targeted by this kind of behaviour, know what you can do, and where you can get help. Ask your library to show you the eSmart resources webpage.
8. Keep Your Friends Close and Strangers at Arm’s Length
   Do you know how many true friends most people have? Three. Yup, those four thousand and fifty-two Facebook ‘friends’ are a combination of acquaintances, people-you-met-once, and probably, some ‘randoms’. They don’t need to know what you had for breakfast, or what concert you went to last night, do they?
9. Feel the Flow – Keep Your Life in Balance
   Technology is incredible. Gaming, networking, apps…online shopping! But make sure you take time out and find the right balance for you. Too long on tech can put the world out of whack.
10. Have Fun, Friend
    Always remember to chill out and keep things in perspective. There’s too much information online to take it all in! Focus on each moment, and enjoy.

Margaret River Library hosts an informal Auslan chat group on alternative Tuesdays 6 – 7pm and all those interested in chatting in Auslan, learning more about the language or practicing their skills are welcome to come along.

For more information check out our library events calendar for dates or ask your friendly library staff.