The Internet is a tool ingrained in modern society. As society advances, so does the Internet. People surf on it every day. One of the ways the Internet is utilized is through the form of protest, which lets people’s voices get heard more easily.
However, on July 18, 2020, the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 (Republic Act No. 11479.) took effect. The Act provides a way for authorities to decide what is terrorism. If used wrongly, they can detain protestors without a warrant by citing that they are engaging in terrorist acts. Even online protesting has been endangered by this act.
Here are some tips for online safety:
Use VPN
Virtual Private Networks (VPN) hides your location and your IP address. A VPN also protects you from external attacks. It does this by putting your data in an encrypted data tunnel, which is connected to the VPN’s server. This means that the VPN disguises your data so that only you can have access to it. If a third party were to attempt to get your data, the VPN acts as a shield that turns your data into “gibberish”, thus making it unhelpful to the person trying to get it.
Private your social media accounts
Social media is a place where we can share parts of our daily lives, and even our inner thoughts, to others online. However, with how much you talk about yourself online, a third party might find more information about yourself, like your name, appearance, and relationships. To prevent this, set all your social media accounts private. If you want to take further precautions, delete photos of yourself, or change your profile picture to something that isn’t you.
Check your passwords
Easy-to-guess passwords enable third parties to access your accounts. To fix this, use stronger passwords on your accounts. Aside from that, try to make sure that your accounts don’t share the same password. If the security of one account is breached because of a third party guessing the password, it’s better to prevent even more from getting breached by ensuring the passwords are different.
Message on encrypted messaging services
Similar to a VPN, encrypted messaging services hide your private conversations. It encrypts it into code which makes it harder for third parties to access the data. Apps like Signal and Telegram are examples of these services.
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