Get Safe Online
Encyclopedia
Get Safe Online is a United Kingdom-based campaign and national initiative to teach citizens about basic computer security
and internet privacy
. It was launched in October 2005 with the backing of several government departments, and the support and sponsorship of many companies, listed below.
The campaign's centre point is its website where people can go to get information about internet safety, how to protect themselves online, and practical advice. The site offers a 10-minute guide for beginners, as well as more technical information and guidance for businesses as well as home users.
Get Safe Online has gained significance, with the front page of eBay
UK featuring the campaign logo, linking to eBay's safety centre with information from the Get Safe Online campaign. Links are given to the official website for users wanting to find out more.
One statistic from the report that hit the news was the fact that people fear internet crime more than burglary, mugging, and theft http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/5414696.stm. It was also found that only 24% of people felt they should be primarily responsible for their online safety http://www.getsafeonline.org/media/GSO_Cyber_Report_2006.pdf.
The report showed a general increase in awareness of internet safety by the British public during the first year of the campaign. However, it did show a reluctance by some to use the internet for some services, such as 18% refusing to shop online due to fear of online crime, and 21% not wanting to do their financial management online http://www.getsafeonline.org/media/GSO_Cyber_Report_2006.pdf. Although the campaign appeared to have generally improved people's knowledge and understanding of online safety after its first year, it was clear there was room for improvement.
Attention was drawn to the recently launched Get Safe Online blog http://www.getsafeonlineblog.org/ in a hope to "reach people on the web" http://www.getsafeonline.org/nqcontent.cfm?a_id=1424. In addition to this, a campaign on Bebo
, a social networking
site was launched.
The impact of the events of Get Safe Online Week is yet to be seen.
Computer security
Computer security is a branch of computer technology known as information security as applied to computers and networks. The objective of computer security includes protection of information and property from theft, corruption, or natural disaster, while allowing the information and property to...
and internet privacy
Internet privacy
Internet privacy involves the right or mandate of personal privacy concerning the storing, repurposing, providing to third-parties, and displaying of information pertaining to oneself via the Internet. Privacy can entail both Personally Identifying Information or non-PII information such as a...
. It was launched in October 2005 with the backing of several government departments, and the support and sponsorship of many companies, listed below.
The campaign's centre point is its website where people can go to get information about internet safety, how to protect themselves online, and practical advice. The site offers a 10-minute guide for beginners, as well as more technical information and guidance for businesses as well as home users.
Get Safe Online has gained significance, with the front page of eBay
EBay
eBay Inc. is an American internet consumer-to-consumer corporation that manages eBay.com, an online auction and shopping website in which people and businesses buy and sell a broad variety of goods and services worldwide...
UK featuring the campaign logo, linking to eBay's safety centre with information from the Get Safe Online campaign. Links are given to the official website for users wanting to find out more.
Impact and findings
In October 2006, the Get Safe Online Report was published, one year after the campaign was launched. It reported that research indicated since the launch, 62% of people identified and understood the campaign messages, and as a result, 30% now keep their personal details safe http://www.getsafeonline.org/media/GSO_Cyber_Report_2006.pdf.One statistic from the report that hit the news was the fact that people fear internet crime more than burglary, mugging, and theft http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/5414696.stm. It was also found that only 24% of people felt they should be primarily responsible for their online safety http://www.getsafeonline.org/media/GSO_Cyber_Report_2006.pdf.
The report showed a general increase in awareness of internet safety by the British public during the first year of the campaign. However, it did show a reluctance by some to use the internet for some services, such as 18% refusing to shop online due to fear of online crime, and 21% not wanting to do their financial management online http://www.getsafeonline.org/media/GSO_Cyber_Report_2006.pdf. Although the campaign appeared to have generally improved people's knowledge and understanding of online safety after its first year, it was clear there was room for improvement.
Get Safe Online Week
October 9 to October 13 2006 was Get Safe Online Week. An internet safety summit was held on the morning of the first day, and a roadshow travelled around the country to spread awareness of online safety.Attention was drawn to the recently launched Get Safe Online blog http://www.getsafeonlineblog.org/ in a hope to "reach people on the web" http://www.getsafeonline.org/nqcontent.cfm?a_id=1424. In addition to this, a campaign on Bebo
Bebo
Bebo is a social networking website launched in July 2005. It is currently owned and operated by Criterion Capital Partners after taking over from AOL in June 2010....
, a social networking
Social network service
A social networking service is an online service, platform, or site that focuses on building and reflecting of social networks or social relations among people, who, for example, share interests and/or activities. A social network service consists of a representation of each user , his/her social...
site was launched.
The impact of the events of Get Safe Online Week is yet to be seen.
Government departments
The campaign is headed by the following Government departments:- Central Sponsor for Information Assurance (CSIA)
- Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory ReformDepartment for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory ReformThe Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform was a United Kingdom government department. The department was created on 28 June 2007 on the disbanding of the Department of Trade and Industry , and was itself disbanded on 6 June 2009 on the creation of the Department for Business,...
(BERR) - Home OfficeHome OfficeThe Home Office is the United Kingdom government department responsible for immigration control, security, and order. As such it is responsible for the police, UK Border Agency, and the Security Service . It is also in charge of government policy on security-related issues such as drugs,...
- Centre for the Protection of National InfrastructureCentre for the Protection of National InfrastructureCentre for the Protection of National Infrastructure is the United Kingdom government authority which provides protective security advice to businesses and organisations across the national infrastructure...
(CPNI)
Sponsors
The campaign is sponsored by the following companies:- eBayEBayeBay Inc. is an American internet consumer-to-consumer corporation that manages eBay.com, an online auction and shopping website in which people and businesses buy and sell a broad variety of goods and services worldwide...
- HSBCHSBCHSBC Holdings plc is a global banking and financial services company headquartered in Canary Wharf, London, United Kingdom. it is the world's second-largest banking and financial services group and second-largest public company according to a composite measure by Forbes magazine...
- MicrosoftMicrosoftMicrosoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
- Serious Organised Crime AgencySerious Organised Crime AgencyThe Serious Organised Crime Agency is a non-departmental public body of the Government of the United Kingdom under Home Office sponsorship...
(SOCA) - Cable&Wireless
- SymantecSymantecSymantec Corporation is the largest maker of security software for computers. The company is headquartered in Mountain View, California, and is a Fortune 500 company and a member of the S&P 500 stock market index.-History:...
Supporters
The campaign is supported by the following companies and organisations:- 7Safe Information Security
- Yahoo!Yahoo!Yahoo! Inc. is an American multinational internet corporation headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, United States. The company is perhaps best known for its web portal, search engine , Yahoo! Directory, Yahoo! Mail, Yahoo! News, Yahoo! Groups, Yahoo! Answers, advertising, online mapping ,...
- UK OnlineUK OnlineUK Online was a consumer Internet service provider that operated within the UK, and began as a dial-up provider in 1994. Network provider Easynet acquired the company in 1996....
- MSNMSNMSN is a collection of Internet sites and services provided by Microsoft. The Microsoft Network debuted as an online service and Internet service provider on August 24, 1995, to coincide with the release of the Windows 95 operating system.The range of services offered by MSN has changed since its...
- National Confederation of Parent Teacher Associations (NCPTA)
- Internet Service Providers AssociationInternet Service Providers AssociationThe Internet Service Providers Association, or ISPA, is a British body representing providers of Internet Services.-History:ISPA was established in 1995 as the first trade association for ISPs, promoting competition, self-regulation and progress within the Internet industry...
(ISPA) - Interactive Media in Retail Group (IMRG)
- DirectgovDirectgovDirectgov is the UK government's digital service for people in the United Kingdom, providing a single point of access to public sector information and services.The content is developed by government departments, working with a central Directgov team...
- Citizens Advice BureauCitizens Advice BureauA Citizens Advice Bureau is one of a network of independent charities throughout the UK that give free, confidential information and advice to help people with their money, legal, consumer and other problems....
- Business LinkBusiness LinkBusiness Link is a government-funded business advice and guidance service in England. It consists of an online portal managed by HMRC, local/regional advisors and a national helpline.-History:...
- PayPalPayPalPayPal is an American-based global e-commerce business allowing payments and money transfers to be made through the Internet. Online money transfers serve as electronic alternatives to paying with traditional paper methods, such as checks and money orders....
- GumtreeGumtreeGumtree is an extensive network of online classifieds and community websites. Classified ads are either free or paid for depending on the product category and the geographical market...
- VeriSignVeriSignVerisign, Inc. is an American company based in Dulles, Virginia that operates a diverse array of network infrastructure, including two of the Internet's thirteen root nameservers, the authoritative registry for the .com, .net, and .name generic top-level domains and the .cc and .tv country-code...
- Information Systems Security Association (ISSA)
- International Association of Accountants Innovation & Technology Consultants (IAAITC)
- StarStarA star is a massive, luminous sphere of plasma held together by gravity. At the end of its lifetime, a star can also contain a proportion of degenerate matter. The nearest star to Earth is the Sun, which is the source of most of the energy on Earth...