Being WISE About Smartphone Safety FAQ

I have a lot of customers that come in and are either petrified or simply unaware of the every day dangers of using the internet on their smartphones and tablets. Here are some frequently asked questions with some great solutions to make sure you are keeping safe in cyberspace.

Why is it important to have a password or lock code on a smartphone?


Most smartphones contain a heavy amount of personal information such as passwords, banking information, personal contacts, emails and pictures. If you do not protect yourself with a security pass code, you are leaving your self open for possible identity theft.

Tip: Don't use something simple just so you can remember it. Avoid using birthdays, addresses or family names.

What do I need to think about before posting photos online?


Make sure you have geo tagging turned off. Geo tagging logs the geographic location of where you took the picture. This is a neat feature, but could give internet predators an exact location of where you hang out or live.

Tip: Go into your settings on your phone and look for Location Services. Make sure you are only allowing applications that actually require your location such as weather apps.

I download lots of apps. Are there any risks associated with downloading?

 Most of the time when you download applications, they are being downloaded from an App Store that is built in on the phone. Make sure you are downloading apps from your manufacturer's app store (Google Play, Apple App Store, Blackberry World, Windows Marketplace). The apps on these stores are certified and scanned for malware and other viruses before being available for download.

Tip: Some FREE apps contain advertisements that if tapped on can automatically enroll you in premium services that will charge your credit card. This is 100% legal and by tapping on the ads you are giving consent.

What is a digital footprint and how can I make sure mine is clean?

 A digital footprint is an information trail that you leave behind when you go on the web. It is information that is logged when you search Google, use geo location services or even like a photo on Facebook.

Tip: Try not to use auto-fill features that will automatically store your personal information or keychain apps that automatically store your passwords. These services are secured but are not hack proof.




Find this information useful? Come in to a Kelcom location and book a Telus WISE session to learn more about Internet and Smartphone safety HERE

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