As you may know, October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and the FCC and other government agencies are providing educational materials and outreach on how consumers and small businesses can protect themselves while online. Online security and privacy are very important issues, and there are growing concerns as we access the Internet to do more and more things, like online banking, purchasing items from our favorite online retail stores and interacting with each other on popular websites.
As the FCC's National Broadband Plan recognized, protecting online privacy and security are also important for promoting our nation's adoption of cutting edge broadband services. In kicking off our Cybersecurity Awareness Month activities, FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski noted that, "When people fear that new technologies put their privacy at risk, they are less likely to use those technologies. To fulfill the promise of broadband for our children, parents need to feel confident that their children are safe online and that their personal information is protected."
As part of our education and outreach on these issues, the FCC has created a new online privacy and security webpage, which can be accessed at www.fcc.gov/consumers. This webpage provides useful information for consumers and small businesses regarding online safety and cybersecurity. Throughout the month, we will be rolling out tip sheets, checklists, videos, screencasts, and blog postings — such as this one — addressing several topics, including:
- Protecting Children in the Digital Age
- Protecting Wi-Fi Networks
- Safe Internet Navigation and Transactions
- Tips for Infected Computers or Networks
- Best Practices for Small Business Cybersecurity
- Tips for Using the Internet Abroad
Our new webpage also contains links to other sources of information regarding online security and privacy, and we encourage you to visit regularly to view the updates. Our friends at the Federal Trade Commission have also made available many helpful sources of information, and the National Cyber Security Alliance has pitched in with a website called StaySafeOnline.org.
Thanks for visiting and doing your part to protect yourself and your family while online.