The internet is amazing but so many people don't see the dangers in using it especially in a country like Nigeria where IT security for itself and its citizens is almost zero. I can't do without it and each day when I sit on my computer I learn new things which takes me even deeper into places you would never get to in 2 lifetimes. But then I like to just share some experiences.
Light Web or the internet as u call it is actually a messed up place. Social networks is the easiest place to get depressed in our needs for likes but thats that. Parents should actually watch what apps their kids use, that pedophile or serial rapist is actually there searching too cos it's easy to find anyone online. I use an app that is bundled with these MTK type phones ,techno etc. It's called palmchat and you would be amazed at the 11 year olds and 14 year olds online 24 hours of the day and it's all about sex and yet there is actually no response to abuse or reports from the app support team. Facebook has actually been good on security but they actually can't get there yet cos we humans are good at manipulation. Google is actually good if u like the idea of being watched but u should know that everything is tracked about you through google, your locations, app usage, and even payment or financial details. The Android phone makes this worse as you actually give more information about yourself the moment you sign in wit ur google account. Pictures you take are geo tagged but u don't know but one day try using Google Image search. Another harm is in letting others use our systems or for parents an adult and kids sharing same phone or computers....what actually happens is that anytime you use a computer you leave prints of your virtual activities some cached up somewhere in memory and some captured by your browser. If I access a porn site on a computer online I have virtually just made it easy for a kid to reach that same porn, unless it was assessed privately. Browsers store up cookies which contain information of particular sites, cookies are good cos it makes ur browsing experience faster by loading those information's from ur system cache which would have taken time to render normally.
Dating and electronic market places are known to us but we don't really care sometimes. I use olx a lot and I see the scans, I am not saying its bad, but understand the person u want to buy from first to avert something like the Jumia delivery guy issue and reverse it by Imagining advertising that u have a 500k thing at home to sell, anyone can actually knock on ur gate and God forbid. But then simple things can make u safe, before u do transactions or buy things online make sure that it's a safe and well known site. Look out if the site is secure, you can know this by looking at the URL or address of the site and if it's green then it's secure (don't think cloudflare). That green means the site has SSL security on its hosting and these allows you to carry out transactions securely. Most payment gateways don't work with sites that don't have SSL security unless it redirects u to a secure page. Read reviews on users and items, reviews will give u better information on item quality and user reviews will show his trust rating. I would rather buy from a guy with 100 sales than a guy with 2.
Avoid virtual worlds and role playing unless it's under 16. I have actually had an experience in a virtual world called secondlife that ended up in me almost closing my facebook. I hooked up in secondlife with a woman, I was new there and she showered me with virtual gifts (they can be converted to real cash), buying some property in secondlife cost as much in real life and imagine u owning the Eiffel Tower. Back to my story we had sex online and then I get a call in real life from that woman claiming she is pregnant, I log on and she is actually, my troubles starts cos I am now getting calls everyday about how bad a father I am and how she feels like killing the baby....i log on after so many disturbs and a girl is introduced to me as my daughter....I ran, many calls and insults followed in real life and I successfully blocked it all. I never went back.
Do you know how easy it is to buy another person online, yes they have places where u can buy ricin and poison and chemical weapons and contact assassins and get virtually anything evil. There is a website for people who want to commit suicide, yeah, u get advice on how to kill yourself. You can get a new identity if u want... People make it happen easy. Although you would or might never be able to access this part of the internet because it's the dark web. It is virtually hidden from you unless u want to access it. You can't just get there by mistake. Imagine the powers of the dark web in Nigeria, a site where I can buy a human head or have poison delivered to my doorstep. Buy weed online and have it delivered to your doorstep or maybe buy an advert to kill someone for as little as 10k. People are evil but how are we secure in a country that can't even handle the street crime cos of greed and corruption. Do we really have an effective cyber police? Do we have a system to report sexual predators, pedophiles and the murderers and swindlers? We dont so your security is in ur hands.
Little advice, Parents should ensure kids are protected, approve the apps and games they play using the age ratings, I wish there was Nollywood kids...... There are kid friendly browsers and some apps are kid friendly if you set it up to be. Dont share devices with strangers. Start paying attention to these things cos as long as u are online u would get to meet these dangers.
Don't mind my englaise unless you speak elven or Tolkien. Have a nice day.
Edomwandagbon Uyi