Google is reminding its users to practice safe web browsing on the Safer Internet Day 2019. 5 February is the Safet Internet Day and Google has taken it upon itself to remind users of the need to secure their online accounts and stay safe while surfing the web. Google is recommending several steps the ensure safety while web browsing as a part of its #SecurityChekKiya campaign.
Google is asking users to ensure the security of their phones, secure their data and secure their account, in order to stay safe online. Here are three simple steps Google is urging users to implement in their browsing habits:
Secure Your Android Phone
Although the app service from Google has been making news in regards to the authenticity of the apps present on the store, Google Play Store is the safest place on Android to download apps. Every Android phone comes pre-programmed with Google Play Protect service along with the Google Play Store. The service keeps the apps in check by scanning more than 50 billion apps every single day and in the process, removing the potentially harmful apps.
Google also recommends users to keep their screen locked with a unique password. This ensures the safety of the personal data in case a user has misplaced their phone somewhere. Google asks users to not rely on biometric data alone for the security of their device.
Secure Your Data From Third-Party Apps
Third-party apps are those apps that are not downloaded from the Google Play Store. these apps will often demand access to location, contacts, camera, microphone, and storage. While some apps demand specific access in order to function properly, other apps just demand these access without any inherent use.
It should be kept in mind to allow access to the apps that demand specific access in order to function properly. Users can review the permissions they have already granted to apps.
Android users can go to Settings > Apps & Notifications > Advanced > App Permissions to review the granted access.
Secure Your Google Account
Google account is the backbone of all the user data on the internet since all the accounts are connected to a Google account in one way or another. Securing one’s Google account is essential in order to ensure the safety of Gmail, Docs, and Drive, which are connected to it. Google recommends users to conduct a ‘health check-up’ of your Google Account every now and then.
In order to run security checks on the desktop, one can go to Google Account > Run Security Check.
For Smartphones one has to visit their Gmail App, tap Menu icon > Settings > tap ID > Manage Your Google Account > Run Security Check. Users can also visit g.co/securitycheckup to take the Security Checkup.
Google Security Checkup gives users personalized and actionable security recommendations helping to strengthen the security of the account. Google also recommends users to have two-step security verification turned on for their Google accounts.