Video games have always been designed to be entertaining. Online gaming can offer you hours of fun and opportunities for socialization. However, it also poses a higher risk to young people due to things such as chatting, file sharing, and cameras. These risks include cyberbullying, online predators, malware infection, and other multiple types of scams. And not only children and teenagers are at risk – users of all ages can be in danger.
Though online gaming may bear more risks than simple internet browsing, don’t fret – your cyber safety is entirely up to you. By following a set of basic rules while playing games and surfing the net, you can make your experience much safer. So, let’s look at some of them.
It goes for both gaming and academic purposes – a lot of websites want to scam you every day. Some people are just not good at recognizing fishy sites. And if you’re thinking “Maybe I could have someone to write my essay online” – it may be a good decision. No need to browse dozens of sites to find information for your essay – no risk of being scammed or infecting your PC with malware. But if you still want to do it yourself, you need to be careful.
A fishy website can be recognized by the abundance of ads, weird-looking fonts, crooked low-quality images, and the overall poor quality of a website. People who create them aren’t bothered with the quality. The only thing they want is your money or personal information.
It may be hard to see the sketchy stuff at first. But remember – the more you browse the internet and the more experienced you become – the harder it gets to scam you.
This is very straightforward. Under no circumstances should you use personal information in your usernames, put it on your profiles, answer personal questions from strangers, and so on.
The digital footprint you leave while playing games or staying online should be as small as possible. Your virtual identity should be strictly separated from your real life. This is why you don’t need to provide any personal details when ordering essay services or even reading essayhub reviews. There’s absolutely no need for random people on your team to know how you look or what your name is. The only thing they need to know is how good you’re at playing the game.
A lot of people tend to hide their profiles so fewer people would see their stats or other profile info. If you want to flex with your cool profile – suit yourself, just make sure there’s nothing obvious about you.
Don’t be shy to block a person if they get too annoying or suspicious – that’s what the “block” button is made for. Overall, too much personal info can make you a target for hackers, scammers, or even predators. You don’t want to be harassed or stalked in real life, do you?
No matter what operating system you have, what browser, and what software you use, it should always be updated to the latest version. Software updates often contain security patches that fix bugs and other weaknesses that have been identified in the software. As you may guess, sketchy dudes from the internet often exploit these vulnerabilities. They can break into your system, steal your personal information or even make your PC a mess just for fun.
The odds of that may seem low, and everyone feels that way. And it sounds reasonable – like, why would someone choose to hack my PC specifically? But in reality, no one tries to hack you alone – it’s done on a much larger scale and you’re at risk just by using the outdated software.
Database leaks are a real and common thing today, no doubt. And we never know and we can’t predict that. However, by updating your software, you make your device more secure and less vulnerable to cyber threats.
4. Beware of suspicious links and baits
Phishing is a common tactic used by cybercriminals to trick gamers like you into clicking on malicious links or downloading harmful files. They often offer cheats or hacks as bait to entice unsuspecting victims. Besides, what can you expect from clicking on links or downloading anything from a stranger? Anything that seems too good to be true should be avoided. Before clicking on such links at least verify their authenticity. Hover your cursor over it to see its true destination.
Luckily, some of the best essay writing services don’t have this problem. Simply because they are proven by time and you are free to click on them safely. But crime never sleeps and you shouldn’t forget that. Be cautious of too-generous giveaways, sketchy deals, and other stuff like that. Always double-check the URLs, especially when it comes to gaming platforms.
Even one letter difference may result in your account being stolen. Remember – there’s no such thing as a free lunch.
These were 4 basic rules of cybersecurity for gamers. Follow them and don’t let anyone fool you online!
This is a paid guest post.
Players must be 21 years of age or older or reach the minimum age for gambling in their respective state and located in jurisdictions where online gambling is legal. Please play responsibly. Bet with your head, not over it. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, and wants help, call or visit: (a) the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey at 1-800-Gambler or www.800gambler.org; or (b) Gamblers Anonymous at 855-2-CALL-GA or www.gamblersanonymous.org.
