The Internet can be a scary, threatening place, particularly for your children. However, there are things that you can do to help ensure they stay safe and out of harm’s way online.

The Internet has changed the way the world works, and even how we interact with our friends and family. From email to social media and online shopping, the world seems to have grown smaller and more connected. However, that doesn’t mean that everything is rosy – the Internet might be a great place for adults, but it can be very threatening for your kids. If your children are online, they’re exposed to very real threats on a daily basis. How can you protect them?

Be Vigilant

The first and most important tip for anyone who has kids that get online is to be vigilant. Pay attention to what they are doing, whom they’re interacting with and what sites they’re visiting. Be alert. Be nosy if you have to. Remember – it’s better to butt in where you’re not wanted than to ignore the situation. Pay attention to everything your children do online and never assume that it’s “harmless”, as there’s rarely such a thing.

Educate Yourself

One problem that many parents encounter is that they assume the Internet is a safe place. They’ve never run into threats before, so they assume that their children won’t either. This is the wrong stance to take – threats lurk everywhere online, particularly for kids. Take the time to educate yourself about what’s out there, from cyberbullying to sex offenders.

Set Ground Rules

Make sure you lay out clear rules for your kids about what they can and cannot do online and make sure they follow those rules. For instance, if you don’t want your kids using Facebook, tell them so and then check to make sure they’re not going behind your back. You can almost expect some kids to do this, because they just don’t see the harm in it. Be watchful and make sure that your rules are being followed.

Set Blocks

If you are very concerned that your kids are going to get into something that could be harmful or dangerous, look into setting parental blocks on your computers. Most web browsers have the capability to set blocks, but you can also download specific software designed to provide kids with a safe online experience.

Threats are everywhere online. Protect your kids.

Identity theft has become a huge problem in recent years. If you’re not aware of the new threats out there, your personal information could be compromised.

Most of us like to think of our personal information as personal, private and secured. However, that’s often not the case, particularly where the Internet is concerned. Identity theft has become an increasingly serious problem for everyone in the US (and around the world, really). There are many different ways that thieves can get at your personal information and steal your identity.

Email Scams – This one seems to be as old as time itself. For a while there, it had died down a bit, but lately identity thieves intent on getting their grubby mitts on your personal information have revived this. We’re all familiar with the Nigerian prince emails saying we’re the heir to a huge fortune; thieves have changed their operations. The newest is simply an email asking if you received their previous message. When you reply, you’re caught. Don’t do it. If you don’t know the sender, delete the email. Never open attachments, especially from people you don’t know.

Trash Theft – Identity theft is not (nor has it ever been) confined to the Internet alone. In fact, there may be a larger threat of identity theft in the real world. One of the ways that your information is put in danger here is from people digging through your garbage. You might not realize it, but every piece of paper and document you throw in the trash has the potential to give someone your personal information. This is particularly true in the case of bank statements, credit card statements and the like. Never assume that documents tossed in your home’s garbage can are safe from thieves. Always destroy documents that contain sensitive information.

Credit Card Information – The practice of skimming has become more common than many people realize. In this situation, you use your credit card to pay for a real purchase. However, when the merchant runs your card, your information is stored so that they can access it later. Once they have that information, they can use it as they wish, without your knowing about it.

As you can see, there are many different threats out there to your personal information, both financial and identity-wise. Protect yourself from these threats by being a smart consumer. Always destroy your documents, never trust emails from people you don’t know and keep a close eye on your credit cards.

If you’re like a lot of people, then you no doubt spend the better part of your year looking forward to the holidays and it’s not hard to understand why. Not only do you get the chance to enjoy the company of family and friends you probably rarely see, but for many of us, the holidays also present rare opportunities to get away from home for a while.

However, it’s important to make sure that we’re not leaving our homes and belongings open and vulnerable once we leave. Holiday time is one of the biggest times of the year for break-ins and other home mishaps, so let’s take a look at how you can make sure you’re properly protected.

Don’t Make It Obvious That You’re Not Home

Studies show that one of the simplest and most effective ways to keep burglars at bay is to set things up at home so that it’s not obvious that you’re away.

Make sure you stop delivery of your mail and newspapers so that they don’t pile up while you’re gone. Install timers on various appliances inside your home, like lights or your television set, to help keep the interior of your home illuminated at night. Leaving your shades, curtains, or blinds open when you leave can also help give the impression you’re home.

You can ask your friends and neighbors for help, too. Ask people you trust to park in your driveway occasionally, help keep your lawn mowed, and keep an eye on your home in general.

Last but definitely not least, burglarproof your home to the greatest extent possible. Install a security system if you don’t have one already. Take extra precautions to make sure that sliding glass doors, windows, garages, and other easy points of entry are secure enough. Keep very valuable items away from windows where they can be easily seen as well.

Don’t Forget to Disaster Proof Your Home

Burglars aren’t the only dangers to your home while you’re away this holiday season. Fires, floods, and other such occurrences can pose a threat as well. You can help reduce the chances of that happening by unplugging appliances that aren’t placed on timers and double-checking stoves and heat generating items around the house before leaving. If you’re planning on being away for longer than a week or so, then you might want to consider turning off your water as well.

Just a little prevention can go a long way toward keeping your home secure while you’re away. Get started today!

Summer Safety Tips For Kids
With kids home for the summer, it’s time for parents to do their homework about child safety. That includes reviewing pool safety tips, creating a list of emergency contact numbers and going over basic street safety rules. A few simple precautions can lead to a safer, happier summer for the entire family.

Swimming Pool Safety for Children
The summer in Jacksonville is all about staying cool. Swimming is a popular activity loved by children of all ages. However, drowning is an all too common and very preventable summer risk. The first and most important rule of pool safety is that kids should never be left alone while near a pool. It only takes a minute for tragedy to strike. Swimming lessons for any appropriate aged child are a good idea, however they don’t replace supervision. A non-climbable, latched fence should encircle any pool to keep children out while unsupervised. There are even pool alarms to ensure that no one is using the pool when they shouldn’t be.

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How to Protect Your Home During Blackouts
The storms and lightning across Jacksonville, Florida, has been intense for many homeowners. As homes shake, rattle, and roll, it’s time to prepare for that moment when lightning hits too close to home and your electricity goes out. Protecting your home during a blackout does not have to be difficult, if you know what to do. However, the first step in any emergency situation is to be proactive. Unless your home is equipped with a back-up generator, you may be facing this critical time without a security alarm. Here’s what you need to do:

Keep Flashlights in Centralized Places

Make sure you keep flashlights with fresh batteries in a centralized place. This will make it easy for the family to locate them after the black out occurs. Many times people have flashlights in their homes but they cannot find them quickly in an emergency situation.

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Ever since 9/11, smarter electronic technology and more efficient security measures, are used throughout the business and commercial industries. High end biometrics have been introduced, which verifies a person’s identity through facial and eye recognition or fingerprint technology. However, simple security measures which are beneficial and cost effective, only requires diligence and common sense. An example includes lighting areas that might be blind spots, such as garages, stairwells and basements. Commercial buildings have installed low cost metal detectors and turnstiles that are manned by experienced security guards. A badge-entry system is also a security feature that protects your business and employees from people traffic coming in and going out.

Despite the longer daylight hours, it’s still hard for most people to get in a good workout before 7. As a result, there are local runners, bikers, and walkers alike hitting the trails in the evening hours.

We’ve seen it in the news lately how runners go missing or hit-and-runs happen across Northeast Florida. It’s important to stay healthy to you, but it’s also important to stay safe. Here are a few ways to ensure your safety during your nightly workout.

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McAfee, an antivirus software company, recently released a list of the most dangerous places to give out your Social Security number. Many of the places will surprise you. It has seem common to give out your social security number as means of identification. However, that should not be the case. As a result, you unfortunately have to give your number to receive the following services:

1. Universities & Colleges
2. Banking & Financial Institutions
3. Hospitals
4. State Governments
5. Local Governments
6. Federal Governments
7. Medical Businesses
8. Non-Profit Organizations
9. Technology Companies
10. Health Insurers & Medical Offices

Why are these dangerous?

Any institution that extends any type of credit is going to need the following information: name, address, date of birth, and Social Security number in order to verify your identity and complete a credit check.

Criminal hackers have mastered hacking into databases that contain Social Security numbers then using that information to open new financial accounts. Hackers can then use that number to obtain mobile phones, credit cards, and bank loans.

When you should and should not provide your Social Security number:

According to the Social Security Administration, you should:

1. Show your card to your employer when you start a new job so your records are correct
2. Provide your number to your financial institution(s) for tax reporting purposes
3. Keep your card and any other document that shows your number on it in a safe place
4. Do not routinely carry your card or other documents that display your number

In a world where it’s become all-too easy to lose your identity with a simple mouse click or telephone call, it’s important to protect your Social Security number and your livelihood. Contact us today for more information.

Welcome to the all new SafeTouch Security Blog. We are proud to bring you the latest in home security news, information, tips and products. We know how important your family is, and just like you, we want to protect our families and loved ones.

We’re the nation’s largest, independent communications-security company. Compare our product features, our response time and our track record. You’ll quickly discover that SafeTouch is your only choice for guaranteed security. We don’t cut corners on equipment or service. No other company comes close to our track record in reliable protection.

Keep an eye on our blog for home security tips, products such as security cameras and alarm systems, as well as security news and information. Feel free to leave us any comments and/or ask questions. We are happy to hear from you.