Staying Safe Online

The digital world helps us to study and stay connected with family and friends but also means that we need to be aware of our online safety.  Although rare, there is a risk that our online activity could be exploited. Online groomers target vulnerable individuals directly via the internet and social media, spreading ideas that may be considered radical or extreme.  The popularity of online gaming has given extremists more opportunities to make their narratives sound more mainstream and reach out and radicalise others.

Staying safe online

We are committed to your safety and wellbeing and have developed some guidance to help you navigate the online world:

• Remember to review and adjust privacy and safety setting when you download new apps or buy new technology
• Use the service provider’s tools to manage your digital footprint and remember content posted online could be shared publicly by anyone.
• Avoid sharing personal information when you’re chatting or posting online.
• Only open messages, files or images from people you know and trust.
• Learn how to report inappropriate content to service providers and use blocking and deleting tools. Any member of the public can report terrorist content they find online through the GOV.UK referral tool. The Action Counters Terrorism campaign provides more information on this.
• Contact preventduty@mmu.ac.uk if you have any concerns about radicalisation and the University’s community, or online content associated with the University.
• Protect yourself against fraud and financial scams. Look at our tips on staying in control of your money.

Misinformation

The internet and social media are full of facts and opinions. Most are balanced and informative but others can be misleading or even harmful to share with our friends and families. Worse still, false information can often be about important things that impact whole communities, like health or the environment.

Some people use world events, for example the COVID-19 outbreak, to promote hateful views, for example, through conspiracy theories blaming a particular group for the virus, or through spreading misinformation regarding these groups’ responses to it.

The UK government has produced a SHARE checklist to help identify false or misleading information

Help and support

Visit the information security guidance for students pages about avoiding phishing attacks. If you think you have received a phishing email, please report it to the IT Helpline by emailing it.helpline@mmu.ac.uk

Read more guidance about radicalisation and the internet and online safety via the ACT Early website.

Contact infosecurity@mmu.ac.uk if you have concerns about online content associated with the University or its wider community

Get in touch with the Counselling Mental Health and Wellbeing Service by emailing counselling@mmu.ac.uk if you have been affected by content viewed online and would like to talk about it with someone