Google Safety Center

A guide to staying safe and secure online

Google Safety Center

 What’s this booklet all about? Contents
Google’s Safety Center aims to help you, your family and your friends
stay safe and secure on the Internet.

This booklet is designed to give you useful hints and tips that are easy to How you can Make safety How Google
remember and put into action. We’ve included stickers with some of the stay safe and choices that fit helps protect
key pieces of advice so you can put them on your computer or notebook secure online your family you
to serve as helpful little reminders.
p.4 p.9 p.14
For in-depth information on all of the topics in this booklet and more,
visit the Safety Center website at www.google.com/safetycenter.

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 Secure your passwords.
Passwords are the first line of defense against cybercriminals. It’s crucial to pick strong
passwords that are different for each of your important accounts, and it’s good practice
to update your passwords regularly. Follow these tips to create strong passwords and
keep them secure.

How you can stay safe and secure online • Mix letters, numbers
1. Use a unique password for each of your important accounts, such as email and
online banking.
& symbols
2. Use a long password made up of numbers, letters and symbols.
Get off to a safe start. The Internet offers so many opportunities to • Use a different
password for every 3. Many services will send an email to you at a recovery email address if you need to
explore, create and collaborate. To make the most of the web, you website reset your password, so make sure your recovery email address is up to date and
need to know how to keep yourself safe and secure. Whether you’re linked to an account you can still access.
a new Internet user or an expert, the advice and tools here can help One idea is to think of a phrase that only you know, and relate it to a particular website
you navigate the web safely and securely. to help you remember it. For your email account, you could start with a phrase such as
“My friends Tom and Jasmine send me a funny email once a day,” and then use numbers
and letters to re-create it. “MfT&Jsmafe1ad” is a password with lots of variations. Then
repeat this process for other sites.

Prevent identity theft.

Knowing the common tricks that criminals employ will help you protect yourself from
online fraud and identity theft. Here are a few simple tips:
1. Don’t reply if you see a suspicious email, an instant message or a webpage asking
for your personal or financial information.
2. Never enter your password if you’ve arrived at a site by following a link in an email
or a chat that you don’t trust.
• Don’t respond to
suspicious messages 3. Don’t send your password via email, and don’t share it with others.
with personal
information If you see a message from someone you know but it doesn’t seem like it’s from them,
their account might have been compromised by a cybercriminal who is trying to get
money or information from you. Be careful how you respond, or don’t respond at all.
Common tactics include asking you to urgently send them money, claiming to be stranded
in another country or saying that their phone has been stolen so they cannot be called.
The message might also tell you to click on a link to see a picture, an article or a video,
which actually leads you to a site that might steal your information. Think before you click!

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 Avoid scams. Use secure networks.
The web can be a great place, but not everyone online has good intentions. Here are It’s good to be extra-careful whenever you go online using a network you don’t know
three simple ways to avoid scammers and stay safe on the web: or trust, such as when you use the free WiFi at your local café. It's possible that the
service provider is monitoring all traffic on their network, which could include your
1. Beware of strangers bearing gifts. If someone tells you you’re a winner and asks personal information.
you to fill out a form with your personal information, don’t be tempted to start • Secure your home
• Don’t respond to filling it out. Even if you don’t hit the Submit button, you might still be sending When you connect through a public WiFi network, anyone in the vicinity can monitor the
router with a WPA2
suspicious posts information passing between your computer and the WiFi hotspot if your connection is
your information to scammers if you start putting your data into their forms. password
or emails not encrypted. Avoid doing important activities such as banking or shopping over public
• Research online 2. Do your research. When shopping online, research the seller and be wary of networks.
deals to avoid scams suspiciously low prices, just as you would if you were buying something at a local
If you use WiFi at home, make sure to secure your network so other people can’t use
• If it sounds too store. Scrutinize online deals that seem too good to be true. No one wants to get
good to be true, it. Secure it by setting up a password to protect your WiFi network—and just as with
tricked into buying fake goods.
it probably is other passwords you choose, make sure that you pick a long, unique mix of numbers,
3. When in doubt, play it safe. Do you just have a bad feeling about an ad or an offer? letters and symbols so others can’t easily guess your password. Choose the WPA2
Trust your gut! Click on ads or buy products only from sites that are safe, reviewed setting when you configure your network for stronger protection.
and trusted. Finally, for an added layer of security, make sure you use a password to secure your
router. Just follow the instructions provided by your Internet Service Provider or router
Lock your screen or device. manufacturer to set your own password for the router instead of using the router default
password, which might be known to criminals. If criminals are able to access your router,
You should always lock your screen when you finish using your computer, laptop or they can change your settings and snoop on your online activity.
phone. This step is especially important for phones or tablets, which are more likely to
get misplaced and discovered by people you don’t want to access your information, as
well as for home computers that are in shared spaces.For added security, you should
Know your Google security and privacy tools.
also set your device to automatically lock when it goes to sleep. With Google, you have a variety of tools that can help keep you safe and keep your
• Log out of public or
shared computers
information private and secure. Here is information about some of our most popular
tools that help make Google work better for you.
• Set devices
and screens to
Two-step verification
automatically lock
• Set up two-step To bring even stronger levels of protection to your Google Account, we offer two-step
verification for verification to our users. This tool adds an extra layer of security by requiring not just
Google accounts a password, but also a verification code to sign in to a Google Account. Two-step
• Check settings verification lets Google make sure it's you by having you enter a code that's sent only
before you share to your phone—it's very unlikely that a remote attacker would get access to both that
and your password.

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 Google account settings
On your Account settings page, you can see services and information associated with
your Google Account and change your security and privacy settings.

YouTube privacy settings

Sometimes you might want to share your YouTube videos with just a small group of
friends or even keep them to yourself. If so, you can choose to make your video either
“unlisted” (hidden from search results, but viewable by people with the link) or “private” Make safety choices that fit your family
(viewable only by you) when you upload your video.
Lay the groundwork. As a parent or guardian, you know what feels right for
Know your Google security and privacy tools. your family and how your kids learn best. To help your family navigate through
Manage the data stored in your Google Account. new technologies, gadgets and services in an ever-changing online world, you
Google Dashboard shows you what’s stored in your Google Account and provides an need to get practical advice. That’s why we continually talk to safety experts,
overview of some of your recent account activity. From one central location, you can
easily view your data and activity and access your settings for services such as Blogger,
parents, educators and communities around the world—to keep a pulse on
Google Calendar, Google Docs, Google+ and more. what works. Together we can help nurture a community of responsible digital
Manage your ads preferences.
citizens.
Ads help fund many of the free online services you love and use every day. With
Google’s Ads Settings, you can understand how ads are selected for you, control your
information that is used to select ads and block specific advertisers.

Manage who sees what you share.

Google+ circles help you manage your friends and contacts. You can put your friends in
one circle, your family in another and your boss in a circle all alone—just like in real life.
Then you can share relevant content, such as Google+ posts, YouTube videos, or Google
Local Listing Ads, with the right people at any time you choose.

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 5 Use privacy settings and sharing controls.
Many sites are available for sharing thoughts, photos, videos, status updates and more. Many of these services
offer privacy settings and controls that help you decide who can see your content before you post it. Talk with
your family about what they should and shouldn’t share publicly. Help them respect the privacy of others by
keeping personal details about family and friends private, and by not identifying people by name in publicly
shared content.

6 Check age restrictions:

Many online services—including Google—have age limits restricting who can use their services. For example,
you have to meet age requirements to have a Google Account, and some Google products are restricted to
Family safety basics users 18 and older. Always check a website’s terms of use before allowing your child to sign up for an account,
and be clear with your children if you have family rules about which sites and services they can use.
For busy parents, here are some quick suggestions for how to help keep your family safe online:
7 Teach your family to communicate responsibly.
1 Talk with your family about online safety. Here’s a good rule of thumb: If you wouldn’t say it to someone’s face, don’t text it, email it, instant message it or
Be clear about your family’s rules and expectations around technology, as well as consequences for post it as a comment on someone’s page. Talk about how what you say online might make other people feel,
inappropriate use. And most important, make sure your family feels comfortable enough to ask for and come up with family guidelines about what kind of communication is appropriate.
guidance when they encounter tough decisions. This discussion can help your family feel safe when
exploring the Internet on their own, and to know whom to turn to—you—when they have 8 Talk to other adults and experts.
questions. Open the conversation to your friends, extended family, teachers, coaches and counselors. Other parents and
2 Use technology together. professionals who work with children can be a great resource to help you decide what feels right for your fam-
It’s a good way to teach online safety, and it creates opportunities for you to address online safety topics ily, especially if you’re dealing with an area of technology that you are unfamiliar with.
with your family as they come up.
9 Protect your computer and identity.
3 Discuss online services and sites. Use antivirus software and update it regularly, unless you have a Chromebook, which doesn’t need antivirus
Talk with your family about what kinds of sites they like to visit and what is appropriate for each family member. software. Talk with your family about the types of personal information—such as a Social Security number, a
phone number or a home address—that should not be posted online. Teach your family not to accept files or
4 Protect passwords. to open email attachments from unknown people.
Help your family learn how to set secure passwords online. Remind your family not to give out their passwords,
except maybe to trusted adults, such as a parent. Make sure they make a habit of signing out of their online 10 Keep it going.
accounts when they are on public computers at school, in a café or at the library. Staying safe isn’t a one-time thing—technology evolves, and so will the needs of your family. Make sure you
keep up an ongoing dialogue. Re-establish your family’s ground rules, check in on everyone’s progress and
set aside time to talk at regular intervals. The following tips from our partners address common issues that
parents are concerned about.

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Learn about easy-to-use safety tools.
Discover Google safety features designed to help control what your family sees online. Discover Google safety tools designed to help your family monitor their online reputation.

Get family-friendly results from Search. Google Chrome. When this feature is enabled, Stop unwanted comments or tags. Keep prying eyes off your device.
By enabling Google SafeSearch, you can filter you can review a history of pages the user has If you’d rather not see someone’s posts on Not only is locking your screen an important
out most of the mature content that you or your visited, allow or block certain sites, and manage Google+, you can block them by going to their part of protecting your account, it also makes
family prefer to avoid. If an inappropriate result which websites your family member can view. profile and selecting Report/block [person’s sure that other people won't snoop around
does sneak through, you can report it to Google. name]. You can also mute specific posts to no your phone if you happen to leave it out. You
Limit access to approved apps and games.
We’re always working to improve our content longer see them in your stream. can select a PIN, password or a pattern to set a
filters, and this kind of feedback can help us Want to share your tablet without sharing all your screen lock on your phone or tablet.
make SafeSearch better for everyone. stuff? On Android tablets running version 4.3 Control the chatter about your videos.
and higher, you can create restricted profiles to Report offensive content.
It’s easy to moderate the comments on your
Set a filter to keep inappropriate content limit the access that other users have to features
YouTube channel. You can choose to delete If someone makes an inappropriate comment or
out. and content on your tablet.
comments, or to hold comments from certain post on Google+, YouTube, or Blogger you can
If you’d prefer not to see mature or age-restricted people or with certain keywords from being report it. Google has clear content policies that
Use app ratings to choose age-appropriate
content as you browse YouTube, scroll to the published before you review them. explain what is and isn’t appropriate to do on
apps.
bottom of any YouTube page and enable Safety these sites, so if you see content or behavior that
Mode. Safety Mode helps filter out potentially Just like at the movies, you can decide which
Block offensive YouTube users. violates our policies, you can flag it for review.
objectionable content from search, related videos, Google Play apps are appropriate for your
If someone is making comments that you don’t like We review flagged content around the clock, and
playlists, shows and films. family by looking at the ratings: Everyone, Low
on your videos or channel, you can block them on we may remove content and limit or shut down
Maturity, Medium Maturity, or High Maturity.
YouTube. They will no longer be able to comment accounts of users who violate our policies.
Supervise users on shared Chromebooks. You can filter apps by level, and also lock the
filtering level with a simple PIN code (keeping on your stuff or send you private messages.
You can’t always be there to supervise your
family’s web activity. For the times you’re not in other users from accidentally disabling the filter).
the room with them, there’s Supervised User for

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How Google helps protect you
The Internet is a great thing. But just like in the offline world, not
everyone online has good intentions. Google takes your privacy and We’re helping combat identity theft.
security very seriously. We invest millions of dollars each year and employ Google uses a variety of technologies to help protect you from online identity theft and make sure your Google
world-renowned experts in data security to protect your information. They Account stays safe and secure.

focus on keeping you and your information safe and secure, and on staying Two-step verification
one step ahead of cybercriminals. To bring even stronger levels of protection to your Google Account, we offer two-step verification to our users.
This tool adds an extra layer of security by requiring not just a password, but also a verification code to sign in
to a Google Account. Two-step verification lets Google make sure it's you by having you enter a code that's
Google works hard to help protect you from identity theft, personal fraud and
sent only to your phone—it's very unlikely that a remote attacker would get access to both that and your
online scams; to help protect your computer; and to make the Internet a safer password.
place. We give you the tools and knowledge you need to keep yourself and
Encryption
your family safe online. And we’re constantly investing and improving to fight
Google takes many steps to keep your personal information safe from attackers and snoops. By default, we encrypt
on your behalf. the Gmail connection between your computer and Google, which helps protect your Google activity from being
snooped on by others. We also make this protection, known as session-wide SSL encryption, the default when you’re
signed into Google Drive and many other services.

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 SOAP

We’re working to help keep your computer and device clean. We’re making the Internet safer for everyone.
You can help protect your computer from malware, but Google also works hard to help protect you, too. We have Protecting users is a shared responsibility. We are all better off when everyone uses the best security technologies
hundreds of security experts working around the clock to help ensure that your data and devices are secure. and techniques.

Helping you avoid malware Sharing expertise and tools

Just as Google searches the web for sites with the best answers to your questions, we also look for sites that appear Because your safety is important to us no matter what services or products you’re using, we share the information
to be harmful to users or have malware on them. Every day we identify and flag more than 10,000 of those unsafe about the bad sites and links that we find with other companies, so that they can help protect their users as well.
sites, and we show warnings on as many as 14 million Google search results and 300,000 downloads, telling our By working together and helping each other, the whole web is much safer.
users that there might be something suspicious going on behind a particular website or link.
Communicating with users and website owners
Helping you keep your mobile device safe As we work to protect our users and their information, we sometimes discover and investigate unusual patterns of
Smartphones running Google’s Android software have similar protections in place to reduce the risk of damage. activity. Every day we identify and flag more than 10,000 of those unsafe sites. We also send messages every day to
Android also requires that every app in the Google Play store list what kind of information the app wants to collect thousands of website owners whose sites we think might have been compromised by an attack, so they can clean up
or access from your device, so you can decide whether you trust the app or not. We also automatically scan Google their sites.
Play to block and remove harmful apps. For some Android phones, our Google Application Verifying Service will
check for potentially harmful applications, no matter where you are installing them from. Partnering with security organizations
Google is part of a number of organizations that work to help companies improve security for their users. For example,
we partner with and helped found StopBadware.org to make the web safer by stopping, mitigating and cleaning up
websites compromised by malware or other bad software.

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STICKERS!
15 takeaway tips to help you stay safe and secure online. For more safety tips, visit www.google.com/safetycenter.

Use a
Think before secure
you share. browser. Stop and
look before downloading.

For partners and more resources,

@
Back up your Don’t send
data online.
Flag
inappropriate
sensitive visit www.google.com/safetycenter.
information
content!
by email.

Use strong passwords

@ Get to know Log out of
public or shared
your email
settings. computers.

Don’t ignore

!
Learn how to Secure your router
remote wipe online warnings!
your device.

Don’t reply
to suspicious Only install 1 Keep your
account safer.
messages. software from
trusted sources.
2 Set up 2-Step
Verification.

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For more information on how to stay safe online, visit
www.google.com/safetycenter.

© 2014 Google Inc. All rights reserved, Google, the Google logo, Android, Blogger, Chromebook, Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Chrome, Google Dashboard, Google
Docs, Google Drive, Google Local Listing Ads, Google Play, Google SafeSearch, Google+ and YouTube are trademarks or registered trademarks of Google Inc.
All other company and product names may be trademarks of the respective companies with which they are associated.

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