As part of Safer Internet Day (SID), Microsoft has launched Safer Online, an interactive website designed to spread the word about online safety, and is encouraging people around the world to pledge to “Do 1 Thing” to help make the internet a safer place.
Microsoft also released the global results of its third annual Microsoft Computing Safety Index(MCSI), to help consumers understand the importance of online safety. Findings include:
- In 2013, users collectively lost more than $23 billion globally to online fraud, phishing, impersonation scams.
- The cost of repairing damage to peoples’ online reputations – both personal and professional – cost consumers nearly $6 billion in 2013, total. That equates to an estimated average loss of $632 per person.
- Despite the growing general awareness of online risks and the potential harm they can cause, less than one-quarter of those surveyed take active steps to protect themselves and their online reputations.
- 33% of survey respondents said they use secured wireless networks.
- 36% of survey respondents limit what strangers can see on social networks, as well as the amount of personal information about them that appears online.
- 33%change their social network privacy settings AND use a PIN (personal identification number) or password to lock their mobile device.
