How to stay safe online this CyberScotland Week
Resources to support young people’s cyber resilience.
Experts emphasise simple yet effective steps everyone can take to enhance their cyber resilience this CyberScotland Week.
As our world becomes more connected, understanding the cyber risks and knowing how to protect yourself is essential. The annual campaign - this year themed ‘Can’t Hack It?!’ - is an ideal way to raise young people’s awareness of cyber threats and promote ways to strengthen our collective cyber resilience.
Young people can visit our #DigiKnow information hub to find information and resources on how to stay safe online. It offers a wealth of guidance on crucial cyber topics, including gaming safety, identifying misinformation, avoiding scams, and understanding the risks associated with artificial intelligence. Designed specifically for young audiences, these resources not only help individuals stay safe online but also serve as valuable supplementary materials for teachers and youth workers looking to integrate cyber safety into their lessons.
CyberScotland Week continues to play a vital role in promoting online safety across Scotland, ensuring that young people have the knowledge they need to protect themselves in an increasingly digital world.
For more information, visit the #DigiKnow information hub or follow CyberScotland Week updates online.
Gaming
Many young people spend a lot of their free time gaming – while it is a great way to relax and hang out with their friends, it also comes with some risks. Our article on ‘Staying Safe While Gaming’ covers some basic guidance & tips, and ‘Healthy Gaming Habits’ and ‘Loot Boxes, Gacha and Gambling in Gaming’ include information on what to be aware of and keep an eye on while gaming.
Professional gamer Linsday Pattison talks about her journey getting into gaming and setting online boundaries on an episode of our ‘This is How AyeFeel’ podcast and Gary Marley, a professional streamer, delves into gaming, streaming and mental health on his episode.
@young.scot With the UK boasting a whopping 19 MILLION gamers across the country, online gaming communities have become a norm. However, this popularity boom within gaming has led to new threats from hackers and scammers. No one wants to lose to these scammers, so here are 3 ways for you to stay safe online when gaming. To find out more about staying safe online, visit our website young.scot for more information! #CSW2024 #Gaming #TopTips #OnlineSafety #YoungScot ♬ original sound - Young Scot
@young.scot What a treat to get to chat to @marleythirteen on our podcast ‘This is How AyeFeel’. 🎙You can listen to the episode now wherever you get your podcasts. 🧠 For information on looking after your mental wellbeing, visit young.scot/AyeFeel #AyeFeel #Podcast #MentalHealth #YoungScot #Scotland #Gaming ♬ Night/Chill/Lo-fi03(1417838) - HAKUROU
Misinformation
Young people often tell us that misinformation is one of their main worries when it comes to being online. Our articles ‘How to Spot Deepfakes and Misinformation’ , ‘How to Fact Check’ and ‘How to Have a Conversation with Someone Who Believes Fake News’ provide helpful overview of resources available to deal with misinformation.
We have also collaborated with The Ferret, an investigative journalism platform for Scotland, on videos talking about AI, Echo Chambers and much more.
Scams
A great starting point for learning about how to stay safe from scams online are our articles on ‘Avoiding Phishing Scams’, ‘What to Do if You Get Hacked’ and ‘How to Avoid Getting Totally Scammed’.
Our videos with Daniel from Digital Skills Education are also full of helpful tips on how to recognise a scam and how to report it to help others.
You can visit CyberScotland Week’s website to find out more about resources and events focused on building cyber resilience.
CyberScotland
The CyberScotland Partnership is a collaborative leadership approach to focus efforts on improving cyber resilience across Scotland.
The Scottish Governments key strategic stakeholders have come together in a formal partnership arrangement to drive the delivery of activities that will achieve the outcomes of The Strategic Framework for a Cyber Resilient Scotland. Find out more.