Wednesday, January 14, 2015

Learning the basics of online safety with Google in Indonesia

Editor’s note: This guest post is from Boni Pudjianto of Indonesia’s Ministry of Communication & Information Technology (KOMINFO) who attended a Google Security Cafe in Jakarta last month.

Today, 70 million—or about one in four—Indonesians are using the Internet. In the next two years, another 50 million will come online for the first time and discover the opportunities the web offers, from improved communication, to education and entrepreneurship. To make the most of it, Indonesians need to know how they can ensure a safe and positive online experience.

This is why I was excited by a recent invitation from Google to attend a “Security Cafe”. You might ask what kind of cafe this is. Yes, there was coffee available, but the idea behind it was to guide visitors through typical daily scenarios to demonstrate some simple steps that young and old Internet users can take to more easily and more confidently explore the web. We learned about everything from protecting your online identity, to avoiding scams and creating a child-friendly Internet experience.
Boni Pudjianto (first from the left) at the Security Cafe in Jakarta
I’ve now started thinking about passwords in the same way as my front door key, which protects everything inside my home. Passwords should be complex and unique: they should consist of a combination of numbers, letters and symbols, and it’s wise to use a different password for every important online account such as email and banking.

We also talked about the importance of staying positive on the Internet. The phrase “treat others the way you want to be treated” applies online just as much as it does offline. This means you should only post, comment or forward something if you wouldn’t mind someone doing the same to you. Many Internet companies provide reporting tools that every user should familiarize themselves with and use against inappropriate behavior.

Google’s taking an important step to highlight these practical tips. KOMINFO is pleased that Google supports the goals of our Internet Sehat Dan Aman (“Healthy and Safe Internet”) program to build Generasi Internet Cerdas, Kreatif, dan Produktif -- a smart, creative and productive Internet generation.

Posted by Boni Pudjianto, Deputy Director for ICT Empowerment in Urban Area, Indonesian Ministry of Communication & Information Technology (KOMINFO)

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