Digital Technology

Hello parents and students, and welcome to our first contribution to our HEPS newsletters. 

We, the Digital Technology Captains, have an important role around the school. You may see us around the school such as helping students set up iPads, to updating software, but more importantly, we are also a good resource to get some advice from. We are keen to share our knowledge and understanding about your Digital Footprint. Your Digital Footprint is what you leave or put online. It is your credentials (login and password) that you leave behind in websites. Like if you sign up for a game you may use an email or phone number. Did you know that it follows you wherever you go and cannot be deleted. 

A Digital Footprint is also the user trail of data, created as a result of your online activity. This includes websites visited, searches made on social media posts, as well as any other interactions that are recorded by digital devices. This may include what you say or post online. For example you may play a video game and you are chatting to someone in Roblox. You don't know their real identity - who knows, they may be 12, 20 or even 40 years of age. It is important that you stay safe online and know who you are talking with. 

Learning to use public Wi-Fi securely is important, but it is also crucial that you follow our basic guidance to secure your devices and accounts, no matter where you might be.

Scams, spam, identity theft, cyberbullying, invasions of privacy, cybercrime, online abuse, malware, etc... ever feel like the list of online dangers just goes on and on? Fortunately, there are simple things you can do to stay safe and live your best. They include - 

• Secure your online accounts with multi-factor authentication (MFA) or a secure passphrase
• Keep your devices and software updated
• Set up and perform regular backups
• Install or enable antivirus software on your device
• Do not leave your device unlocked and unattended when you are out.      

We hope this helps to keep you safe and look after your online identity, and ultimately, your footprint. 

From your Digital Technology Captains, Xavier and Aqeel