by Sthe Masilela | Feb 10, 2023 | DigitalSheroMedia |
In the twenty-first century, the internet is a gold mine. With the ability to re-connect long-lost relatives and friends, teach us about everything and anything under the sun, entertain us, and, most recently, provide us with careers. However, if not used appropriately, and when you are not well educated on how to navigate the various online platforms, the internet can be a very dangerous place, especially for youngsters.
What is internet safety?
Internet safety entails the correct steps taken to safeguard one’s online presence. This can include things like keeping your account private, updating your passwords on a regular basis, and enabling two-factor authentication on your social media platforms. Internet safety is critical because we share so much of our personal information online and, at times, unconsciously overshare with the intent of content creation.
How does one get hacked?
Hackers are always developing new methods for hacking pages. Instagram accounts are hacked every 10 minutes, they entice you to join investment groups, mainly crypto, bitcoin, or forex. Start a DM conversation and then provide links to their platform tricking you into making instant money only to find out shortly later that your account is gone. This also applies to emails, whether they are professional or personal emails; hackers are aware of your interests and know just what to use to lure you, for example, “Congrats your FNB account has been awarded R100 000 worth of ebucks. Click on the following link to redeem your prize” ,”You have been picked as the lucky winner for a certain clothing brand, visit the following link to begin shopping”, and the good old scams, “Congratulations, you have won R50 000, contact the following number to receive your cash prize” (not really internet related but its important to also watch out for these and teach your kids about them ). Another method is to use a friend’s account; your friend’s account may have been hijacked and is now sending links; in this instance, it is best to contact your friend on another platform and verify whether the link is legitimate or if they have been hacked.
Safer internet tips
The key to hacking is one’s email address; your email address has access to many of your personal accounts, bank accounts, work accounts, social media accounts, and more. Find ways to strengthen your email account, such as enabling security questions that only YOU will know the answers to. Throughout all of the accounts you create, make sure to use strong passwords, yep, you read it right, PASSWORDS. It is advisable to have different passwords for your accounts. Have a strong password, shy away from your name, your pets, your spouse and your children. Always make sure your password has a special character, a number and mixture of upper and lowercase letters. Monitor your child’s internet usage and tailor it to their interests, such as YouTube Kids. Be wary of emails, SMS messages, and even WhatsApp messages from suspicious accounts requesting you to open attachments you are skeptical of.
How to keep business pages safe
- Hire a social management team(haha you know where to find us).
- Ensure you have activated the 2 step verifications on.
- Keep passwords in a very secure company folder.
- Limit who can have access to the passwords.
- Limit who can be the admin of the company pages.
- Know what spam accounts come across as so you will not fall for them!
We hope this has shed some light for you on internet safety, other than that happy browsing and stay safe.
by Sthe Masilela | Sep 30, 2022 | DigitalSheroMedia |
From grassroots level to being one of the sought-after digital marketing agencies in South Africa, yes that is DigitalShero, from winning Libresse as one of our major clients to finally launching our own sponsored call platform, Ringamahala. Establishing ourselves not only in Africa’s richest square mile but also in two other major cities in the country, Cape Town and Bloemfontein. With the company having turned 7 years old, we’ve had some fantastic accomplishments and we are growing stronger and scaling every day from where we started.
In the year 2015, Digitalshero introduced itself to the digital media industry and cemented it’s footprint. Two years later we established an NPO which is known as Bloem Girls Rock now just #BGR Foundation because we have integrated guys into the foundation. We provide less privileged young women and men with an opportunity to enroll in higher education, we acquire them funding and assist them with day-to-day necessities such as toiletries and access to the internet café in the area in order for them to complete their educational tasks. DigitalShero has worked with brands such as Primedia, Avon, Standard Bank and Pepsi just to name a few, not only that but we’ve secured even more bigger wins by being appointed by Essity Global as the digital marketing agency for Libresse South Africa – which can go down as one of the company’s most significant achievements as we spearheaded their 2021 #Wombstories campaign.
This is what Bolawana Mags Shivanda, founder and CEO of Digitalshero, had to say about the company and its journey. “Ladies please don’t give up on how you do things; you don’t have to be forceful like males. Bolawana (to women) operating in a feminine manner has been one of my secrets with how I have done things, moving slowly and everything, I have realized that I am exactly where I want to be, and the company is exactly where it needs to be.”
What motivates you to wake up and work hard for your company?
Bolawana, “how I see myself is, just like a car with four wheels I need all of my 4 wheels to operate efficiently; the first wheel is my relationship with self and God. The second is my relationship with my husband; if things aren’t going well there, I am not okay. My kids are also part of my wheel, when they are sick, I am not at a 100%. Both my company Digitalshero and Bloem Girls Rock are combined as my 4th wheel. The mentioned are my core values and I have accepted that if one of them is not operating efficiently it is my 100% responsibility to ensure that they are intact. “
This is what some of the employees at Digitalshero had to say about their remarkable 7-year celebration. Adrian, senior head digital designer at DS: “knowing Mags and her passion and drive, I was confident that DS would be successful; from experience, it normally takes around four years for a company to make or break it.”
Toka, business development at DS: “I’ve come and gone at Digitalshero, but every time I’ve been here, I’ve seen that growth, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for us.”
Sthe, social media manager at DS: “I’ve been around since the beginning of Covid, and I remember telling Mags the other day how proud I am of her because of the phenomenal growth the company has experienced, from working from home to being located in three locations across the country and working with one of the leading brands in the femcare industry, those are great wins in my books”
Employees also mentioned that their favorite times at the company are when they get to spend time working together in person as a team.
The progress has been tremendous, and it has just been 7 years. We have no idea what the future holds, but we are confident that it is bright for Digitalshero. Happy Birthday DS!
