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IF YOU HAVEN’T heard already, today is Safer Internet Day, dedicated to educating people and remind everyone to adapt best practices
Except the internet is far more than just our computers or smartphones, it’s practically a way of life now. And while you should be taking precautions with your information, it’s always good to remind yourself of what you can do to ensure everything is safe.
Some things to keep in mind
Read up on the T&Cs
A task that’s easier said than done, but you’re entitled to know what privileges and limitations each site has when you use it or sign up to its services.
A handy way of checking this is through Terms of Service;Didn’t Read, a site which breaks down the T&C of every major site and shows you what you should be aware of. It also ranks them based on their policies as well so you get a clear idea of what’s happening.
Know what app permissions mean
All apps ask for permission to access certain phone features so they can function properly. For iPhone and iPad, these permissions are asked for once you start using them but for Android and Windows Phone, you’re asked to confirm before you download. It’s worth knowing what each one means so you’re not allowing apps more access to your phone and online data.
In certain cases, you can control permissions after you’ve installed an app.
Check what services you’re still signed up to
Chances are if you have a smartphone, you’ve signed up to a number of services through apps. It’s likely that this The most popular signup methods are email, Facebook, Twitter and Google (either Gmail or G+). All of them have sections which show what apps you’ve signed up to allowing you to quickly check what you’re still signed up to.
The exception here is email which requires you to search for them manually, but we found that searching for “welcome” usually picked up most services.
Check your presence online
It can sometimes be tough to control what exactly appears online but you can take steps to ensure you’re putting your best foot forward. Googling your name and related terms is a good way of finding out how the world sees you, and can reveal pages or information you may not have been aware of originally.
Check security and privacy features
All major sites include security features to keep your data private. Some allow you to micromanage them, while others allow you to hide your profiles completely, only allowing approved people to see them.
Knowing what’s visible is important if you’re using Facebook, for example, as you don’t want everyone to see your holiday albums or your last night out.
Activate two-factor verification
Everyone has a phone and that can easily be used to give your accounts an extra layer of security. What two-factor verification means is that anyone who tries to sign in to your account will have to have to your phone as well to receive a second sign-in code.
This is entered on top of your usual password and username, and can really enhance the safety of your accounts. This is especially handy if your account has financial information included.
Use a password manager
Should you have a large number of accounts, it’s worth taking the time to check your accounts and see what services you’ve signed up to.
There are a number of benefits when using a password manager – most security breaches tend to be weak passwords instead of hacking – not least it gives your all your accounts complex passwords while you only need to remember one.
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So the bollards were removed in Nov 2023 by some amadan.
Reported in January by a concerned resident, and the council couldn’t complete the complicated task of replacing the bollards, mitigating the risk at the dangerous junction 4 months after reporting , 6 months after it occurred.
Poor woman. Such needless loss of life on Irish roads. We all need to take collective responsibility and cop on.
Seriously what use are plastic bollards to protect vulnerable cyclists, poor young woman
@Terry Molloy: Drivers see the bollards and should take heed and slow down for cyclists or pedestrians but in this case some headcase removed them resulting needlessly in a young womans death
@barry williams: The article suggests the bollards were ‘dug up’, which requires a lot of effort, and equipment, far more than simple removal.
And time.
There seems to be more to this than meets the eye.
@Jimmy Wallace: If those bollards were in place then the vehicle would have had to strike them – possibly causing damage to the vehicle – to also collide with the cyclist.
@ItWasLikeThatWhenIGotHere: If they are like the ones I’m thinking of, they are flexible when hit and spring back upright afterwards causing no damage to any vehicle. They unfortunately can be screwed out of the ground easily and this used to happen in my local area where young lads would be messing with them at night. They are better than nothing, but no substitute for proper segregated off road cycle lanes which actually protect cyclists and encourage cycling in any countries which have them.
@Terry Molloy: Sad reality is that some drivers are more concerned to avoid scraping their paintwork off a fixed object than to avoid a cyclist. Studies show them slowing down more for bollards than pedestrians/ cyclists
@Longlin: Thanks Longlin.
@Terry Molloy: read what Barry said Terry – they work just understand that..far far better to have them at junctions like that than not…
Large trucks have to drive over these plastic bollards on some roads when turning.
No accountability yet again for our “public servants” who will, yet again, skip off without answering any hard questions.
These cycle lanes are a nightmare where Safety has not been prioritised
Please let the person who removed them get the Karma deserved
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