Guidebook to help younger users 'survive' social media launched

SINGAPORE - Should you add that stranger to your list of Facebook friends? According to a new social media "survival guide", you should not.

The Top Secret Social Media Survival Guide - the result of a partnership between four final-year students from Nanyang Technological University's Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information and Touch Cyber Wellness - was launched on Thursday.

It is a timely launch, as tomorrow is Safer Internet Day.

"With the increasing early age exposure and active engagement on social media, youths today are more vulnerable to the risk of online dangers such as stalking, grooming, bullying and hacking. Despite their tech-savviness, youths are generally still impressionable and naïve towards the threats online. That is why this guidebook is timely to both educate youths on the potential online dangers and misadventures, and also impart practical tips and handles to better safeguard themselves," said Mr Chong Ee Jay, Assistant Manager of Touch Cyber Wellness.

The booklet is a useful little guide for younger users (especially younger children in secondary schools) who have just embarked on their social media journey, containing advices on how to create passwords, how to set privacy settings in popular social media platforms, and how to keep oneself safe from potential online predators. There're also tips on how to keep accounts and devices safe from malware and malicious links.

The booklet can be downloaded for free at https://www.topsecretsg.com (under the Resources tab).

sinsh@sph.com.sg