#internet safety psa

[ironhoshi]

Hey.

Don't do this. Don't anon and send a link. Immediate block. (Obvs you were being malicious so you don't care.)

That game doesn't exist, I searched not via that link.

Be careful what you click out there. People want to steal your shit or infect you. I am not looking to get .//hacked here. Kthx bye.

[ooc-miqojak]

“anyone could say they’re anything online” you mean people lie about their identity?

You came all the way over to my roleplay blog that is very specifically not actually who I am... to ask a question that has an obvious answer? Do you genuinely think that I'm an almost-200-year-old demonic elf who lives on a world called Azeroth?

I'm sure this ask is in bad faith/meant to troll, but I'll answer it in good faith, by repeating/sharing the lessons I learned about the internet in roughly 1998, when the internet was young, and so was I..

Plenty of people these days straight up ignore these very basic rules that protect them (these aren't just rules for children, after all), and I've heard a slew of horror stories about adults who gave out personal information or met up with a stranger they met on the internet without vetting them thoroughly, so frankly... people could use lessons like these again. Especially at a young age. Also, being taught not to click on every link I saw back then - because every ad was basically spy/malware - has protected me from a slew of phishing attempts via email, discord, facebook, and other platforms over the years. Just because someone (who can seem to be a friend, even) sends you a random link and asks you to click it... doesn't mean it's actually your friend, or that the link is safe. Pretty basic stuff, and yet almost everyone I know on Discord has lost their account at least once due to clicking on every random link they're sent without asking themselves if they really should/need to. A modicum of paranoia goes a long way towards protecting your valuable information (and your life/well-being, at times) on the internet.

[trexalicious]

A reminder for those of us with cats at Easter that lilies of ANY kind are BAD for cats. Some species such as Calla, Peace and Peruvian do not cause kidney damage or death like Easter and daylilies, but they can still cause irritation and gastrointestinal issues if ingested...

[meanya]

I saw a post before about how hackers are now feeding Google false phone numbers for major companies so that the AI Overview will suggest scam phone numbers, but in case you haven't heard,

PLEASE don't call ANY phone number recommended by AI Overview

unless you can follow a link back to the OFFICIAL website and verify that that number comes from the OFFICIAL domain.

My friend just got scammed by calling a phone number that was SUPPOSED to be a number for Microsoft tech support according to the AI Overview

It was not, in fact, Microsoft. It was a scammer. Don't fall victim to these scams. Don't trust AI generated phone numbers ever.

[catgirl-catboy]

Hey teenagers.

You aren't slick. We adults know you look at our smut. We know no amount of minors DNI is gonna stop you from looking at our smut. We were teenagers once too, you know?

But please. Don't interact with people about sexual things online. Reading somebodies adult fic is fine. I don't like it, but you're gonna do it. Commenting on that smutfic, or joining a discord server for it, puts everyone in a really dangerous situation. Thats an entirely different level of risk. Not even with people your own age, since you can never know for sure.

[emptyheadgamer]

i feel like we as a digital society have forgotten the important rules of the internet

Don't feed the trolls

Never give out personal information

Anonymity is the best defense

Don't click suspicious links

Don't click popups and ads

Just because it's written doesn't mean it's true

You are responsible for your own experience

There is porn of everything, act accordingly

[lordoftablecloths]

stopkosa.com

change.org petition

more helpful links

[august 2024 update]

KOSA or the Kids Online Safety Act is an Internet bill being pushed by the American government. It claims its purpose is to "protect" kids, but really its methods of enforcing this is mass censorship and control of the Internet. The passing of this bill would lead to LGBTQ+ related information, reproductive healthcare, and other topics that government officials may find "dangerous" to children be restricted or censored.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

In the website linked above, there is a petition you can sign as well as a pre-filled message you can send. You can also write to your representatives, and if you don't want to come up with an entire message, I've attached sample scripts. Also, go to badinternetbills.com for another petition that references similar bills. For more information about KOSA, you can see this article: eff.org/deeplinks/2024/02/don… .

Spread information about this, and do what you can. This bill being passed would mean an era of censorship for the Internet.

[carboninkwash]

I keep hearing people say “The internet isn’t forever my favorite shows are being taken down and there’s so much lost content from old websites”

Guys, that’s not the meaning of the phrase. It’s about internet safety.

“The internet is forever” means that if you post something, it can be copied, reposted, saved to someone else’s computer. You are no longer in control of where it goes. It does not mean the internet is an infallible archive.

Be responsible with your stuff, post only what you are ok with being out there forever and protect what you mean to keep forever.

[wishingstarinajar]

So there is a new type of bot and scam going around on Tumblr.

They take recent popular image posts (mostly art) along with their description and all their tags, but then add a strange "...(Read More)" link at the end of the description (the three dots included!), plus a suspicious link attached to the reposted image/drawing. No credit to the original artist is given.

If you see a post like this, usually from a user with the standard Tumblr avatar but not always, report the user as spam/bot. If you recognize the reposted art, tell the original artist so they can report it too with a DMCA, to have the art taken down.

And no matter what, don't click the link attached to the image or the "...(Read More)" link.

[queen-anarchy-666]

Okay so apparently kids these days don't know how to be safe online because their parents are fucking stupid and don't know anything about the internet!!!

So I'm gonna tell you teenagers how to be safe and not get abused because there is no shortage of predators on the internet. I'm gonna go from super basic things you can do to keep yourself safe to more specific instances where a predator may be trying to groom you that you can recognize. Remember though; if you are abused or have been abused it is not your fault. You deserve protection and you deserve respect as a minor, regardless of how you spend your time on the internet. Victim blaming helps nobody but predators, but there are ways you can protect yourself, even though you shouldn't always have to.

Basic tips:

DO NOT SHARE YOUR REAL NAME

DO NOT SHARE YOUR AGE

DO NOT SHARE WHERE YOU LIVE

DO NOT SHARE PHOTOS OR VIDEOS OF YOURSELF

DO NOT SHARE PHOTOS OF YOUR HOUSE

IT IS OKAY TO BLOCK WHOEVER YOU WANT, WHENEVER YOU WANT, REGARDLESS OF THE REASON.

Don't sacrifice your safety, comfort, or peace of mind just for someone else's feelings! Especially a stranger! Also, if you think something is off, it probably is. You need to trust your gut. SPEAK UP! Tell a trusted friend, sibling, or adult! I'm sure you've heard the phrase "silence is violence" -- this phrase goes for abuse as well! Unsafe people want you to stay quiet so they can continue to harm you or others. It is not inherently problematic to have friends who are adults, in fact it is healthy and helpful to have friends who are older than you, however we live in a world where you cannot trust many adults, so you need to be cautious of adults you encounter at all times, including ones you know well or are well known by others. It is also not inherently problematic to be asked many of the questions above, but it is important to ask yourself whether or not you want to give that information to the person asking. If not, simply tell them that you do not give out that information and redirect the conversation, or block if you feel uncomfortable.

MOST IMPORTANTLY, DO NOT INSERT YOURSELF INTO ADULT SPACES.

I know it is tempting, especially with the way hormones effect judgement and your emotions, and we all want to be included, but inserting yourself into spaces you know you should not be by lying about your age is incredibly unsafe and leads to horrible situations that aren't always easy to get out of. This includes adult fandom spaces, websites, searching adult topics, NSFW blogs or accounts, and even group chats. Even if your friends invite you to these spaces, it does not mean you should neglect your safety to be accepted. It's okay and encouraged to say no. You will thank yourself when you get older!

More Specific Tips:

YOU SHOULDN'T PUT YOUR MENTAL ILLNESSES OR DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES IN YOUR BIOS ON YOUR ACCOUNTS.

Awareness and solidarity for mental illness and disabilities is very important, however predators are more likely to go after people who may have a more difficult time discerning what is normal and what is not in social situations, especially when speaking to an authority figure like an adult. Do not make yourself a target by listing the ways you struggle with social cues, understanding rules and safety, or communication. It is okay to seek solidarity, but there are predators seeking out disabled and mentally ill youths to abuse.

DO NOT OFFER INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR SCHOOL ON THE INTERNET.

It is dangerous to release information about your whereabouts in any capacity on the internet, especially your school where you are doubly putting your peers and classmates in danger as well. If you come into contact or into the orbit of a predator that is bent on finding you or meeting you, your school is a public place where one may feel brazen enough to pretend they know you. Even if other kids are doing it by posting fight videos or even innocent videos, doesn't mean you should.

JUST BECAUSE SOMEONE INSISTS THEY'RE A SAFE PERSON DOES NOT MEAN THAT THEY ARE.

People lie on the internet all the time, including in some really bizarre and meaningless ways, but there will always be people who lie to get closer to someone to make them a victim. Just because someone tells you they are against abuse or even if they advocate against it does not mean that they themselves are a safe person. Predators will do anything they can to get you to trust them, and while predators are usually very pushy and want things to go quickly, some will take their time to groom you.

!!!!BIG RED FLAGS!!!!

IF YOU SEE ANY OF THIS BEHAVIOR, RUN! BLOCK AND REPORT PEOPLE WHO DO THESE THINGS FOR YOUR SAFETY! IT'S NEVER WORTH STICKING AROUND THESE KINDS OF PEOPLE!

THEY CONTINUALLY SEND YOU SEXUALLY EXPLICIT MATERIAL, INCLUDING FANART, FANFIC, AND VIDEOS.

THEY TELL YOU AGE IS JUST A NUMBER, OR LOVE HAS NO AGE.

THEY EXPRESS THE OPINION THAT MINORS CAN CONSENT TO SEXUAL ACTIVITY.

THEY CONSTANTLY MAKE "JOKES" ABOUT MINORS IN A SEXUAL WAY OR ABOUT BEING ATTRACTED TO MINORS.

THEY EMPHASIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING "LEGAL" AT THE AGE OF 18 OR FIXATE ON AGE OF CONSENT LAWS.

THEY GET ANGRY AT YOU FOR SETTING A BOUNDARY OR IF YOU MENTION TELLING YOUR PARENTS.

THEY ENJOY "LOLI" OR "SHOTA" MATERIAL OR ENTHUSE ABOUT THOSE TYPES OF CHARACTERS.

THEY CALL YOU PET NAMES THAT YOU AREN'T COMFORTABLE WITH, EVEN WHEN YOU TELL THEM NOT TO.

THEY ASK YOU HIGHLY PERSONAL QUESTIONS ABOUT SEXUAL ACTIVITY, YOUR PERIODS, OR MASTURBATION.

THEY TELL YOU THAT YOU'RE MATURE FOR YOUR AGE, OR THAT YOU'RE NOT LIKE OTHER KIDS BECAUSE YOU'RE MORE ADULT THAN THEY ARE.

THEY ASK YOU TO SEND PHOTOS OR VIDEOS OF YOURSELF DOING SEXUALLY CHARGED THINGS, WHICH INCLUDES DANCING OR STRIPPING, OR SPECIFIC PARTS OF YOUR BODY.

THEY KEEP STEERING THE CONVERSATION IN A SEXUAL DIRECTION. THIS INCLUDES ROLEPLAY!

NONE OF THIS BEHAVIOR IS NORMAL. IT IS NOT NORMAL FOR AN ADULT TO ASK HIGHLY PERVASIVE QUESTIONS OR TO BECOME PUSHY OR ANGRY IF YOU EXPRESS DISCOMFORT. BLOCK AND REPORT THESE TYPE OF PEOPLE, THEY EXHIBIT BEHAVIOR CONSISTENT WITH SEXUAL ABUSE PATTERNS.

Adults and Minors alike please feel free to reblog. It is imperative that young people who don't know these things learn them, because the only thing a predator hates more than a jail cell is a minor who cannot be abused.

[local-dragon-haunt]

PSA to my fellow artists!!!

With the holidays fast approaching it appears this specific commission scam is making its rounds again.

Below is a conversation I will be posting to help you all know what to look out for:

So this account reached out to me under one of my recent posts. My first safeguard against scams like this (and just so I know the preferences of my ACTUAL clients) is to check the account that is messaging me:

FIRST RED FLAG: No posts. No description. Default background, generic, probably stolen pfp. Robot City (But you all know this by now)

Now, I was like, 99% sure this was a scam right here. (shout out to that one twitter thread I read a few months ago. It helped me clock this account immediately)

But I decided to humor them on the off chance that this person just doesn't understand Tumblr culture. (please, please do not do this. I am petty and insane)

RED FLAG #2: Notice the lack of references: asking me to draw something and then not sending any reference materials (something I explicitly state on my commissions spreadsheet).

This is a topic they will try to avoid (as you will see below), and ultimately what made them realize that I wasn't worth the effort. Always, always, always require references and style guides for any commission you get. Scammers' main goal is to spend as little energy as possible. they will not bother giving these to you.

Now onto Red Flag #3:

Notice how they immediately aim for the most expensive option (which, for my commissions, happens to be fully rendered furry content). This is a red flag because not ONCE did they mention this was going to be anything other than a portrait. This is when I knew 100% it was a scam.

RED FLAG #4: Asking for personal information. I am begging you. I am begging, never EVER, EVER give out your personal information online. ALWAYS use a pseudonym. Change the subject. Do literally anything else. just DON'T. GIVE. THAT. INFORMATION. AWAY.

AND RED FLAG #5: Offering WAY more than I am asking for my services. Remember, kids: if something is too good to be true, it probably is!

it is here that you are going to want to block and report this account. Do Not Be Me. I am begging you. I am doing this for educational purposes. However. I have one more red flag for you guys:

RED FLAG #6: Now, this very generous (/s) person is offering me $300 WHOLE DOLLARS just to draw a furry for them! That's so incredibly thoughtful!

...so why do they not care about the species, color, accessories, pose...ANYTHING about it? (It's because they don't care. They're not gonna pay you the money.)

Look, I can understand how flattering it is to be given full creative freedom on a commission, but you have to understand that this will almost never, EVER, happen to you. I'm sorry. It's the truth.

Anyways. That's all I got for you. Do me a favor, go ahead and block/report @mlaurel any any other cronies they're affiliated with. Also reblog this post if you feel so inclined. Keep your information safe. Get that bank! And Happy (safe) Holidays!

[linklethehistorian]

So, I just want to warn people in the Helluva/Hazbin fandom that there’s a server out there which literally asks you for a picture of yourself holding your ID in order to gain access to the mature channels. (They do say to cover up all info except DoB and your photo, but still.)

I am all for 21+/adult only spaces in fandom and these series are literally made for adults to begin with. And minors not entering those adult spaces is of course important.

However, asking people to dox themselves under the promise that “don’t worry, it will be immediately deleted” just to access NSFW content is extremely dangerous and sets a bad example for people in fandoms when it comes to not sharing too much personal information with online strangers.

It is a shame that the server has this policy, as I otherwise enjoyed being there very much and it was a nice server in the brief time that I was there, but it cannot be overlooked.

Please do not give servers your sensitive documents like this.

Furthermore, this does nothing to keep minors from accessing those spaces. Prior to this policy, they only asked for a photo of the ID itself (still bad!!!!), and minors were sending fake and/or random IDs to bypass it. They can still do so now, if they ask a friend or relative who is an adult to take a pic for them.

If someone is truly determined to lie, they will. If someone wants to cause trouble, they will. Asking people to dox themselves will not solve this.

[aeolianblues]

Fucking funniest thing is, the FBI seizes any links that lead to the genuine Z-Library, but without fail leave up all the scam ones that pretend to be fundraising for Z-Lib.

Anyway, if you have a Z-library login and use it on any z-lib link that ends .is, .io, .to babes you're being scammed! Check the security of the email address you've used and also if you're reusing that particular password anywhere, change it ASAP. If you have made a transaction, block it PRONTO!

Z-lib exists on the concept of free access to books, you have previously been and will always be allowed a limited download of 3 (or 5 or 10) downloads a day, depending on whether you have an account or have made donations.

See, Z-library has fundraised in the past, but they will never cut off your access for not donating. Do you know how much IP law-related trouble they'd be in if they were explicitly charging for access to books that the US legal system already views as 'stolen'?

There are a few ways of accessing them now, most are through torrenting (need help? Reddit or Telegram apparently), many of the regular browser web URLs have been seized.

When in doubt, do not click. Trust your instincts if you feel anything is off. If you're unsure about a z lib link, try a libgen mirror or something else instead.

Posting this here because I know a LOT of readers, students, broke folks that would like access to books, other folks with geographical barriers; basically a lot of folks who might potentially use something like Z-Library. So FYI and heads up, stay safe out there. Change that password! (And feel free to reblog this, again for aforementioned reasons)

[dragonoftheunderground]

PSA 12/18/2024 21:55 UTC - KOSA Update

The following is forwarded from a moderator on the Stop Internet Censorship discord server (join):

<quote>

Hi everyone

Recently the CR came out and KOSA isn't in it. Advocates are pushing very hard to include it, and are saying they won't vote unless it's added. Check out the #general-kosa for all the screenshots. Very dangerous territory.

We must send calls into congress immediately. We MUST have our voices heard. There its a very strong chance congress gets an extention and stays longer than this Friday, putting the risk to pass KOSA even higher

You know the drill. Call leadership, especially Senate and House. Call your own reps. Call anyone and everyone.

Btw: "Continuing resolution" aka end of year spending bill

</quote>

Tag everyone you can and make sure to call, email, fax, add resources so people can join in, etc. My tagging is after the break.

@singular-ghost-sound @holisticdetective42 @the-mango-ninja @tumbler-polls @nonbinary-polls

[the-autumn-apple-artworks]

౨ৎ. Well hello there Kinito community...

There is something I think you all should be warned about

These recent months a nasty person has begun to lure into the fandom and attack all sorts of people, especially artists, sending them threats, doxing them, and other nasty stuff. Spreading misinformation in other people's inboxes to try and ruin reputations and lives. This situation has gotten out of hand and should not be taken for granted

This anon is specifically going onto a "fetish farming" accusation rampage, accusing artist of non-existent fetishes and accusing them of exposing kids to said fetishes. As you can see, very serious deal to just decide to joke around about

If you have anon asks open, I warn you to BLOCK said anon if you ever encounter them and NEVER blindly believe serious accusations like these, especially if they're done behind the cowardice of an anon ask

In case you don't know how to block anons, here's how:

If you click on the three dots on the top right corner and then select "Block sender", the anon's IP address will be blocked entirely and they will not be able to send any type of ask to any of your blogs (and while you're at it, Report the message)

These accusations can be extremely dangerous if allowed to blow out of proportions so please beware and stay safe

[jaegerisim]

ATTENTION TO AO3 WRITERS! IF U RECEIVE THIS MESSAGE OR SIMILAR DO NOT CLICK!!! IT'S PROBABLY A SCAM TO HACK UR DISCORD ACC

You can probably know by how the ACC is deleted, the username and the <<" ">> they used.

REBLOG TO SPREAD!