Q4 Online Safety in Action: Vocabulary

Key Vocabulary

Account Privacy Settings: Account privacy settings are the controls offered by many social media sites and apps that allow you to limit who can see your posts and personal information.

Browser: A browser is a free software application or ‘app’ that you use to visit websites on the internet, like Chrome, Safari, or Firefox.

Browser Privacy Settings: Browser (website) privacy settings are the controls that allow you to manage what information a website or app collects from you and shares with others.

Cookies: Cookies are small files that websites store on your computer to track your activity and remember your preferences.

Digital Footprint: A Digital footprint is the trail of data that people leave online. This includes websites you visit, things you post, and information you share, all of which build your digital reputation.

Encryption: Encryption is the process of scrambling data into a secret code to protect it.

HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure): HTTPS is the secure version of the language browsers use to talk to websites. The 'S' stands for 'Secure' and means your connection is encrypted, like a secret, sealed letter that only you and the website can read.

Passkey: A passkey is a more secure way to log in that uses your device (like your phone or computer) and a personal identifier (like your fingerprint, face, or PIN) instead of a password you have to remember.

Password Manager: A password manager is a secure app that creates and stores all your unique, strong passwords in one place (a "vault") that is protected by one master password.

Password Strength: Password strength is a measure of how effective a password is against being guessed or cracked.

Personal Information: Personal information is any information that can be used to identify you, such as your name, age, address, or school.

Security Patch: A security patch is an update to software that fixes a security weakness or vulnerability.

Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Two-factor authentication is an extra layer of security for your accounts, requiring a second piece of information (like a code sent to your phone) in addition to your password.