Pupils warned over ‘anti-social’ media
A THOUSAND pupils from Glasgow schools will be warned how careless social media posts could damage their future job prospects.
Teenagers from across the city will attend the 2017 Cyber Security Christmas Lecture at Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) next week.
The interactive sessions are designed to inspire young people to consider a career in cybersecurity and have the backing of Police Scotland, Scottish Government, Skills Development Scotland, SQA, Young Scot, Scottish Enterprise, and Education Scotland.
Gary Ennis, managing director of digital consultancy NSDesign, will be delivering a presentation entitled Anti-Social Media, focussing on the pitfalls of using platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
He said: “Social media is the playground of cyber criminals, and if you aren’t aware of the risks and dangers associated with it the results can be devastating.
“One wrong click is all it takes for your reputation, your employability, and your life to be in digital ruins. The lecture will be fast and furious and will showcase the impact of failing to think before you post.”
Featuring six 20-minute presentations, the lecture covers topics such as digital forensics, ethical hacking, and data security, and feature prizes and merchandise.
The annual Christmas lectures are held across Scotland and the GCU date is part of a tour, which also includes Stornoway, Inverness, Aberdeen, Dundee and Edinburgh.
Jackie Riley, Assistant Head of the Networking and Security suite of degrees at GCU, said: “We are delighted to be hosting the Glasgow event.
“It is a fun-filled two hours with messages embedded regarding future careers in security and we are looking forward to welcoming the participants to GCU.”
Studies show under-12s and teenagers are less likely to be security conscious online than older people, as they have grown up always having the technology.
Dr Omair Uthmani, Programme Leader of Networking and Security at GCU, added: “Most developed countries with significant digital economies are seeing a similar trend. Security can be seen as a hurdle that gets in the way of access to goods and services.
“We expect online security to ‘just work’ without us having to be security experts and exceptionally savvy about these procedures.”
Last year’s Cyber Security Christmas Lecture included warnings from Police Scotland about sexting and the security risks posed by Wi-Fi enabled devices in the home.