Latest news with #internetusers
Washington Post
3 days ago
- Business
- Washington Post
Big Brother gets new powers in China with digital ID system
China has long mastered what was once considered impossible: Completely controlling the internet within its borders. On Tuesday, Beijing will take another step toward centralizing its power over the web, introducing a government-run digital ID system that will enable it to even more closely censor and surveil the country's 1 billion internet users.
CNET
10-07-2025
- CNET
You're Leaving Your Wi-Fi Wide Open to Hackers Unless You're Taking These Steps
For many, the summer is the time to relax, book a family vacation and get some sun by the pool (don't forget your sunscreen!). When most people are tediously making their summer travel plans, they focus on door locks, alarm systems or cameras. You're probably not thinking about securing your Wi-Fi (like I am), but these days, just as much of our lives happens online as it does inside the house. If your home Wi-Fi network isn't properly and regularly secured, you could be unknowingly leaving your Wi-Fi wide open to hackers, data theft and other digital threats without realizing it. If your home network is breached, it can be accessed; that means strangers could potentially control connected devices, install malicious software or access your sensitive data, like your credit card numbers and live camera feeds. So what do you do? You make your home Wi-Fi more secure. A secure home network will help reduce the risk of getting hacked and can also keep away unwanted or unauthorized people and devices that would slow down your connection or freeload on your internet service. Before you book your flight or head to the beach, you can strengthen your network with 10 simple (quick!) steps. Some are more effective than others at keeping hackers and freeloaders at bay but all are useful in their own way. It's worth noting that nothing can guarantee absolute security from hacking attempts. But these tips make it much harder for anyone to compromise your network and data. For more Wi-Fi tips, check out how to tell if your internet provider is throttling your Wi-Fi and our tips on how to speed up your Wi-Fi connection. Locating local internet providers Tips to secure your Wi-Fi network at home Here are the basics for protecting your home Wi-Fi network. Keep reading for more information on each below. Place your router in a central location. Create a strong Wi-Fi password and change it often. Change the default router login credentials. Turn on the firewall and Wi-Fi encryption. Create a guest network. Use a VPN. Keep your router and devices up to date. Disable remote router access. Verify connected devices. Upgrade to a WPA3 router. 1. Place your router in a central location Strong network security starts with an optimized setup. If possible, place your router near the center of your home. Routers send wireless signals in all directions, so strategically placing your router in a central location will help keep your connection to the confines of your home. As a bonus, it will likely also make for the best connection quality. For example, if you have internet in an apartment where neighbors are immediately to the left and right of you, placing your router next to a shared wall could send a strong and tempting signal their way. A good router can cast signals next door or across the street, even if you aren't in an apartment. Placing your router in a central location reduces how far those signals travel outside your home. 2. Create a strong Wi-Fi password and change it often This should go without saying, but I will still cover it to emphasize its importance: Creating a unique password for your Wi-Fi network is essential to maintaining a secure connection. Avoid easily guessed passwords or phrases, such as someone's name, birthday, phone number or other common information. While simple Wi-Fi passwords are easier to remember, they're also easier for others to guess. You can easily access your router settings to update your Wi-Fi password. Oh, and be sure to change your password every six months or so, or whenever you suspect your network security may have been compromised. The more frequently you change your password, the less compromised it will be. Chris Monroe/CNET 3. Change the default router login credentials Along the same lines of password-protecting your Wi-Fi network, you'll also want to keep anyone from being able to directly access your router settings. To do so, change your router's admin name and password. You can log in to your router settings by typing its IP address into the URL bar, but most routers and providers have an app that lets you access the same settings and information. If you're unsure how to determine your IP address, read our guide. Your router login credentials are separate from your Wi-Fi network name and password. If you aren't sure what the default is, you should be able to find it on the bottom of the router. Or, if it's been changed from the default somewhere along the way, here's how to access your router settings to update the username and password. 4. Turn on the firewall and Wi-Fi encryption Most routers have a firewall to prevent outside hacking and Wi-Fi encryption to keep anyone from eavesdropping on the data sent back and forth between your router and connected devices. Both are typically active by default, but you should check to ensure they're enabled in your router settings. Now that you know how to log in to your router settings, ensure the firewall and Wi-Fi encryption are enabled. If they're off for whatever reason, turn them on. Your network security will thank you. 5. Create a guest Wi-Fi network Before sharing access to your main home network, consider creating a separate guest network for visitors. I'm not suggesting your guests will attempt anything nefarious with your main Wi-Fi connection. Still, their devices or anything they download while connected to your network could be infected with malware or viruses that target your network without them knowing it. A guest network is also ideal for your IoT devices, such as Wi-Fi cameras, smart thermostats and smart speakers -- devices that may not hold a lot of sensitive information and are perhaps more easily hackable than a smarter device such as a computer or phone. 6. Use a VPN Getty Images/Viva Tung/CNET There are a few reasons to use a good VPN, and network security is one of them. A virtual private network hides your IP address and Wi-Fi activity, including browsing data. VPNs are most useful when connected to a public network, but they can still add a level of security and privacy to your home network. Some VPNs are better than others, but like anything, you often get what you pay for. Free VPN services are available, but you can get a much more secure service if you pay a few extra bucks a month. Another perk of using a VPN is that it can be great for streaming. 7. Keep your router and devices up to date Software updates can be annoying, but they often include security updates. When companies become aware of potential or exposed security vulnerabilities, they release updates and patches to minimize or eliminate the risk. Stay updated on downloading those regularly. Keeping your router and connected devices current with the latest updates will help ensure you have the best protection against known malware and hacking attempts. If possible, set your router to automatically update in the admin settings, and periodically check to make sure it is up to date. 8. Disable remote router access Remote router access allows anyone not directly connected to your Wi-Fi network to access the router settings. Unless you need to access your router while away from home (to check or change the configuration of a child's connected device, for example), there should be no reason to enable remote access. You can disable remote access under the router's admin settings. Unlike other security measures, disabled remote router access may not be the default. 9. Verify connected devices Frequently inspect the devices connected to your network and verify that you know what they are. If anything on there looks suspicious, disconnect it and change your Wi-Fi password. After changing your password, you'll have to reconnect all your previously connected devices, but any users or devices that are not authorized to use your network will get the boot. Some devices, especially obscure IoT ones, may have odd default names of random numbers and letters you don't immediately recognize. If you encounter something like that when auditing your connected devices, disconnect them. Later on, when you can't start your robot vacuum cleaner from your phone, you'll know that's what it was. Find Free Wi-Fi Near You to Stay Connected Find Free Wi-Fi Near You to Stay Connected Click to unmute Video Player is loading. Play Video Pause Skip Backward Skip Forward Next playlist item Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 0:15 Loaded : 0.00% 0:00 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:15 Share Fullscreen This is a modal window. This video is either unavailable or not supported in this browser Error Code: MEDIA_ERR_SRC_NOT_SUPPORTED The media could not be loaded, either because the server or network failed or because the format is not supported. Technical details : Session ID: 2025-07-10:928d79f85d06020b317a99fd Player Element ID: vjs_video_3 OK Close Modal Dialog Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Close Modal Dialog This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button. Close Modal Dialog This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button. Find Free Wi-Fi Near You to Stay Connected 10. Upgrade to a WPA3 router WPA3 is the latest security protocol for routers. All new routers should be equipped with WPA3, so if you buy a new router, you should have nothing to worry about. Many people rent their routers directly from the provider, which may not include the most up-to-date equipment. If your router was made before 2018, you might have a WPA2 device, which lacks the same security protocols as newer WPA3 devices. A quick search of your device's model should tell you when it came out and any specific features, such as whether it has WPA2 or WPA3. If you've got a router with WPA2, call your provider and negotiate for a better, more recent router. What's the bottom line? Network security is not guaranteed Again, even with the most recent and effective methods of protecting your home network, security will never be 100% certain. As long as there is the internet, hackers and cybercriminals will find ways to exploit it. With the tips above, you can better keep your network secure from anyone trying to use your connection or access your data. For more tips, check out how to find free Wi-Fi anywhere in the world and the ideal location for your router.
The Herald
01-07-2025
- Business
- The Herald
Young, online and always connected: SA's 25 to 34-year-olds dominate internet use
SA's 25 to 34-year-old age group leads the country's digital revolution as the world celebrates World Social Media Day. The day, commemorated globally on June 30, was launched by global digital media company Mashable in 2010 to celebrate the profound affect of social media on global communication, community-building and information sharing. According to Statista, SA, which finds itself at the heart of an evolving digital era, is home to 26.7-million active social media users, which equates to 41.5% of the country's total population. 'A closer look into the demographics of social media users in the country reveals that people between the ages of 25 and 34 years made up the highest share of users in SA,' said Statista. This age group, often referred to as digital natives, are not only comfortable navigating online spaces they live in them. From networking on LinkedIn to curating their lives on Instagram, this cohort is setting the tone for how SA communicates and consumes media. By January, 45.34-million South Africans were active internet users. Out of these, nearly 26-million used social media representing about 42.8% of the total population. The broader regional landscape also paints a picture of rising connectivity as a staggering 77.1% of the Southern African population now uses the internet, leaving only about 1.9-million people in the region offline. According to the 2025 Digital April Global Statshot Report by Meltwater, g lobally the digital transformation continues at a huge scale as out of a population of 8.21-billion about 5.81-billion people use mobile phones with 5.64-billion individuals being internet users and 5.31- billion holding social media identities. South Africans are consuming online media at levels that mirror and sometimes surpass global trends with the average weekly time spent consuming online media globally being 33 hours and 23 minutes. 'The majority of the South African population, specifically 78.7%, used mobile devices to access the internet in 2022. This proportion is expected to exceed 90% by 2027,' said Statista. Meltwater's report revealed that mobile phones have become the gateway to the web for millions and that globally, 97.7% of internet users aged 16 and older use mobile phones to connect, with 97.5% using smartphones. A gender gap in internet usage still exists but is narrowing. In SA 66.5% of the female population uses the internet compared to 70.8% of the male population. 'Globally, online videos top the list of consumed media formats each week, with 91.5% of internet users engaging. Social media follows closely at 88.4%, and short-form videos like TikToks hit 87.5%,' said Meltwater. The digital report also showed that the time spent by global internet users (16+) on an average weekly basis is: 11 hours 34 minutes on online videos 7 hours 8 minutes on social media 9 hours 58 minutes watching TV (online and traditional) 1 hour 56 minutes listening to podcasts Additionally, Meltwater said that the average person consumes social media 4.19 days per week, while platforms like TikTok and Reels are used 4.12 days a week. Long-form videos, online press, and even traditional radio still maintain their footing, but digital is clearly dominant. Why are users going online? The top reasons include: 60.9%: To find information 58.6%: To stay connected with friends and family 54.0%: To watch videos, TV shows or movies 29.7%: To meet new people According to the report, SimilarWeb's December 2024 to February 2025 rankings showed that the top visited website globally, reflecting a strong preference for content, connection and search, was Google, followed by YouTube, , Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter). In February, the percentage of page views by browser was 66.3% via Google Chrome, 17.99% on Safari and 5.33% on Microsoft Edge. SA's's digital landscape continues to evolve, the dominance of the 25 to 34-year-old age group highlights a future shaped by tech-savvy, mobile-first and video-driven communication. TimesLIVE
The Sun
24-06-2025
- General
- The Sun
I'm fuming with my selfish neighbour, where he's put a satellite dish is unreasonable & opening my window is a nightmare
A WOMAN was left fuming after her 'selfish' neighbour appeared to install a satellite dish right outside her window blocking the view of the garden. The upset woman claimed that he had put the device in a spot which didn't hinder his own view outside. 2 On her TikTok account, she showed photos of the offending dish attached to their connected house. She shared: 'POV: Neighbour enters his selfish era and puts the satellite dish where you look out, not where he does." The woman also showed the view from her garden and how closely the dish appeared to be installed to her window. She then asked internet users if she was overreacting to be upset - and it has sparked a debate online. One person pointed out: 'If a neighbor attaches something to their house that extends over your property line without your permission, it's considered an encroachment.' Another added: 'That's on your side lol he can't do that.' And many people suggested ways that she could take petty revenge. One offered up: 'Ok, so here's what you'll do- put some tin foil on your window, across the whole pane. 'Then open it right across the satellite dish. 'He won't get any reception whatsoever, - then he can move it, his choice. Your kids are breaking law if they kick their ball over neighbour's fence, High Court rules after couple sued next door 'This is level 1 petty. We have 52 stages remaining if needed….' However, some people said she take a more mature approach. One said: 'Did you try talking to him about the overhang? Maybe he just didn't realise and you're being a Karen not talking to him first about it.' In the UK, if your neighbour installs something on your property boundary without your permission, you generally have rights to address the situation. 2 This is particularly relevant if the item is physically attached to your property, like a satellite dish on your wall, or encroaches into your airspace or land. The first and most recommended step is to talk to your neighbour as many disputes can be resolved amicably through calm discussion. However, if direct communication fails, you can send a formal letter (ideally from a solicitor) stating that the item is on your property without permission and requesting its removal within a reasonable timeframe. I had a two-year bin war with my next door neighbour Gemma Smith and Sophie Wood were engaged in a weekly feud for a year over their wheelie bins. When Gemma moved next door to Sophie, 34, who is unemployed, in November 2020 they were civil to one another. Gemma, who is single and doesn't work due to stress, says: 'Sophie seemed nice and we'd stop and exchange pleasantries. 'But it all changed at the beginning of 2022, when Sophie's bin was full and she put her rubbish bag in mine. 'I took it out and put it on top of her bin. 'It fell off, gulls pecked at it and there was rubbish everywhere.' Both women refused to clear up the mess, claiming it was the other one's fault. Gemma says: 'I felt so angry. 'There was cat litter spread all over my drive — it was absolutely disgusting and we ended up shouting at each other. 'We were both as bad as each other — we'd walk past each other and I'd tell her she was a lazy cow and to clean up after herself. 'We'd scream insults at each other." Within six months Sophie had set up a CCTV camera and threatened to report Gemma to the council. In retaliation, Gemma set up the baby monitor — which can record video — to try to pin more wrongdoing on Sophie. Then last July Sophie spotted Gemma in tears on her doorstep following a burglary at her home. Gemma says: 'Sophie came straight round and asked if there was anything she could do. 'We are now the best of friends and help each other out all the time."
South China Morning Post
16-06-2025
- Science
- South China Morning Post
China online shops sell ‘wisdom-inspiring' water from Peking University lake
Online shops in China are selling 'wisdom-inspiring' bottled water taken from a lake at the prestigious Peking University. Advertisement The so-called special water has captivated social media and delighted many internet users. Sellers usually advertise it for sale on second-hand product platforms, China News Service reported. A woman collects water from the famous lake on Peking University's campus. Photo: handout It costs between 30 and 99 yuan (US$4 and US$14) for 500ml, the report said, far more expensive than normal bottled water, which sells for around 5 yuan. Peking University is one of China's most elite universities. It ranked 14th in the QS World University Rankings 2025, the highest among all mainland and Hong Kong universities. Weiming Lake is one of the most recognisable landmarks on its campus. Advertisement To convince customers that the water originates from the lake, shop owners film the collection process and send the footage to buyers.
