Now might be the time to change it! According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Florida is in the top 5 states where ID theft complaints were made.

Identity theft is a severe problem, especially for young people just starting to establish their credit.

In 2017, 104 million records were exposed in a data breach at Sonic Drive-In, an everyday fast-food chain. One hundred four million records are the equivalent of every person in California having their personal information compromised.

And Sonic is not the only one; other significant breaches last year included Equifax (143 million records exposed), Deloitte (5 million records exposed), and Whole Foods (43 million records exposed) – Federal Trade Commission 2017. Businesses large and small fall victim to data breaches.

As a parent, I know teaching children life skills can be challenging. But one life skill that is becoming increasingly important is online security.

With so much of our lives online, your children must know how to protect their personal information. One way to do this is by using fun passwords.

Here are some tips:

• Never share. Teach your children to never share their passwords with anyone but you or an approved guardian.
• Be unique. Please encourage your children to come up with passwords that are unique to them and that nobody else would guess.
• Make it fun! Brainstorm some password ideas together that are both fun and secure. For example, you could use the first letter of each word in a favorite song or movie quote.
• Avoid simple. Avoid simple and easy-to-guess passwords like “12345” or “password .” Instead, opt for something longer and more complex.

Finally, skip common misspellings and often teach your children to change their passwords. Many people try to make their passwords easier to remember by using common misspellings, which makes it easier for hackers to guess. So, encourage your kids to skip the typos and keep an updating password routine.

For more information on password protection, view the following password checklist at https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/password-checklist

Sources: Experian & FTC.Gov

ABOUT UF/IFAS

The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) aims to develop knowledge relevant to agricultural, human, and natural resources and make that knowledge available to sustain and enhance the quality of human life. UF/IFAS is an Equal Opportunity Employer. 

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