Public Networks

Public networks are very useful, because not only do they allow more people to access the Internet, but they also help save users’ mobile data. However, unfortunately, they can be dangerous to your web browsing. 

This is because the security of public networks is unreliable. There is no guarantee that routers use security protocols, are protected by firewalls, or are securely configured with strong passwords and an up-to-date operating system. Some WiFi networks can cause a sense of security by asking you to create login and password, but there’s still no way to fully trust them, since anyone who registers can also have access.

Also, before accessing a public network, find out if it is in fact an Internet access network, since there are fake WiFi networks that don’t allow for wide browsing and only serve to draw victims to cyber scams. 

Avoid accessing email or messaging accounts that are not encrypted when using a public network. Your data may be being watched! But if you need to access accounts, or websites that ask for sensitive information, such as passwords, credit card numbers, and bank details, make sure that you’re communicating with end-to-end encryption services (for example, websites that show a closed padlock symbol in the address/URL field). Otherwise, disable your access from the public network and use your mobile data network, or access these types of accounts only when connected to your personal WiFi network. 

Accessibility

In the first scene, a man appears in a park beside a “free WiFi” sign. Near him, people are talking and exercising. The man then picks up his cell phone. Above him, the phrase “Having Internet everywhere is great” appears. Then his cell phone screen shows the networks available in the area; one is Park_Free_WiFi. The sentence changes to “But public networks do not ensure privacy”. The man logs into the open network and an attention sign appears on his cell phone screen. Above him, the sentence changes to “Be careful!” and is then replaced by the phrase “Only browse secure sites”. A magnifying glass zooms in and shows the site the man is trying to access, with a closed padlock symbol in the address bar that starts with https://, indicating that the URL is secure.