Google is visiting Manchester as part of a countrywide roadshow to inform and train the public on how to be safer and more secure online.
Following new Google search insights that indicate the public are concerned about how to secure their data online, the company will visit Manchester to host a one-off training seminar on 6th October at Google’s Manchester office in Oxford Street. Registration for the event is open online here.
Google search insights have revealed Internet users in Manchester are amongst the most frequent searchers of security related questions in the UK. A survey of 500 people in Manchester indicated almost a quarter (24%) of those surveyed have had online services they use, such as an email account or online bank account, hacked or targeted by hackers in the last two years.
The survey also revealed that almost one in five people, 18%, surveyed said personal information, such as password(s), bank details, or emails, had been taken by hackers and used without their permission or used to pretend to be them in the past
·One in five people, 20%, either have or are unsure if they have given information to a website that seemed genuine but was not (such as imitation banking sites or phishing sites that looked very similar to the original).
A third, 33%, reported they are regularly worried about keying their password into a website when online and almost a third, 29%, report they have no kind of password or protection, such as a 4-digit passcode, pattern lock, or fingerprint scan, on their smartphone. According to the survey, Manchester has the highest number of unprotected smartphones in the UK.
Manchester was selected to host a workshop following the release of new Google search insights that highlight the high amount of people in the city searching security related topics or questions. People in Manchester Google search “Am I being hacked?” and “My email has been hacked” far more than the national average, according to Google’s trend analysis.
“My phone has been hacked” and “Find my phone” are also searched disproportionately high in Manchester compared to the national average, which may not be surprising given the high number of people who do not secure their smartphone.
Laurian Clemence from Google UK, said “This is the first time we’ve ever done anything like this, knowing so many people from Manchester are searching for “Am I being hacked?” shows there is a clear demand for information on how to stay safe online. Our workshop will cover best practices directly from Google’s privacy and security experts on how they can safeguard their passwords, update their account settings, find a stolen device, and check where they are sharing their data in just two minutes, from one place. Anyone can sign up, starting today.”
Attendees at the Manchester event will be able to book a one-to-one private consultation with a Google Security Ambassador, while also getting best practice tips on how to keep their personal data safe and secure from a Google’s security expert.
