TravelDock As post-pandemic travel looks to start becoming more widely available once again and the launch of a number of different remote working visas from countries that may not have had them on offer before has happened, it may lead to many first-time explorers looking for a new favourite travel destination. Those most experienced have already compiled a huge number of tips and tricks with the likes of this city guide to bali to help newcomers, but there are some great general tips to ensure you’re staying as safe as possible whilst navigating the online space in a foreign country.
Convenience doesn’t necessarily mean safe – In the hustle and bustle of todays busy world, convenience often outweighs safety, and this certainly goes for travel too – public Wi-Fi connections have become available absolutely everywhere from the airport to your favourite coffee spot too – but that doesn’t mean you should rely on them particularly whilst travelling. If you’re in a pinch and need immediate access, they certainly do the job, but if your primary concern is your data protection and online safety then there are certainly precautions to take before using public networks, and particularly when you’re in a location you’re not familiar with it’s difficult to know whether you’re connecting to a legitimate public network or not, as such it would always be better to err on the side of caution.
Certain apps can protect you, but cation is needed here too – You’ve likely seen all of the advertisements across some of your favourite YouTubers or content creators about VPN’s, and their usage has certainly grown extremely quickly. The typical advise is that if you can use one, you probably should, especially if the provider is transparent enough so you know exactly how the VPN handles your data – but a point of caution is needed here too, not all countries allow VPN’s to be used and it’s easy to forget you’ve got one running in the background – as such make sure to read up on online usage rules for wherever you may be visiting so you’re able to avoid an uncomfortable conversation, after all you don’t want to be in a spot of bother simply because you forgot about the VPN you’ve left running on your device.
A cheap burner can save a headache – A huge part of travel is sharing the experience with your favourites, live posting to social media and taking lots of pictures and videos to relive your experience has become a hallmark – but also an online safety concern. Not only does your smartphone make you a target for local thieves in some countries, but with all of your data for sensitive accounts being on your device it contains everything about you. Consider instead picking up a cheap device, live in the moment and share your wonderful experience later on soundly in the knowledge that your online data in safely back at home or in your hotel room with your smartphone.
