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Digitalisation plays a huge role in our postmodern societies and being able to access the internet is for many a matter of course. However, in most parts of Africa the digitalisation processes are still in development and now they are threatened by a rise in cyber crimes. Read more on the matter and how to stay safe online.

In the past ten years a lot has happened in terms of internet access and cyber activity. The entire world is online and most of us are highly dependent on having access to the internet. There are several things we need to be online to take care of. Our highly increased online activity has made us more vulnerable online as we share information and make data available when we are active online. One place that seems more vulnerable than others right now is Africa.

Cybercrime is one the rise in Africa

The digitalisation in Africa is increasing at a fast pace and this is ambivalent as it brings both potentials and problems. The internet traffic is doubling every 18 months and the online activity is increasing vastly. When establishing several new processes of digitalisation, it can bring issues. Building these systems takes time and work and it can be difficult to do it perfectly. When building systems it is important to have a focus on safety and security for the users.

If the different networks and sites are not secure, it can be risky to be active online. Cyber crimes are threatening Africa’s evolving digitalisation process as there is not yet enough money invested in digital security. This makes it an easy target for hackers to break into the systems and to attract sensitive information. Cybercrimes are preventing the digitalisation growth of the region as well as pushing the governments to invest in cyber security. In Zimbabwe they created a cyber security ministry to focus on social media and other websites. More of these initiatives would probably be helpful as a counterattack towards the rising tendency of cyber crimes.

How to stay safe while being online

If you want to secure your own online safety, there are luckily ways to do so. One of the most effective ways to do so is to install a VPN. A VPN is a software that is known for its safety measures. It works by hiding your IP address making it impossible for any potential lukers to follow your online activity. By encrypting your data the VPN makes it very difficult for anyone to attract any information from your server.

This can be quite important and it is especially useful when an increase in cybercrime has been detected. Ensuring your online activity, making sure that sensitive information won’t slip out is a very wise thing to do. You can browse the web to find the best vpns. And when you have successfully installed it, you don’t have to worry about either governments, hackers or corporations getting a hold of any of your data.