What are the dangers of leaving children alone in front of a computer? How can you stop your webcam from streaming images without you knowing? These are some of the questions that the website web internetsegura.udl.cat can answer. It is the most comprehensive Catalan online security website and was set up by a lecturer from the University of Lleida’s Polytechnic School (EPS). Carles Mateu, who is also a researcher with the University’s Artificial Intelligence Research Group, created the site with the help of the managing director of the IT company Teixidó Associats, Albert Mas. It is so exhaustive that the local police force’s Department for Computer Crimes is looking into using it as a baseline in the talks it gives on Internet security. The website helps protect the computers of both experts and laypeople by explaining concepts such as malware, phishing and spam. It also offers monitoring tools so that parents can stop their children from accessing unsuitable contents.

 

The website, whose contents are fully updated, gives information about the potential dangers on the network as well as offering materials to prevent them. All of the tools are easy to download and compatible with all computer environments (Windows, Linux and Mac), as well as with the various browsers currently available. There are parental control tools, games for children, informative videos to raise the awareness of adolescents about the dangers they many encounter on the Internet and other additional information.