Get Safe Online – the jointly funded initiative between government departments including the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the National Crime Agency – reached more than eight million people during the week-long campaign.
Launched on 22 October, the annual Get Safe Online Week campaign this year called on people to be aware of sharing too much personal information, using #beawareofwhatyoushare.
The campaign follows research showing that many Brits are unaware of privacy invasion risks associated with oversharing, and 39 per cent of the nation has experienced fraudulent activity because of oversharing on social-media platforms.
Agency Unity worked with Get Safe Online, and collaborated with public figures including The Vamps' guitarist James McVey and TV presenter Matthew Wright to raise awareness of the campaign.
Most of us use social media, but most of us (definitely me included!) forget how easy it is to be tracked down using the content of our posts (location tagging etc). That’s why I’m supporting #GetSafeOnlineWeek who help keep us safe from the hidden dangers of social media. ?????? pic.twitter.com/fEvUixpKH5
— James McVey (@TheVampsJames) October 21, 2018
The internet can be a crazy place so be mindful of what you share online - you don't know who's watching, piecing together clues to your ID from posts and pix: how old you are, where you live: #beawareofwhatyoushare https://t.co/QcaybGphCU #getsafeonline #getsafeonlineweek
— Matthew Wright (@Matthew_Wright) October 22, 2018
The campaign also joined forces with YouTube star Jack Maynard to promote its message on Twitter, while model Kirstie Brittain added her support on Instagram.
Guys! It's scary how easy it is to get tracked online, and we're all culprits of tagging our location! I'm supporting #GetSafeOnline this week who look after us online! Please always be aware of what you post, your location tags + not sharing any personal information! ??
— Jack Maynard (@Jack_Maynard23) October 24, 2018
The campaign aimed to raise awareness among social-media users that their posts can contain confidential information or compromise their own privacy, or that of friends, colleagues or family members, including children.
That could include location settings, the fact that a home or business is unoccupied, or even help fraudsters to work out password data if insecure phrases like pets' or family members' names, or favourite sports teams, are used.
Support from the influencers reached about five million people and secured a combined 12,109 likes and 1,417 comments from six social-media posts.
Traditional media included press coverage with the Daily Mirror and Your Money as well as broadcast interviews on Channel 5 News and BBC Breakfast – which featured Get Safe Online’s comms director Sarah Martinez.
The total reach for traditional media came to 3,269,242.
Martinez said: "With this year’s Get Safe Online week, our message was around oversharing on social media and how people usually share too much personal information without knowing that they are or what the consequences could be.
"Unity successfully secured organic support from a range of high-profile influencers who posted throughout Get Safe Online week, which generated conversation among their followers and awareness of online safety.
"Supporting our influencer programme with traditional media such as BBC Breakfast and Channel 5 really helped to boost awareness of this year’s message and place Get Safe Online as the organisation that’s there to help."
