‘Digital Mindfulness’ Is Your Best Defense this Safer Internet Day

If you look back just a couple of years, the digital landscape looks almost unrecognizable. We’ve moved from AI being a cool new tool to it being at the heart of our online lives.

This year’s theme for Safer Internet Day, “Smart tech, safe choices – Exploring the safe and responsible use of AI,” couldn’t be more timely. But as we navigate this world of deepfakes, hyper-realistic audio and chatbots that sound more human than your neighbor, we need more than just software updates. We need a mindset shift.

I’ve often said that you should treat AI like an eager-to-please intern. They’re fast, they’re enthusiastic and they want to help; but they don’t always know what they’re talking about.

That means, being able to spot errors in AI-generated content is rapidly becoming a core digital skill. Whether it’s a social media scam using a deepfake celebrity or a chatbot giving you dubious financial advice, the best defense isn't a complex algorithm - it’s slowing down.

Top Tips for Navigating the AI Era

Most cyber attacks succeed for two reasons: they trick a human (social engineering) or they exploit unpatched software. That’s it. So if you can concentrate on not being tricked, you’re immediately much safer.

Digital mindfulness is about pausing to think before you act online. Most of us fall for scams not because we aren't smart enough to spot them, but because we are distracted, frazzled or multitasking our way through a busy day.

To stay resilient, we have to move beyond passive consumption. Here is how I recommend you handle the current landscape:

• Sanity-check the output: Before acting on information involving money, safety or your emotions, verify it with a trusted human or an official site. AI can "hallucinate" with extreme confidence.
• Verify before you share: Social media algorithms prioritize engagement, not truth. If an image or headline seems designed to make you angry or shocked, it’s likely clickbait. Don't be the person who spreads fake news.
• Keep your information private: The rise of AI means scammers can now very quickly scan public data to create highly personalized and convincing scams. Unless you have a reason to be public, only share social media accounts with friends and family. If you do have a public profile, be extra mindful about what you share.

If you can combine these behavioral changes with technical ones such as making sure your software and firmware are patched in a timely manner, it’s the easiest way to stay safe.

Technical Safeguards

• Use phishing-resistant MFA: Stop relying on old-school passwords. Phishing-resistant multi-factor authentication (MFA) is now the baseline defense for your data. Where passwords are still necessary, use a password manager to automatically create truly random, highly complex passwords and ensure you never reuse them across different sites.
• The 25-Character Rule: If you must make up a password in your head, it needs to be long. I’m talking 25 characters or more (think: circling tropical wombat lollies). This length provides a buffer against AI-driven cracking and emerging quantum threats.

Safer Internet Day 2026 is a reminder that while the tech changes, the human element remains the most important piece of the puzzle. By staying mindful, staying skeptical and keeping our "interns" in check, we can enjoy the benefits of AI without becoming its next victim.