Strong Passwords and Two-Factor Authentication If you only do two things to protect yourself online, let them be this: Use strong, unique passwords Turn on two-factor authentication (2FA) These might sound simple, but they’re powerful — and for most people, they’re enough to stay safe in everyday life. What makes a strong password? A strong password is one that: Is long — at least 12–16 characters Is unique — used only in one place Looks random — not based on something someone could guess about you A lot of people use phrases like IAlwaysForgetMyBankLogin2024 . It sounds long and personal, but that’s also the problem — it’s guessable. If you use a similar phrase for other sites (like IAlwaysForgetMySocialLogin2024 ), it becomes a pattern. And patterns are easy to break. Instead, go for something that doesn’t relate to you at all: 🟢 Ocean-Ladder-Bottle-Swim!53 🟢 FuzzyLamp12$CactusRun 🟢 z!X4eR#tUnicorn-Skate You don’t need to remember them all. That’s ...
Last weekend, I took my boys to the cinema to see The Minecraft Movie . The place was packed—I've never seen so many children crammed into one screening. It felt a bit like a Ryanair flight. Every scene, no matter how small or oddly timed, was met with applause. Clapping for the sake of clapping. It was hard not to feel a little out of place. I’ve been playing Minecraft for over a decade. We even run our own family server at home. So this wasn’t a case of a confused parent trying to connect with their kids by tagging along to something they don’t understand. I introduced Minecraft to them. They play because I played. But the film? It wasn’t great. Some bits of action, a predictable arc, a sprinkling of mobs and visual effects… and that was about it. It felt like marketing in motion—something built more for buzz than substance. And judging by the viral clips flooding TikTok—popcorn flying, kids chanting “Chicken Jockey!” like it’s a sacred ritual, police being called into cinemas—...