Safety Discussion - Clicking on Links Shared in Rooms

Hi everyone! 😊

Did you notice that whenever you’re in group chat rooms (whether on member or listener side), that there are different types of links being shared everyday?

Sometimes, the link might be useful resources for navigating the platform, or self-help guides, or forum post links to save you from getting lost. Sometimes, it might be a link to some external website you’ve never heard of before.

Which types of links are shared in group chat rooms?

• 7 Cups links

These links can include helpdesk link (https://help.7cups.com/hc/en-us/requests/new/), Browse Listeners (https://www.7cups.com/BrowseListeners/), or forum posts (https://www.7cups.com/forum/safe7cups/IVSafetyResourcesEvents_1059/7CupsSafetyDiscussionsMasterpost_324821/)

• Mental health resources

These can include links to organizations which support certain issues, as well as hotlines

• Google form links

It is seen on application forms for various leader roles, as well as quizzes (like the one I’ll be sharing at the end of this discussion), or related to projects (Peer Appreciation Project: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScsCXyPYjQ4dsfLMh2ZzXC4of1lEutJsSasbkzc6JLDq7b8ow/viewform)

• YouTube links

It is okay to share YouTube links in rooms, as long as they respect the community guidelines and don’t lead to offsite contact. More about it here: Safety Discussion - YouTube Links

• Image links

We can use some image sharing platforms like Imgur (https://imgur.com/), Imgbb (https://imgbb.com/) to share photos or images we found from search engines, as long as they do not break community guidelines or give away our identities or lead to offsite contact

• Shortened links

Sometimes, the link may be too long, which can lead to text walls when we send them in a room. Thankfully, we have sites which can shorten links for us. Tinyurl (https://tinyurl.com/app), bitly (https://bitly.com/) and shorturl (https://www.shorturl.at/) are great for this, but that leaves us with no idea about what really is inside those links.

What are the dangers of clicking on a suspicious link?

• IP grabber

It is a software that can generate a link, which one can send to others. The moment the unsuspecting person clicks on the generated link, the software automatically gets, or “grabs”, the person’s IP address.

So, what are the dangers of someone else having your IP address? They can use it to track your online activities, find out your exact location, send you unwanted advertisements, or even commit cyber crimes on your behalf.

• Malware and viruses

Sometimes, cyber attackers hide computer viruses, malware, or malicious software, in download links, which they send to you under some pretense. The moment the link is clicked, the malware is automatically downloaded onto your device.

Those viruses and malware can wreak havoc on your device in many ways - causing your device to malfunction, destroying the data stored on the device, or worse, sending data back to the attacker.

What precautions can I take before I click on a link shared in a room?

• Use ‘is this link safe’ sites

Just search up these words “is this link safe” on your favorite search engine. The search engine will return some sites which can be used to check a link for any malware, botnet, IP grabber, phishing etc.

• Be wary of shortened links

Don’t click on shortened links like ones from tinyurl or bitly. Just copy the link and paste it into one of the ‘is this link safe’ sites. 

Here’s a short quiz to test your understanding!

Take the quiz here: Quiz on Clicking Links in Rooms 

Tag a few of your 7 Cups friends and ask them to take the quiz to spread safety knowledge!

If you have spotted a profile that needs to be flagged, feel free to report them here