Online Sense is ICDL Arabia's philanthropic arm aimed at raising public awareness on Cyber Safety.

Online Sense Digest #72 (Nov 25, 2018)

Angry Hacker Deletes Instagram Influencer’s Account An Instagram influencer from UAE who writes about travel recently got the rudest shock that an influencer can get. An online criminal deleted Delaine Maria D’Costa’s Instagram account with 100,000 followers, after...

Online Sense Digest #71 (Nov 18, 2018)

Binging on Netflix at Night? Get Ready to be Sleepless Browsing on the phone or binging on Netflix before going to sleep seems to have become an everyday ritual for most of us! But did you know that those addictive on-screen moments can leave you sleepless or cause...

Online Sense Digest #70 (Nov 11, 2018)

Fake Email Hackers: Don’t be Fooled by them Online criminals are now running a new software to figure out the first 3 characters of email account passwords to blackmail users, and demand Bitcoins as ransom. As part of this alternative mode of extortion, the criminals...

Online Sense Digest #69 (Oct 21, 2018)

Google to Close Google+ social Networking Site Google recently announced it would shut down its social networking site Google+ due to low use and multiple bugs reported on the platform in March 2017. The bug resulted in a leak of millions of user’s data. “The consumer...

Online Sense Digest #68 (Sep 30, 2018)

Fake Email Hackers: Don’t be Fooled by them Online criminals are now running a new software to figure out the first 3 characters of email account passwords to blackmail users, and demand Bitcoins as ransom. As part of this alternative mode of extortion, the criminals...

Online Sense Digest #61 (Aug 5, 2018)

Kiki Challenge Alert: Watch these Deadly Accident Videos Canadian singer Drake’s song In My Feelings is a new rage online, and it has sparked the Kiki challenge that’s something you would never ever take. It can get you killed, and it’s not fun at all. In a shocking...

Online Sense Digest #60 (Jul 29, 2018)

Is your Mobile now a ‘Bad Robot’? Mobiles and Botnets Did you know that a large number of people in the UAE don’t even know that hackers are using their phones and computers to attack other people’s mobiles across the world?! These people are part of a botnet network...

Online Sense Digest #59 (Jul 15, 2018)

This Messenger App has what WhatsApp doesn’t Ever since common people became really aware of international spying agencies reading their private messages, a new type of apps emerged. These apps are focused on security and encryption. Encryption basically means that...

Online Sense Digest #58 (Jul 9, 2018)

Should you #DeleteFacebook Today… A survey conducted last week in the United States and Germany showed that for the first time in the history of Facebook, the largest number of people have come forward to say that they are losing trust in Facebook over privacy....

Online Sense Digest #57 (Jul 1, 2018)

Eight Apps you didn’t know can be Harmful to Children! We are sure that as a parent you are always concerned about your children don’t indulge in self-harm in their ignorance, or even more importantly, don’t keep secrets from you, which might eventually prove...

Online Sense Digest #56 (Jun 24, 2018)

Google Users can now Block any Online Advertisement We are by now you must have become aware of the ads that ‘stalk’ us online. Once you search for a product online, quite instantly you get to see that product virtually on any webpage you visit! Advertisers know from...

Online Sense Digest #55 (Jun 18, 2018)

Say ‘Goodbye’ to this Good Old Chat Service “Yahoo Messenger will no longer be supported after July 17, 2018. Until then, you can continue to use the service normally. After July 17, you’ll no longer be able to access your chats and the service will no longer work,”...

Online Sense Digest #54 (Jun 10, 2018)

Egyptian Court Orders One-month Ban on YouTube An Egyptian court has ordered an immediate ban on YouTube for a month over the website hosting an ‘anti-Islamic video’. The controversy of the ‘un-Islamic’ video has been raging for a while now. Not long back a lower...

Online Sense Digest #53 (Jun 3, 2018)

Android Warning: These Phones come Loaded with Malware. Are you Affected? This Malware is an adware named Cosiloon; it was unmasked by experts at cybersecurity firm Avast. An adware is somewhat like any other software you install on your phone, and its sole job is to...

Online Sense Digest #52 (May 27, 2018)

Intimate Details of Millions of Facebook users Leaked After the Cambridge Analytica scandal, yet another data leak recently impacted millions of Facebook users. This time, users shared their data through an app called myPersonality. Shockingly, experts believe that...

Online Sense Digest #51 (May 20, 2018)

Google makes Ramadan on the Web easier Ramadan has started and so has a massive volume of searches for recipes, prayer timings, shopping related to the holy month! Searching for Ramadan related stuff will now be much easier, thanks to a new feature recently announced...

Online Sense Digest #50 (May 13, 2018)

New Message Bug Crashes WhatsApp, Android Devices You are lucky if you have not yet received a new bug that’s crashing not only the WhatsApp app on Android, but also the phone itself. The bug is being spread as a seemingly harmless WhatsApp message forward, and when...

Online Sense Digest #49 (May 6, 2018)

Blue Whale not Responsible for Student Suicides, Police Affirm In the last few days the suicide of two Pinoy teenagers in Dubai has been the talk of the town, with most people speculating that the notorious Blue Whale game caused this. The Dubai police confirmed that...

Online Sense Digest #48 (Apr 22, 2018)

Are VPNs Legal in GCC, Egypt and Iraq? VPNs are much sought after in this region (GCC, Egypt and Iraq), especially with various sights and apps being blocked by governments. Installing a VPN app on your phone or laptop makes the whole internet accessible to you, but...

Online Sense Digest #47 (Apr 15, 2018)

US Visa Aspirants Might Soon have to Share their Social Media Details If you want to immigrate to the US or visit the country for business or pleasure and you aren’t from one of these countries, soon you might have to share your social media handles created in the...

Online Sense Digest #46 (Apr 8, 2018)

Should you #DeleteFacebook Today… If you are following the #DeleteFacebook trend on websites like Twitter, you will understand how big an issue this has become. Even celebrities such as Elon Musk, founder of SpaceX and Tesla, and Brian Acton, co-founder of WhatsApp...

Online Sense Digest #45 (Mar 25, 2018)

Meet the Selfie Daredevils! Don’t try to become One among them! Have you been seeing those dizzying, death-defying photos on social media? The photographers are certainly racking up followers with these pictures but while the views in the pictures can take your breath...

Online Sense Digest #44 (Mar 19, 2018)

Why are they Following you Online? “Imagine…if somebody followed our children around with a camera and a notebook, and recorded their every movement. I can tell you there isn’t a person…that would sit idly without taking action.” This is what Gary Kovacs, a famous...

Online Sense Digest #43 (Mar 11, 2018)

Always taking the ‘Best Selfie’ is a Mental Disorder called Selfitis! Researchers in India recently conducted a study to find out that taking a lot of selfies actually shows that people suffer from a mental health disorder. The study uncovered interesting facts, which...

Online Sense Digest #42 (Mar 4, 2018)

Become Invisible Online: This is the Best Browser for Internet Privacy Did you know that spying agencies of many countries these days have tools to access all your information online, including your private messages, your images, and your web camera? Still thinking...

Online Sense Digest #41 (Feb 28, 2018)

This Messenger App has what WhatsApp doesn’t The Telegram Messenger App also promises spy-free communication with not only encryption but also self-destructing messages, at speeds reportedly higher than WhatsApp. One of Telegrams backers recently launched a contest...

Online Sense Digest #40 (Feb 18, 2018)

Wysa – Is it your Happiness Buddy? Wysa developers say that it “helps you live the best life you can”. With more than 3 million user conversations so far, Wysa has reportedly helped people deal with anxiety, social distress, relationships, career stress, body image,...

Online Sense Digest #39 (Feb 11, 2018)

Net Neutrality Impacts you in a Big Way. Do you Know what it is? We often assume that all the information on the internet is equally accessible. It’s not quite as simple as that but this ideal is the basis of net neutrality. It’s been an issue in the US for years, but...

Online Sense Digest #38 (Feb 4, 2018)

Don’t fall for these Scam Apps on Google Play Store Did you know that the Google Play store is filled with scam apps? While this may or may not be surprising to you, it’s actually quite possible that you might have one or several of these apps installed on your...

Online Sense Digest #37 (Jan 28, 2018)

Apple is Slowing down your iPhone and you didn’t even Know it! Recent revelations from Apple confirmed what many iPhone users confirmed what many iPhone users suspected. Apple slows down older phones. Here’s the purported reason behind this deliberate slowing down of...

Online Sense Digest #36 (Jan 21, 2018)

Don’t be Scammed by this Fake Emirates Airlines Survey Emirates airline has requested residents to never respond to this fake survey, and abstain from sharing it with friends. According to the airline’s spokesperson, investigation of this scam is now underway, and...

Online Sense Digest #35 (Sun Jan 14, 2018)

WhatsApp Stops Working on these Smartphones Facebook-owned mobile messaging app WhatsApp has stopped working on smartphones that support ‘BlackBerry OS’, ‘BlackBerry 10’, ‘Windows Phone 8.0’ and older platforms in the New Year. “These platforms don’t offer the kind of...

Online Sense Digest #34 (Dec 24, 2017)

This New Facebook Feature Lets you ‘Snooze’ to ‘Mute’ Friends for 30 days Checking your Facebook news feed can be a demanding task, especially if you receive notifications from friends, groups and pages almost every second! If you ever wanted to take a break from...

Online Sense Digest #30 (Nov 28, 2017)

Did Violent Games make the Dubai Girl Violent? Gulf News recently reported that “addiction to violent video games” led to a 14-year-old girl being taken to the hospital for psychological assessment and treatment. Did the girl become violent only due to the effect of...

Online Sense Digest #29 (Nov 19, 2017)

The Dark Web Goes Mobile—and More Untrackable An IntSights Cyber Intelligence threat report, Messaging Applications: The New Dark Web, suggests that apps like Discord, ICQ, Skype, Telegram and Whatsapp offer a convenient mobile platform for criminals, given the...

Online Sense Digest #28 (Nov 12, 2017)

Is your Mobile now a ‘Bad Robot’? Mobiles and Botnets Did you know that a large number of people in the UAE don’t even know that hackers are using their phones and computers to attack other people’s mobiles across the world?! These people are part of a botnet network...
Online Sense Digest #27 (Nov 5, 2017)

Online Sense Digest #27 (Nov 5, 2017)

‘Instagram with a friend’ Feature: Now go Live with a Friend! Have you tried Instagram’s new “with a friend” live video feature yet? It’s a fun way to post live videos with friends; all you need to do is invite a friend or anyone on Instagram to join a broadcast while...
Online Sense Digest #25 (Oct 8, 2017)

Online Sense Digest #25 (Oct 8, 2017)

Shopping Online? Dubai Economy Says you can Trust only these Portals Dubai Economy has listed e-commerce websites, which assure you that your consumer rights will be protected. When hunting for online deals, your best bet is to visit one of the 44 websites that have...
Online Sense Digest #24 (Oct 1, 2017)

Online Sense Digest #24 (Oct 1, 2017)

This App will ‘Pay’ you for Paying Attention in the Class! We’ve bumped into an app that helps you earn shopping points by just keeping your phone locked in the classroom. Apart from the obvious and immediate monetary benefits, this new app also might help you gain a...
Online Sense Digest #23 (Sep 24, 2017)

Online Sense Digest #23 (Sep 24, 2017)

Warning to UAE Snapchat Users over Hacks and Privacy Security experts in the UAE recently alerted that Snapchat has a few safety and privacy concerns about which users in this region should be aware of. Widely used by children and teenagers (8 to 19 years) in the UAE,...
Online Sense Digest #22 (Sep 17, 2017)

Online Sense Digest #22 (Sep 17, 2017)

Trend Alert: Sexual Harassment and Blackmail of Girls on Whatsapp Messenger and Snapchat Two incidents of online harassment of girls this month have brought the focus back on the urgent issue of online harassment and blackmailing in UAE. Most of these reports show...
Online Sense Digest #21 (Sep 10, 2017)

Online Sense Digest #21 (Sep 10, 2017)

Enjoy your Free WiFi Hotspot, but with Caution! The Dubai police recently warned people that cyber criminals can use public WiFi networks to steal people’s personal information, including bank account details, pictures, and passwords. While free WiFi networks can be...
Online Sense Digest #20 (Sep 3, 2017)

Online Sense Digest #20 (Sep 3, 2017)

Hajj 2017: 12 Ways in which the Manasikana App will Make your Life Easier Many apps have been launched to assist people during their Hajj pilgrimage. The best among these is the upgraded version of the Manasikana app launched by the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah....
Online Sense Digest #19 (Aug 27, 2017)

Online Sense Digest #19 (Aug 27, 2017)

Faketoken Alert: Malware Steals Bank Details from Android Apps A new variant of the mobile banking Trojan Faketoken is stealing sensitive account related information from common Android apps used for travel and banking. The Kaspersky Lab uncovered this deceiving...
Online Sense Digest #18 (Aug 20, 2017)

Online Sense Digest #18 (Aug 20, 2017)

Mariam Game Ban: What are the Risks of Playing Games Online? The mobile game Mariam, developed in the Saudi Arabia last month became controversial when the Sharjah police recently cautioned people against playing it. Experts believe that the game seeks players’...
Online Sense Digest #17 (Aug 13, 2017)

Online Sense Digest #17 (Aug 13, 2017)

Is the Criminal Dark Net Spreading in the UAE, as Thousands Download TOR? On July 11, 2017, British model Chloe Ayling was drugged and abducted in Milan by human traffickers to be allegedly sold on the Dark Net as a sex slave in an Arab country. When the 20-year-old...
Online Sense Digest #16 (Aug 06, 2017)

Online Sense Digest #16 (Aug 06, 2017)

Smishing is Internet Thieves’ New Mantra. Know How to Avoid It Scammers on the Internet have come up with a new way to steal your identity, and probably your money also. With increased awareness about the online scamming method, Phishing, cyber thieves are now...
Online Sense Digest #15 (Jul 30, 2017)

Online Sense Digest #15 (Jul 30, 2017)

Making a Free Call Online? It can Risk your Security like you Never Knew Recently, many people in the UAE were excited to discover that they were able to make WhatsApp calls. Calls made over the internet through apps such as Viber and WhatsApp are considered to be...
Online Sense Digest #14 (Jul 23, 2017)

Online Sense Digest #14 (Jul 23, 2017)

Blue Whale: Know about this Suicide Game Before it’s too Late Many parents in Dubai came to know about the Blue Whale challenge allegedly pressurizing teens and young teens to commit suicide when schools in the city recently issued an advisory cautioning parents...