What are Online Basics - Online Accounts?

This video is part of our Online Basics series designed for people who are getting started with the Internet. It explains the role of accounts on websites and how having an account unlocks features that are normally hidden. The video follows Angie through the process of getting an email account and using it to create accounts on other websites. It teaches:

• Why many websites have a public and private version
• How website accounts work to unlock the private version and useful features
• Why email accounts are important and useful
• How to create an account and username
• How to create a strong password

Video Transcript:

Many useful websites and apps have two versions. The first version is public and open to everyone. This version may have services offered, business hours and contact information.

The second version is private and requires users to have an account with login information. Once they log in, the sites offer personalized information and tools for managing bank accounts, accessing documents and more.

A key to living a digital lifestyle is creating accounts that give you access to private parts of useful websites and apps.

Here’s how accounts work for Angie, who is getting started with the Internet:

Angie first needs a way to send and receive digital messages online. So, she creates an email account and email address, which is usually free. This is important because it’s part of her online identity and something she’ll need to create other accounts.

With an email address in place, Angie can go to websites and look for words like “create an account” or “new account”. When she clicks this link or button, a form appears that asks for information that establishes her online identity.

The website needs two types of account information: her personal information and her login information. Angie carefully fills out a form that asks for her name, email address, and personal information. This establishes her online identity and creates a way for the site to send her email messages.

Next, she creates a username and secret password for logging into the website.

This information will unlock the website’s most useful services. The username may be Angie’s email address or a unique and memorable name. Angie decides to use the username “angieonline”.

Next, she needs to create a password to go with that username – and the password deserves special care. If it is shared or stolen it could cause major problems.

Someone could use her password to log into her accounts and steal money or her online identity.

So, she follows a few rules about passwords. First, she uses a password that is difficult to guess. Names, numbers or dates that are part of her identity should not be used. Second, she includes a combination of letters, numbers and symbols, like this. And third, if her password is written down, it is hidden from view.

Now that Angie has an account and what she needs to login, she is on her way to living a more digital lifestyle and using personalized websites that are designed to help her be more connected, productive and efficient.

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