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How does NOW Broadband Buddy improve internet security?
NOW Broadband Buddy keeps you safe online by allowing you to select an age rating and choose what websites can and can’t be viewed on your broadband network. It also provides protection against phishing websites that try to collect your private information.
On top of that, Broadband Buddy guards your computer and other devices against malware-infected websites.
Broadband Buddy is available for NOW Broadband Members.
More info: How do I set up and manage Broadband Buddy?
FAQs
What are malware-infected and phishing websites?
Malware-infected websites contain malicious software such as viruses that can infect your computer and other devices.
Phishing websites attempt to collect your personal information by pretending to be a site you trust, such as your bank or an online shopping site.
Does Broadband Buddy keep my devices safe from viruses?
As long as you keep Broadband Buddy switched on, and you’ve selected one of the three age rating settings (PG/13/18), all known phishing websites will be blocked, plus sites that are malware-infected.
Keep in mind: Broadband Buddy is not a replacement for your existing antivirus software. We recommend using both Broadband Buddy and antivirus software to make sure your broadband is fully secure.
Will Broadband Buddy work on devices outside my home?
No. Broadband Buddy only works for devices connected to your NOW Broadband home network, either via Wi-Fi or Ethernet cable. It doesn’t cover other Wi-Fi or 3G/4G mobile networks.
Does Broadband Buddy keep my family safe from online bullying and online grooming?
Broadband Buddy can help protect your family from viewing unsuitable material online. However, it can’t protect against other forms of online activity, so you’ll still need to be aware of your family’s broadband access.
Broadband Buddy only covers devices connected to your NOW Broadband network, and doesn’t cover other Wi-Fi or 3G/4G mobile networks.
Does Broadband Buddy block unsuitable results in search engines?
Broadband Buddy doesn’t block search engines, so unsuitable sites can still appear in search results.
However, most search engines have a ‘safe search’ feature, which will filter out inappropriate sites from search results. You can usually find this in your search engine's settings menu.
Does Broadband Buddy protect my family from all inappropriate sites?
While Broadband Buddy can help you control what your family can access online, we can't guarantee that every inappropriate site will be blocked.
If you find a site that you believe should be blocked by your Broadband Buddy settings but isn’t, please get in touch and let us know.
Does Broadband Buddy allow NOW to see what I’m doing on the internet?
No. We don't monitor your internet usage – regardless of your Broadband Buddy settings.
What will I see if I try to access a blocked site?
You’ll see the message below if you try to access a site blocked by Broadband Buddy:
How often is the list of blocked sites updated?
We update and add new websites to our list of blocked sites several times a day.
I think my website has been wrongly categorised. How can I change this?
If you think your site is in the wrong category, get in touch and let us know.
We'll review your request, and if we agree we’ll update the category as soon as we can.
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