Category: IT How To

It’s almost time for kids to go back to school. In addition to buying new clothes and shoes, have you also thought about ways to keep kids safe online?

If they have computers with Windows 10, Xbox One devices, or Android phones running Microsoft Launcher, families can take advantage of a Microsoft family group account.

This free service can give them peace of mind and allow their kids to have some independence and opportunity to make decisions about how they use their devices.

You can share the following information with your friends, co-workers, and clients to help families get the most out of technology and stay safe when they’re online. (If a family has iOS devices, see Screen Time for iOS Devices below.)

How to get started

To set up a family group account, go to account.microsoft.com/family, choose Create a family group, and invite your family to join. Next, you can do things like setting up a shared family calendar to plan events so everyone is on the same page for school activities, sports, and more. You can also set limits on how much time your kids spend online and what types of websites they can visit.

In addition to content filters and time limits, the best way to help children stay safe online and make the right choices is keeping an open line of communication so you can talk with them about using devices and going online.

Here are five simple steps to help families use the Internet safely:

1. Trust: Set up devices with the security settings to match the level of parental controls and security you want. Log into your Microsoft Account and select Family to get started. You can use parental controls to manage the types of websites your kids can access when using the Microsoft Edge browser, what they can buy, and the type of content they can see based on their age. If you have an Xbox One, you can control the content and features your kids can access. Go to Xbox settings, and then Privacy and Online Safety to set up child accounts under your parental account.

2. Talk: Take time to discuss your kid’s online activities and agree on boundaries to build a shared sense of trust. For example, you can agree on an amount of money to put into your child’s account instead of linking to a credit card, which could result in a lot of charges. You can also enable “Ask a parent” to get alerts before your child can purchase a program or game so you can talk about whether or not it’s appropriate for them. You can also limit downloads to free apps and programs, or you even disable downloads altogether.

Another useful option is getting weekly activity reports listing the websites your kids visit and how often, apps and games they use, and a breakdown of how long each child has spent on all of your Microsoft devices. By having this information, you can decide if you need to have a discussion with your child about their online activity.

3. Teach: Be a teacher and a learner to open the door to good communication. There are great resources to help spark conversations with your kids and teach them how to recognise and manage risk. For example, Think U Know, which is sponsored by the Australian Federal Police, is a good source of information about cybersecurity and safety guides for kids and parents.

Think U Know encourages young people to think about what they say, see, and do online:

• Say: Kids should be respectful to others when posting comments, sending messages, and chatting with others.
• See: Young people need to aware of inappropriate content and cyberbullying by others and what they can do avoid these negative influences.
• Do: When technology is used appropriately, it can be fun whether kids are playing games, using apps, or interacting on social media.

One way to encourage a discussion with your child about safe online use is Think U Know’s Family Online Safety Contract. It clearly outlines what is expected when a young person uses a smartphone, tablet, computer and devices.

It’s also important to show your kids that you want to learn from them. Be curious about how they use apps, visit websites, and play games.

4. Time: How much time kids spend with their devices is a big concern. It’s about striking the right balance that will work for your family. Have your children agree to certain boundaries of how long they use a device and at what times of the day and night. If it’s necessary, you can set screen limits and schedules in Windows 10 and Xbox using the Microsoft family features. This way your kids will only get access within the times and limits you’ve agreed to.

If your child uses an Android device with Microsoft Launcher, you can also check their location. This is especially handy when you want to make sure your child got home safely after school or where they’re hanging out at with their friends.

5. Teamwork: While most kids don’t want to share all of their online experiences, there are still some simple steps you can take to prevent them from feeling isolated. Try to build a “team” atmosphere by thinking about where their devices are allowed and put them in a shared family space if you can. Play online games with them. It’s a great way to understand their interests and have fun together as a family.

With online gaming, you can use Microsoft’s family group account to control which group of friends interact with your kids – rather than random strangers online. This can be a great comfort to know who your child is spending time when playing games and what they’re being exposed to.

Screen Time for iOS Devices

If a family uses iOS devices such as an iPhone or iPad, Apple offers a variety of options and settings to help parents give their children the appropriate level of online access. For example, iOS 12 has a new feature called Screen Time to block or limit the use of certain apps on a child’s device.

To get started, go to Settings and Screen Time. You can set up your child’s device by choosing This is My Child’s and following the steps. Some of the options include:

• Preventing a child from installing or deleting apps and making purchases.
• Blocking music or videos with explicit content.
• Filtering website content when using the Safari browser.

By taking the time to set up online controls and talking with your kids, you can help them to make the right choices on their own. After all, the best filter is a good conscience that your child develops with your guidance and support.

“Tis the season, and you’re looking forward to spending the holidays with your family. During this festive time of year, you and your family are making memories to last a lifetime. By taking a few precautions, you can increase the odds that the holidays are a safe and happy time for everyone involved.

Holiday Outings with Kids

There are so many activities going on during the holiday season, and you want to enjoy them with your children. Many of these outings involve crowds, and you don’t want to become separated accidentally from your child. Put bright clothes on your children so you can see them easily. If you have a toddler, consider using a harness if they tend to run off. Many available toddler harnesses are designed to look like a lion’s tail or similar cute appendage, so your little one may find wearing the harness sort of like a costume.

Don’t let small children use a restroom by themselves, and wait outside when opposite sex older children use the facilities. Public bathrooms are among the places child molesters often lurk.

If your child does get lost, tell them to approach a security guard to help find you, or, failing that, a woman. While that is a sexist approach, potential child molesters are more likely male than female. Also tell your child to call out your first names, rather than just Mum or Dad, so you if nearby you can immediately identify your child over a hubbub of “Mummies” and “Daddies.”

Holiday Travel and Kids

For many families, holidays involve a considerable amount of travel. Whether it’s to the beach, grandmother’s house, or a special holiday destination, Australians are on the go at Christmas. That means more risk on the roads, due to additional traffic volume, more people driving in unfamiliar places and, sad to say, more people driving while under the influence of alcohol. Protect yourself and your family by carefully planning your trip, and not driving when you are tired. Check your vehicle thoroughly before embarking, so that tyre tread and pressure, engine fluids, lights and brakes are all in good working order. If you have any doubts, take your car to the mechanic before setting out. If your holiday trip involves camping, make sure all the attachments for your caravan or trailer are in good order and secure.

A well-planned trip doesn’t necessarily involve taking the fastest route, but the safest. Try to take a break at least every two hours while on a long road trip. Keep your kids well-fortified with snacks, games and/or videos they can watch en route. Always wear your seat belt and check to see that your children are either buckled in or are secure in their car seats.

While you’re away, make sure your house is safe. Unfortunately, the holiday season is also prime burglary season, as thieves keep note of houses appearing unoccupied. Devise ways to make it look as if someone is home, via using timers or your devices to turn lights off and on, and keep the radio or TV on low volume. Ask a neighbor to collect your mail, or contact the post office to have it held for you. If you another car, leave it in the driveway to give the impression someone is home.

Holiday Decorations and Safety

Nothing says Christmas like a beautifully trimmed tree and holiday decorations, but some seasonal decorations can pose a safety threat. If you celebrate with a real tree, make sure to water it regularly, at least every other day. Without proper watering, the needles may dry out, and this poses a fire hazard. It also means you’ll have unattractive brown needles scattered in the vicinity of the tree and possibly tracked throughout the house.

When it comes to tree decoration, keep the ages of your kids in mind. If you have small children, who may put objects in their mouths, put safe, non-toxic ornaments near the bottom of the tree. Save the breakable ornaments, or those with metal hooks, for the higher parts of the tree where little hands can’t reach them.

As a parent, you know you must take special care when it comes to holiday candles. For best results, avoid lit candles if your kids are young. If your children are older and unlikely to accidentally knock over or pull down a candle, keep candles lit only when people are home and make sure they are extinguished before going to bed. Keep lit candles a minimum of 1 foot from any flammable object.

Outside, use only lights and extension cords approved for outdoor use. Keep bulbs away from any easily ignited material. Indoors and outdoors, replace any Christmas lights with broken cords or loose bulbs. As you know, Christmas and bushfire season are synonymous, so take extra safety precautions by trimming tree branches near the house, keep combustible material far from your dwelling, and clear up any potential fuel around your home and yard.

Toys and Games

When you think back on your childhood, your Christmas memories may prove among your strongest. You want to create great memories for your children by providing them with the toys and games they desire, but it’s critical to ensure that these items are age appropriate. Before buying a toy or game, read the information about it to make sure it is a suitable gift for your child’s current abilities.

If you have little children, it’s important to keep them away from choking hazards that small game pieces or other tiny objects may become. While you wouldn’t purchase a game or toy containing such hazards for that child, you may have an older child who wants such an object. Once your older child opens that gift, instruct them to keep it out of the way of younger siblings, and explain why.

A Day at the Beach

Many families celebrate Christmas or Boxing Day at the beach with a barbie. While you must protect your kids the same way, you would on any other beach day, the holiday brings more distractions. Clean and check your barbecue grill beforehand, and inspect gas hoses to see if they are leaking. Keep young children away from the barbecue or any hot, discarded coals. While everyone should wear sunscreen to protect themselves from the sun’s rays, it’s especially important for the delicate skin of babies, toddlers and young children. Severe sunburns early in life can lead to skin cancer later on.

New Year’s Eve Celebrations

Ring in 2019 responsibly. That means avoiding too much alcohol consumption, and using a designated driver if you are out on the town. Another option is celebrating at a club or restaurant with a hotel nearby, so you don’t have to worry about driving home. If you’re hosting a New Year’s Eve celebration at home, it’s likely the kids are in bed by the time the party gets started, but after your guests leave, throw out any leftover drinks so there’s no chance an early rising child can sample an alcoholic beverage.

In the first week of December 2018, WordPress announced the release of its much-awaited update WordPress 5.0. Researchers testing the new version almost immediately found several serious security issues which jeopardized sensitive personal data like user email addresses and passwords and allowed unauthorized access to content management functions on sites within the platform. All versions of the platform 5.0 and older were affected by the vulnerabilities.

Less than a week later, on December 12th, company developers responded with the release of WordPress 5.0.1, a patch intended to address the vulnerabilities in the earlier version.

The bug that allowed access to emails and passwords by exploiting the Google website indexing service was only a threat to users who had not changed their passwords after the release of WordPress 5.0. The new version fixes that bug.

Changes were made to the MIME validation process after security researchers discovered that an attacker working through Apache-hosted sites could create modified files to bypass the validation process and implement cross-site scripting hacks.

Ian Dunn, a WordPress developer, state, “ Before 5.0.1, WordPress did not require uploaded files to pass MIME type verification so files could be uploaded even if the contents didn’t match the file extension. For example, a binary file could be uploaded with a .jpg extension. This is no longer the case, and the content of uploaded files must now match their extension. Most valid files should be unaffected, but there may be cases when a file needs to be renamed to its correct extension”.

The new version addresses other vulnerabilities such as the ability to alter metadata to delete files without authorization and to craft input that would allow the creation of unauthorized posts. A full list of vulnerabilities found and fixes implemented with WordPress 5.0.1 has been published by the company.

Those users with websites on WordPress 5.0 should update to WordPress 5.0.1 as soon as they can. Those who have enabled automatic updates should already have the new version, but because of the types of vulnerabilities that were discovered, it is recommended they do it manually to be safe.

Those who are still using older WordPress 4.X versions should install 4.9.9 as soon as possible. There have been reports of automatic updates not working for this version. Again, it should be done manually to make sure.

Efficiency is one of the most challenging objectives for most companies to achieve. To be efficient, a firm needs to focus on optimizing limited resources to achieve the best results possible at the lowest cost. As you probably know from experience, this is far easier said than done.

To boost efficiency, a company needs to craft a strategic plan. In many cases, this strategic plan involves outsourcing. The term outsourcing refers to the business practice where a company contracts the services of an individual or another company to perform specific tasks, provide services, or handle operations that would otherwise be performed internally by employees. Outsourcing solutions are incredibly popular among companies these days. When utilized correctly, outsourcing solutions allow firms to operate at a higher level of efficiency.

Companies of all sizes are recognizing the cost- and time-saving advantages of contracting with independent service providers to provide services that don’t fall within the realm of their primary expertise. Small and mid-sized companies are turning to outsource solutions for remote IT support and management services as well as IT hardware maintenance.

This partnership between client organizations and managed IT service providers allows the client organizations to enjoy efficiency, productivity, lowered costs when it comes to IT operations. Best of all, the organization’s IT systems continue to run at the highest level of efficiency possible. This frees up valuable time and resources within the client organization, which are then directed to serving the needs of customers.

One primary reason so many small and medium-sized companies are turning to outsourcing is that they are finding themselves pressured to deploy the same level of technology functionality as larger companies merely to keep up with the competition. As you can imagine, it is often difficult for small IT teams to keep up with this pressure. This also causes small budgets to become strained. While some organizations may initially be hesitant to turn to a third-party for infrastructure support, these organizations can benefit significantly from such a move. These benefits come in the form of reduced costs and boosted revenue and efficiency.

Here is a guide to increasing labor efficiencies with managed IT services.

1. Focus on their Core Mission

One way that managed IT services increases labor efficiencies is by allowing companies to focus on their core mission. Organizations that spend most of their time and resources on their core expertise can pay more attention to boosting sales, building a strong brand, and increasing revenue. Your employees can focus on providing the best customer experience possible to your clients. The third-party company that you are in a partnership with can concentrate on keeping your organization’s IT systems in tip-top shape. Most managed IT service providers are flexible enough to increase their services when business volume rises and then decrease their services when business slows down.

2. Reduce HeadCount and Overhead

After you form a relationship with a provider of managed IT services, you should focus on reducing headcount and overhead. Now that you have a third-party that provide some or even all of your IT needs, it is likely that you will be able to reduce overhead costs and headcount significantly. Your provider of managed IT services will serve as an extension of the internal team within your company. Your company will benefit significantly from the expertise and resources of the managed services team. Economies of scale are one significant advantage of managed services. Managed IT Service companies provide high volumes of manpower and technology, which implies that they have the means to significantly reduce the cost of both factors.

3. Economies of Scale and Pass-Along Savings

One way your organization will enjoy increased labor efficiencies with managed IT services is through pass-along savings and economies of scale. Managed IT services provide client organizations with access to world-class assets at a fraction of how much it would cost to acquire these assets on their own. Managed IT service companies also pass on cost savings to their client organizations.

4. Consider Data Safety and Confidentiality

When choosing a managed IT services partner, one of the main factors that you should consider is their knowledge of reporting requirements that are industry-specific. Some examples of such reporting requirements include SOX, PCI/DSS, and HIPPA. You should also take into consideration their knowledge of personal clearances like DOD and technology partner certifications. If you don’t take these factors into account, it may end up hurting your organization’s labor efficiency. While you shouldn’t thrust the responsibility of data safety and confidentiality entirely on a managed IT services partner, working with a managed IT services company that takes data security and privacy into consideration will help labor efficiency. Some of the pressure that your IT team currently faces when it comes to keeping data secure and confidential will be alleviated.

For more information about how to increase your company’s labor efficiencies with managed IT services, don’t hesitate to contact us.

Australia’s cybersecurity strategy, launched in 2016 by former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, is in need of a stronger public-private partnership to deliver on its action plan items to improve security for business. This is evidenced by the lack of full implantation of the strategy’s five core action items, lack of meaningful investment, and allocation of needed human resources necessary for the strategy’s success.

These lessons of past failure are a stepping stone for what needs to be done going forward for Australian businesses, of which small and medium-size companies comprise nearly 95 percent of the country’s business landscape according to the Small and Medium-Sized Enterprise Association of Australia (SMEA). These businesses are particularly vulnerable to cyber attacks and unwanted intrusions by outside individuals and groups deploying spyware, ransomware, and any other forms of malware designed to disrupt commerce.

It is therefore incumbent for the government, in partnership with the private business sector, and public citizens to look at ways to fully implement the recommendations of Australia’s 2016 cybersecurity strategy. Attacks that have taken place across the globe, including against the most recent U.S. Presidential election and a breach of the Australian Red Cross Blood Service’s data bring to the forefront the importance of acting with due speed to put in place a framework to prevent Australia from falling victim to the effects of an impending cyber attack.

The Action Plan Items

The five action items included in the report are:

• Make the national cyber partnership strong
• Create cyber defences
• Increase global responsibility and influence
• Promote growth and innovation, and
• Create a cyber smart nation

Each of these action items was set forth as broad goal statements but without specifics or identifiable targets for implementation. For the cybersecurity strategy to result in meaningful outcomes for the country, and, in particular, for business in Australia, the group devising the policy must come together to better define the action plan items outlined in the strategy and put in place measurable goals and targets.

Accomplishing the spirit of the plan also requires a serious investment in technology by the Australian government. A technology assessment performed by management consulting group Deloitte entitled “What’s over the horizon?: Recognising opportunity in uncertainty,” in its Building the Lucky Country series (#6) outlines the steps that businesses need to take to cross the digital divide. This includes becoming less risk-averse and investing in increased cyber capability, through education, better security measures, and resiliency in the face of attacks when they occur.

Issues with Implementation

Various problems have occurred on the way to implementation of the country’s cybersecurity strategy. One of the most significant failings pointed out by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI), an independent think tank providing expertise and advice on issues regarding defence, Australian national security, and cyber, is the lack of any plan for delivering on the actions items coupled with the nonexistence of a methodology for moving the strategy forward.

Funding is an issue that is easy to fix, provided that the government understands the importance of adequately supporting their desire to protect businesses and the public (as well as government institutions and other related organisations) from potential cybercrimes. Education and public awareness are also equally important and vital to the full implementation of Australia’s cybersecurity strategy.

A Commitment to Deliver

As former Prime Minister Turnbull stated as a prelude to setting forth the cybersecurity strategy, “A secure cyberspace provides trust and confidence for individuals, business and the public sector to share ideas and information and to innovate online.” The strategy is a recognition of the increasing attacks on the country’s cyber framework and the risks these attacks pose to the economy. The financial impact of open threats to Australia’s digital network also takes an emotional toll on consumers, who lose trust and confidence in the ability of institutions, both public and private, to protect their privacy and process their business in an orderly and efficient manner.

The evaluations of the country’s implementation of its cybersecurity strategy by organisations such as ASPI paint a bleak outlook as to actions taken to date to fully realise the goals of the plan. These evaluations also serve to remind business and government officials that the commitment to deliver on the promise of securing the country’s digital network begins with measurable actions that must include risk-taking, evaluation, adjustment, and forward-thinking progress.

Google launched its Google Maps web mapping service in February 2005. The service stood out as innovative for the times, providing users with detailed satellite overviews of countries, cities, and streets. It provides a “bird’s eye” or “top-down” view of an area using satellite imagery as well as aerial photography taken from between 240 and 460 meters. Images used in Google Maps are no more than three years old, with frequent updates performed.

The core functions of the program includes an API (application program interface, a set of building blocks used by programmers to create a program such as Google Maps) that allows maps to be placed on external websites (such as those of an Australian business) and a locator service for companies to provide information, including URL (uniform resource locator – web address).

Interestingly the initial program for Google Maps was developed by a pair of Danish brothers, Lars and Jens Eilstrup Rasmussen and their company Where 2 Technologies. Where 2 Technologies was a start-up mapping related business that is based in Sydney. The company’s mapping technology, which became the engine for maps, was acquired by Google in October 2004.

Google Maps as a Social Network

Social networks, such as the popular ones like Facebook and Twitter, and business-oriented networks like LinkedIn, provide a perfect avenue for facilitating communication locally, regionally, nationally, and globally. The ability to cross borders in a seamless matter allows businesses a way to broaden their appeal, gain additional market share, and extend boundaries for their products and services.

The thought of a mapping service as a social network entity is not as far off an idea as you may think as your business’s IT thought leader. More than half of smartphone users (either iOS or Android) have used Google Maps and its companion service Google Earth. This makes the service one of the most widely used apps by mobile users and a further indication that its use as a social networking medium should be strongly considered by businesses.

Add also Google’s Local Guides service and businesses can use the functionality of maps to post information about just about anything and everything that there is to know about the company. The service provides a real-time (or near real-time) way to interact with maps users, post searchable links, and provide users with valuable information about your business, products and services.

Social Network Usage in Australia

Consider these metrics when deciding if the use of Google Maps is an appropriate consideration for you doing business in Australia. Facebook is the most extensive social network used by Australians. It is reported that more than 60 percent of the population are active Facebook users and that more than half of the country’s population logs into the platform at least once in a day. Based on information from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, this number of active users represents a population of about 25 million.

Other platforms popular in the country (based on monthly active or unique users) include YouTube, the video sharing platform, with an estimated 15 million monthly active users and Instagram, the photo-sharing platform, with also an estimated 15 million unique users. These numbers are good signs for those businesses engaged primarily in delivering their goods on a business-to-consumer (B2C) basis. For business-to-business (B2B) providers, there are approximately 4.5 million monthly active Australian users.

How Australian Businesses Utilize Google Maps as a Social Network Tool

Using Google Maps as a social network tool should receive strong consideration by businesses across Australia. The tool’s design as a locator service provides businesses with a way to direct potential customers to their doorstep and provide imagery and other enticing data points to bring in more business. Maps are designed to create a greater interactive experience with a higher-level prospect as the user who accesses this service primarily for information or directions.

Whether B2B or B2C or both, tapping into the potential Google Maps offers as a social network platform unleashes unlimited potential. Linking maps with your other social media outlets, such as the popular Facebook and Instagram apps for B2C contacts or LinkedIn for your B2B connections, provides business with a dual messaging threat. Information supplied via casual social network contact on one of the country’s popular platforms can direct users to maps for specific company information, driving instructions, and real-time location-to-location mapping. In these terms, Google Maps indeed represents the potential to become the next great social network for Australian business.

National Broadband Network outages or NBN outages are usually focused on coastal Australian areas, which means all our major cities like Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Sydney, Adelaide, Camberwell, Ryde, Marrickville, Parramatta, and Windsor according to Aussie Outages. If your business services are affected by NBN outages on a regular basis, there may be technology steps you can take to prevent them, or at the very least get your network services up and running faster.

Of course, NBN has to prioritise reconnection of certain essential services in an outage, including:

• Hospitals
• Fire
• Police
• Emergency services
• Community infrastructure such as:
  • Traffic management
  • Sewerage
  • Power utilities
  • Water utilities

In an NBN outage, the NBN will also prioritise reconnection of business services essential to community recoveries, such as banks, petrol stations, and supermarkets. If your business services fall into one of these categories, you’re in luck in the Lucky. If not, you may want to educate yourself about options.

What Causes NBN Access Network Outages?

NBN access network connections may occur for different reasons, such as cyclones, severe storms, bushfires, car accidents, or tree branches falling onto power lines in your neighborhood. While NBN has a dedicated emergency response team that prepares for, responds to, and recovers network connections in emergencies, its priorities may not be yours, leaving your business services in the lurch along with your clients and your income.

What Can You Do About NBN Outages?

Although NBN outages can be crippling, technology services companies may have the solution business services owners, C-level executives, and managers have been searching for. A better modem is that solution. Recently released modems allow customers like your business to keep using landline phones and internet during fixed-line broadband outages. With these newly updated modems, phone and internet landline services are automatically diverted to the technology services company’s mobile network following a fixed-lined business broadband outage.

How Can Telstra Help During NBN Outages?

Technology services companies’ updated modems essentially keep your business services in play through the use of another mobile network. For instance, if your employees are on the phone when the NBN is disrupted, they can resume making and receiving calls as soon as the internet connection switches across to the telco network. These new modems still require battery backup during a power outage, but your business should not pay extra for mobile data use during the fixed-line outage. Speeds are generally capped at 6 Mbps down and 1 Mbps up. Voice calls are charged at standard rates for landline phones.

With these new modems, landline calls take advantage of the mobile Voice over LTE standard and use Quality of Service to reserve necessary bandwidth for voice — call quality will not suffer when the internet is being used. Whilst running over the telco’s mobile broadband network, your business will not lose income or clients.

How Can My Business Obtain a Telstra Gen 2 Modem?

New, updated modems are available from most telcos if your service is NBN, DSL, or cable, and should be on sale now. Keep in mind older modem models will receive voice fallback via a firmware upgrade in 2019, anyhow. There are over 600,000 older modems in Australia, and voice fallback will only be available to NBN customers.

What are the Benefits of Using a New Modem?

The best benefit is that new modems will not kill your landline. They also allow telcos to meet obligations to provide interim broadband service to customers when NBN connections are delayed, and when telcos are unable to reconnect Australia’s business services with their legacy broadband connects. Essentially, a new modem can save your business headaches later and preserve your telco connection while you serve your clients.

American companies are making a play for Australia’s digital attention by offering innovative services. The dominance being imposed by foreign organisations should be viewed as significant forays into the country’s IT infrastructure and serve as a wake-up call.

The examples of international interest in Australia’s eCommerce business is as follows:

• Amazon has established access for Australian small businesses to utilize the eCommerce giant’s logistical support and fulfilment platform for shipping their products. Amazon, which launched its marketplace platform in the country in December of 2017, has seen more than 5,000 local businesses access the service. This is at the cost of $69.09 (AUD) per business utilising the platform plus a commission on sales of between one and 15 percent.
• Mobile payment company PayPal recently inked a deal with NSW state government to allow for over 1,000 transactions from 40 different agencies to be paid for through the company’s payment system. This arrangement further solidifies PayPal’s presence in the country as the leading electronic payment.
• Tesla (which is owned by PayPal’s co-founder Elon Musk) launched a community battery storage project in Western Australia, through a partnership involving the company Synergy and the government-owned Western Power. The project came online three months ahead of its projected timeline. Coincidentally, the Tesla recently announced the appointment of Australian telecom executive Robyn Denham as the company’s new chairwoman, taking over the role from Musk as part of a settlement arrangement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

What are some of the things that businesses need to consider to rise to the challenge and stake their own claim on the country’s $2.69 billion (AUD) eCommerce market? It is clear that the American companies are here to stay and the challenge now falls on the shoulders of Australian companies to dramatically and decisively get in the IT game.

The growing eCommerce marketplace is indeed one strong consideration for organisations to begin the process of bridging the digital and innovation divide. Another strong argument is that as the business continues to grow more global in nature, greater interdependency is needed between different countries to develop new products, solve common issues, and create and build the next great thing.

Crossing the divide is going to require several things of Australian companies. First and foremost, businesses must state a commitment to building their digital infrastructure and dedicate the necessary resources toward innovation. This sounds like a small thing, but in fact, it is one of the foundational steps that must be taken to guarantee success. A KPMG report from December 2017 cites a survey it conducted of Australian IT leaders across a spectrum of businesses. The study found that though many companies agreed with the premise behind the need to devote resources toward innovation and building an information technology core, the resources necessary to move forward often did not match the lip-service given to the problem.

The need to innovate and build a capable, world-class digital system must come from the top of the organisation. Leadership by chief executives, boards of directors, and senior management working together with the same sense of purpose and urgency is critical. An IT systems manager or director or anyone who lacks the proper decision-making authority will do little to combat the growing influence of foreign entities like Amazon, PayPal, and Tesla, whose growing influence and financial power will soon dwarf any efforts Australian IT concerns may consider.

Learning to take risks and fail is another requirement business in Australia must be willing to take on to succeed in building digital prowess. This is a difficult ask of companies where risk-taking and failure are not rewarded. Fear of failure becomes a fear to try, which stunts attempts by change-agents within an organisation to suggest innovative approaches.

Adopting an entrepreneurial mindset, similar to the one used to start the company, is required to advance innovative ideas and build the required inertia toward IT success. The KPMG report also cited a need for Australian companies to adequately fund and establish a dedicated area within their facilities that lends itself to experimentation. These so-called “think labs” are an idea space for creative teams to meet, work, and fail to succeed toward new IT solutions that have a regional, national and international/global scope.

Another consideration for Australian businesses in their desire to overcome the country’s digital and innovation divide is that for the use of big data. What companies like Amazon, Tesla, PayPal, and others have learned is that the bits and bytes of data that customers leave behind when making inquiries, filling out forms and answering surveys are marketing gold. Understanding and managing the habits and expectations of customers using predictive analytics is the difference between mastering the digital marketplace and settling for the crumbs left behind by those companies with a better vision and plan.

Speaking of planning, undoubtedly any approach must begin with a plan. This plan must be driven by a company’s leadership but must also involve every stakeholder whose input is vital toward driving the proper results. This not only includes CEOs, CFOs, CIOs, board members, and other members of a company’s senior management team but must also include project leaders, line employees with hands-on knowledge and experience and, of course, customers.

Global companies with a large footprint have set their sights on Australia as the new frontier in the war for digital dominance. Australian IT may have received the wake-up call it needs to not only respond to this intrusion but through committed action, may be able to establish its own proper foothold.

Teachers are always striving to provide the best education possible for their students while often operating within strict budget constraints. Office 365 provides an abundance of technology that is often free for educators. There are several reasons why teachers should use Office 365 in their classrooms.

1. Provides a Variety of Apps

Office 365 offers several different types of apps to help teachers provide their students with a variety of online educational experiences. Whether it’s teaching interactive lessons or individualized learning, the apps can meet several educational needs. Applications are downloaded using Click-to-Run technology that allows users to install apps quickly. A few of the apps that are available include the following:

• Microsoft PowerPoint – Students not only learn how to use PowerPoint, but how to put together professional presentations that are informational and engaging.
• Microsoft Word – Students will learn to use Microsoft Word more effectively by using the many projects and lesson plans that are offered.
• Microsoft Excel – Teachers can learn to make spreadsheets and data analysis fun and engaging for their students. The apps include lessons for everything from analyzing inventory from a store they like to creating a recipe.
• Microsoft Publisher – Educators can use Microsoft Publisher to create posters and cards using clip art. There are a variety of color schemes, text choices, and backgrounds to choose from.
• Skype – Students can connect with students from other classrooms around the world to collaborate on projects. These types of collaboration will enable students to learn about different countries and cultures.

2. Offers Cloud-based Access and Storage

As a cloud-hosted app, Office 365 is stored and supported by Microsoft. This means teachers and schools don’t own it but subscribe to it. Storage is another excellent reason to start using Office 365. All the data that is used by both staff and students is stored safely in the cloud. Since there is unlimited storage, there is no need to worry about having enough space for data. Teachers and students will no longer have to worry about losing a thumb drive containing hours of hard work.

3. It’s Always Updated

Updating computers and programs can be technically difficult and time-consuming. Since Office 365 is stored in the cloud and supported by Microsoft, it’s always being updated. This means schools can rely on the latest technology and security always being in place. There’s no need for continual maintenance or dependence on an internal IT team.

4. Provides School-to-Work Transition Skills

One of the top priorities of education is preparing students to make a smooth transition from the classroom to the workforce. Students are now expected to possess baseline technology skills. Office 365 can provide students with several types of training tools including learning how to Skype, put together PowerPoint presentations, and learn how to create graphs and spreadsheets.

5. Supports Global Collaboration

Office 365 provides opportunities for both teachers and students to collaborate with others around the world. Teachers can share information with PowerPoint, Excel, or Word and still rely on formatting remaining consistent. Collaboration is done in real time whether it’s with a school across town or across the globe. Teachers can also use collaboration tools to offer tutoring and online classes.

6. Predictable Costs

One of the most attractive aspects of this service is that the Office 365 for Education is offered free for students and teachers that are currently attending an educational institution. There are basic services and applications that come with this particular offer. Teachers can expect to receive Word, Excel, OneNote, PowerPoint, SharePoint, and Yammer. There is also unlimited storage when five or more users have subscribed. A school may decide to pay for extra services, depending on each teacher’s individuals needs for the classroom.

7. Data Control and Security

Office 365 provides a high level of built-in security that can keep student and teacher data secure. There is both 24-hour monitoring and threat management security. Teachers can rely on consistent anti-spam and anti-malware protection. With a strong level of safety, schools won’t have to worry about student data being compromised.

Office 365 can help teachers easily organize their materials, put together interactive lessons plans, and create individualized learning plans for each of their students. Teachers and students can easily access all the great training and tools that are available at any time.

As you likely know, when there is a My Health Record in place, one can privately view their personal health information online. No matter where they are, they have access to that important information on any device connected to the Internet.

The beauty of this is that most Australians essentially carry their health history with them. What if one of your employees is injured on the job? His health record will allow quick and efficient treatment, an important benefit to both your employee and company.

Say it’s you who becomes ill while away on holiday. Even though you’ve never met the GP who treats you, that healthcare provider will have access to important information, including:

• medical conditions with which you have been diagnosed
• all medications you are taking
• allergies you may have
• pathology results, such as pertinent blood tests
• personal notes about your health you want to health care providers to know, such as your advance care plan or custodial details

Can a doctor treat a patient without My Health Record? Sure, but why would anyone want that? My Health Record offers a physician the information he or she needs to create the best possible treatment plan and adds one more tool to their medical tool chest.

Imagine someone has a medical problem that impacts breathing. A treating physician would want and need that information before putting that person under anesthesia or giving them specific medications. If the patient is in no condition to relay that information, My Health Record does it for them.

All Australians Included

Unless a person opts out, they have My Health Record. The hope is to better interconnect Australia’s national health system in order to provide patients with safer, faster, and more accurate care. Even if someone is not sick a day in their life, My Health Record provides a convenient way to track health information over time.

Security is Vital

Though most Australians may fully understand the reasoning behind My Health Record, it can be a bit off-putting to think about other people having access to some of the most sensitive information available. That is why security measures are so vital. New security measures to the program have been designed to fully protect the privacy of all Australians and to give existing rules more teeth. In fact, protections such as firewalls, encryptions, secure login processes, and audit logging are just the beginning.

Further Tightening

In an attempt to close loopholes in the system, the federal government added these protections:

• children cannot be represented by anyone who has restricted access, may pose a risk to a child, or may pose a risk to a person associated with a child
• employers are prohibited from gaining access to the health records of current or potential employees
• no private health insurance will be allowed access to health information, even if they claim to need it for research or public health purposes
• law enforcement agencies can only access My Health Record with a court order or warrant
• anyone can cancel their health record at any time and it will be permanently deleted from the system.

Tougher Penalties

New penalties for improperly accessing My Health Record increase the current imprisonment period of two years to five years. Maximum fines have risen from $126,000 to $315,000 for the unlawful access of records.

Why These Changes Matter

Properly managed, My Health Record can improve one’s healthcare experience and may even save lives. Improperly managed, the records can provide information to people who should not have access.

These changes ultimately benefit your business. The fact that you have no access to the medical records of employees or potential employees means that no one can accuse you of passing them over for a job or promotion due to a preexisting condition.

In addition, the new security measures can protect an employee from a dangerous ex-partner who might have tracked them down through their child’s healthcare records. The measures also protect employees from abuse from law enforcement.

All in all, these new security measures are good for business. They are set up in a way that protects both you and your employees.

OAIC’s Role

The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) is responsible for handling any personal information included in My Health Record by individual citizens, government agencies, some state and territory agencies, and the private sector. OAIC’s role is to investigate complaints files regarding the mishandling of health information found on My Health Record. Their functions and enforcement powers include:

• investigating complaints
• determining if anyone has broken the law
• seeking civil penalties from the Courts
• asking for an injunction to prohibit improper conduct

User Control

Australians who opt to maintain My Health Record may have more control than they realise. They can use settings to determine who can (and cannot) view their documents and can also determine which documents are available to healthcare providers.

Complaints

If anyone within your organisation believes that their My Health Record has been compromised, they should contact the Australian Digital Health Agency through the My Health Record helpline. The number is 1800 723 471.

While no system is perfect, My Health Record is meant to provide Australians with the most comprehensive summary of their heath possible, which may ultimately lead to better care by healthcare providers and better long term health.