Internet Privacy

  • A good rule to follow when on social media is to only post information that you would showcase in a public place. You should also be careful with the amount of personal information you put on the internet i.e. blogs and personal Web Pages since that is where cyber criminals fish for information to perform activities such as identify theft.

    Information once posted on the internet cannot be taken back as it is remains in servers, websites and search engines. One should always be careful with the audience, as one may be speaking to a larger audience than you may think such as prospective employers, school officials, and even local authorities.

Internet Privacy Tips

  • a) Check and scrutinize the privacy and security settings of your social network. Use them to control what information can be seen. Most sites have default settings which are likely to provide more access than you would want. You should adjust settings to the highest possible level to protect your information and control who can see personal details keeping them public

    b) Read the privacy policy carefully, you may allow the site to use your information without realizing it.

    c) Never include your phone numbers, e-mail address, home address, work details, your child’s school or any other personal information on your profile page.

    d) Do not “friend” someone you do not know, it is safer to you, ignore it as there is no way to be sure they are who they say they are and confirm their identity.

    e) It is worthwhile to be a little discrete online. The more personal information you provide, the easier it is for a hacker to access it and potentially steal your identity.

    f) Ignore links that look suspicious, even if they’re from friends. Your friend may not be aware of it, which means the link could be part of a phishing scam or malicious software.

    g) Set up a separate e-mail address for your social networks and online forums. Do not use the same e-mail for office official duties and ensure they have different passwords.