Ms. Staub's Top 10 Ways to Protect Your Privacy Online

1. Do not reveal personal information to anyone.

a. If you reveal personal information to strangers, you cannot take it back. Once the information is typed, it cannot be deleted. If you reveal information to strangers it could cause major harm to come your way. Especially don't give our information such as your telephone number or address.

2. Watch out for websites that offer free gifts.

a. Most website that offer free gifts have other products that must be purchased first or after you initially sign up. Make sure to read the rules. Most things in life are not free.

3. Make sure to read privacy policies.

a. In many cases there is small print that explains details regarding the website. Many privacy policies will have written in them that there is no privacy policy.

4. Do not say anything through instant messenger that you wouldn't want others to read.

a. Once you type information and send it, it is in the receiver's hands forever. Anything written can come back to hurt you in the future. Instant message sessions can be saved to your computer, and if you plan to instant message at the library or at school the place where you are instant messaging will have access of what is being typed as well.

1. Be careful with the photos you post on social networks.

a. Many social networks such as MySpace and Facebook allow users that are in your expanded network to view your photos. If you don't want certain people to see your photos, don't post them. Once your photos are posted, you can consider them to be online forever. Just because you delete them, doesn't mean that they are completely gone. You may have friends that already saved the photos to their computer.

2. Do not reveal your internet passwords to anyone else.

a. If you reveal your password to someone else, they will be able to login as you. This is very unsafe because whatever they do will affect you since your username is associated with the activity that is being done. Even if you trust the other person, friends have disputes at times. It's better to keep your password a secret from everyone.

3. Make sure to create an “uncrackable” password.

a. It's a good idea to create a password with symbols, letter, and numbers in them so others wouldn't have an easy time guessing the password. If your password is something obvious like your boyfriend/girlfriend's name, it will be too easy for others to guess it. Remember, if another person signs on with your password, you are liable for anything that they do while signed on under you.

4. Do not use the “remember your password” button on public computers.

a. If you use the “remember your password” button on a public computer, the next person that signs on will be able to use your login information. This is very dangerous for the same reasons it is risky to share your password with others.

5. Ask your guardian before making purchases online.

a. Obviously if you're going to make a purchase online you will be using your guardian's credit card/checking account information, and it is important to know you are on a trustworthy website before revealing such information.

6. Do not post blogs that you wouldn't want everyone in the world to read.

a. The point of blogs is to express your thoughts, feelings, and knowledge so others can view this information. When posting blogs, they are available for anyone and everyone to see. Just like everything else online, once you delete it there's a possibility the information is still floating around online somewhere. The best way to look at this is: Anything that you write online is permanent and is able to be viewed by everyone. If you keep reminding yourself of this, you will be fine.