Internet Privacy Issues

Important Internet Privacy Issues

The following privacy issues are common. Be aware of them when surfing the Internet for a safer browsing experience.

Website Cookies

Some Internet users believe that their information is harvested each time they visit a website. Some website owners do keep track of registered visitors by use of a cookie. A cookie is what enables you to visit a website each time and have it remember information about you, such as your user name and password. People can determine whether to give a website permission to install cookies onto a browser or not by agreeing to a prompt from the website. They may also set their cookie preferences when they sign up as a registered user on the website, proving that it's important to read the fine print in any agreement.

Unfortunately, some website owners use cookies without your knowledge. For this reason, it is a good idea to clear the cookies from your browser at the end of each Internet session.

Newsletters

When you sign up for a newsletter, you are agreeing to let the owner of the website send you a newsletter to your email inbox. When you haven’t given your permission, it may be considered spam. Most website owners are savvy enough to send you an email requesting or verifying that you indeed did sign up for the newsletter.

For some, the downside of a newsletter subscription is that their identity, at least their email address, is sold to others. Again, read the fine print when you sign up for any newsletter. Some newsletter request forms include a check box for you to indicate whether or not you would like to receive emails from a third-party. Unless you want your email box flooded with unsolicited offers, skip checking this box.

Chat Rooms and Forums

Most chat rooms and forums require you to sign up before you can post anything onto the website. Adults usually realize that it is a bad idea to post any personal information onto these sites. Unfortunately, many teens and young children do not. These types of websites rarely monitor what is going on, since there may be dozens of active chat rooms. Teens may post their names, addresses, school names and other personal data. Once that information is out there, it is impossible to take it back, just like shutting the barn door after the horse is already loose.

Teach your children that putting their personal information on the Internet can cause identity theft. Even teenagers can become victims in this type of scam, which can lead to theft of a social security number and having their credit ruined before they turn 18.

Online Banking

It is not uncommon in this day and age for people to do their banking online. While it is considered risky, knowing what identity theft prevention is in place can go a long way to making bank customers feel safe. Banks traditionally use high encryption software to help protect their customers while banking online. Verification techniques include users having to provide personal information that a stranger wouldn’t know, and in some cases, using a personalized photo with an assigned password for the image. If your bank only requires you to fill in a user name and password when you sign on, with no other verification procedures, it may be safer to do your banking in person.

MySpace and Facebook

All users of websites that allow people to post personal information about themselves should be forewarned that what they put on the Internet is out there forever. In addition, what a person posts on a website can be copied onto other websites all around the world. Both teenagers and adults have fallen victim by putting their personal information on social networking websites. While some people believe that only their friends and family are viewing their information, hackers and other suspicious individuals may be spying on you.

Protect Yourself Online

The following tips can help preserve your identity while online and avoid many of the Internet privacy issues mentioned:

• Never give any personal information out to anyone online.
• Don’t post identifying personal information where it could be intercepted by a third party, including emails, instant messages, chat rooms and forums.
• Change your passwords frequently on the websites that you visit.
• Clear your cookies each time you end a browser session.
• Install privacy software on your computer that can detect spyware.
• Install firewall software on your computer, especially if your Internet connection is always active.