Think about how different sites work before deciding to join a site. Some sites will allow only a defined community of users to access posted content; others allow anyone and everyone to view postings.
Think about keeping some control over the information you post. Consider restricting access to your page to a select group of people, for example, your friends from school, your club, your team, your community groups, or your family.
Keep your information to yourself. Don’t post your full name, Social Security number, address, phone number, or bank and credit card account numbers — and don’t post other people’s information, either. Be cautious about posting information that could be used to identify you or locate you offline. This could include the name of your school, sports team, clubs, and where you work or hang out.
Make sure your screen name doesn’t say too much about you. Don’t use your name, your age, or your hometown. Even if you think your screen name makes you anonymous, it doesn’t take a genius to combine clues to figure out who you are and where you can be found.
Post only information that you are comfortable with others seeing — and knowing — about you. Many people can see your page, including your parents, your teachers, the police, the college you might want to apply to next year, or the job you might want to apply for in five years.
Remember that once you post information online, you can’t take it back. Even if you delete the information from a site, older versions exist on other people’s computers.
Flirting with strangers online could have serious consequences. Because some people lie about who they really are, you never really know who you’re dealing with
Trust your gut if you have suspicions. If you feel threatened by someone or uncomfortable because of something online, tell an adult you trust and report it to the police and the social networking site. You could end up preventing someone else from becoming a victim.
Viruses are harmful computer programs that can be transmitted in a number of ways. Although they differ in many ways, all are designed to spread themselves from one computer to another through the Internet and cause havoc. Most commonly, they are designed to give the criminals who create them some sort of access to those infected computers. A good virus protection software program can protect you, but you must keep it up to date.
The terms "spyware" and "adware" apply to several different technologies. The two important things to know about them is that 1) they can download themselves onto your computer without your permission (typically when you visit an unsafe Web site or via an attachment) and 2) they can make your computer do things you don't want it to do. That might be as simple as opening an advertisement you didn't want to see. In the worst cases, spyware can track your online movements, steal your passwords and compromise your accounts.
Although they sound like something out of a bad science fiction movie, botnets have become a very real danger on the Internet. Botnets are made up of large numbers of computers that have been infected by criminals (using some of the tools mentioned before). Often, the people whose computers are controlled by a botnet don't even know that they've been infected. Criminals use these armies of infected computers to attack Web sites by flooding them with massive amounts of traffic or as engines for sending spam. These attacks can devastate companies, and even entire countries in some cases. Victims caught in botnets can also be subject to identity theft as their personal information is compromised.
Three protections that every computer connected to the Internet should have installed are:Anti-Virus Software, a Firewall, and Anti-Spyware Software. This software suite, which sometimes can be purchased as a package, is your frontline defense against cyber criminals and intrusions. Installing these software packages is the first step. Equally important is keeping them up to date.
Anti-virus software protects your computer from viruses by scanning your computer and your incoming email and deleting anything that is infected. Viruses can destroy your data, slow your computer's performance, cause a crash, or allow spammers to send email through your account.
Firewalls help keep hackers from using your computer to send out your personal information without your permission. While anti-virus software scans incoming email and files, a firewall is like a guard, watching for attempts to access your system and blocking communications with sources you don't permit. Some operating systems come with a built-in firewall that may be set on the "off" mode. Make sure you turn it on and keep it updated. Check your online "Help" feature for specific instructions.
Spyware is a form of malicious software that monitors your online activities and can potentially collect your personal information. Anti-spyware software helps protect your computer from spyware. It periodically scans your computer for spyware programs, and then gives you the opportunity to remove any harmful surveillance software found. Some anti-virus software also contains anti-spyware capability. Given the increasing sophistication of spyware programs, consider using two different anti-spyware programs. Each one looks for slightly different sets of threats, and together they may offer increased protection.
