Question of the Day: Thurs. July 16

snake_lady

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Today's question is a fairly easy one.... it's on online safety.

Do you trust people online? Is there certain things you have set that you won't post publicly? How do you practice internet safety?
 

emrldsky

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Nuh uh...might give me away!
Not as much as I used to. When I first starting using the Internet, I was 14 and it was a fairly new thing to most people around me (13 years ago). In fact, I only knew of one or two other kids my age who had access to the Internet.

Was I a bit naive when I was younger? HA! Definitely, but you didn't have nearly the amount of predators online then as there are now. I was careful, to a point, but still more careless than I am now. I do try to lock down my accounts and information when I can.

But beyond all of that, I have some great friends I met online and had I been as cautious as I am now, I might not have them. Two of them flew from DC to Indiana to attend my wedding.
 
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snake_lady

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I've learned, due to recent events, that one should not trust LOL.


Yes, i do trust certain individuals, and have some true friends but there's some safety aspects I completely forgot about but due to recent events, it has prompted me to raise my concerns publicly, about INTERNET SAFETY.

- one shouldn't use their last name in an email address. These days, all people need is your last name, to find out anything they want (especially if you are listed in the phonebook)

- just because you pay for a membership, does not mean that what you said is private. Paying is a false sense of security, which usually comes at a cost greater than the almighty $$$$.

- never share info that you deem private, in private messages..... many people can access those, fairly easily. This one I know well, due to being a computer geek, with an even bigger computer geek for a husband LMAO.

- be very careful who you trust, and remember that people with the means to, can use anything you say against you or your family.

I would hate to see someone else get hurt, or their families hurt.

There are some genuinely nice and trustworthy people out there....but you need to really think twice before trusting someone online.

Here's a link: http://www.priv.gc.ca/fs-fi/02_05_d_13_e.cfm

and another: http://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/prg/le/cyber-eng.aspx
 

tierre0

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Not particularly, the Internet is to anonymous you never know for sure whom your talking to. However it is possible to establish some good friends but it does take time. Personal information however really should be kept to a minimum unless you have actually met the person face to face so you can judge for yourself.
 

yosemite

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Just ask some pedophiles how safe online information is.


Anyone who puts personal information online needs to take the responsibility for doing so. There is some security but certainly anyone with the right knowledge can access that information so it's like the old "buyer beware" caveat.
 

xocats

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I urge people to not publicly post the year they were born online...
the month and day of birth is OK but not the year.
The reasons should be obvious.
 

crazyforinfo

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DH says online people aren't real. Therefore you shouldn't share much of anything but small talk with them.
 
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