One of the biggest concerns internet users continue to have is privacy. The only problem is that many users don’t understand how to maintain their privacy. Instead of giving up, thinking it’s hopeless, or being afraid to use the internet, take the time to understand how you can keep your information safe.
Read Privacy Policies
You must always read the privacy policies when signing up to a new website or even signing up for a newsletter. Some companies will sell your information. It pays to know how your information will be used. Don’t skip this step!
Keep Work and Personal Email Accounts Separate
Legally, your employer can view your email account that is provided by the company. In other words, you want to keep your personal and work emails separate. Better yet, don’t check or send personal emails at work.
Speak to Your Children
Children need to understand what is and isn’t acceptable to share online. A child’s privacy can easily be invaded by those that prey on small children. Sit down and explain that they shouldn’t share where they live, their age, gender, where they go to school, or any other information that could lead a sexual predator straight to them.
Share Responsibly When Using Social Networks
Facebook and Twitter are not a free-for-all. If you’re worried about photos or information being seen by the wrong people, don’t share. Even if you have your accounts set to only allow friends to see information doesn’t mean your friends won’t share the information.
Check the Security of Online Merchants
Are the websites you shop with secure? Always shop with secure websites and well-known merchants. If a website isn’t secure, you risk your financial information being stolen by a hacker.
Choose Cloud Storage That Is Encrypted
Online storage has grown in popularity and with good reason. Not only does it provide a backup for important information and photos, but it ensures your information is protected should something happen to your home. However, not all cloud storage companies are secure. Choose a company that offers encryption so that your data is truly protected.
Look Before You Leap
Before responding to an email, make sure the email is from the actual supposed sender. For example, if you receive an email from PayPal asking you to log in and update your bank account, never click the link to access the site. Instead, go directly to the website by typing in the address. By the way, companies like PayPal will never ask you to click a link to update sensitive information.
In contrast, there are also a lot of sites that claim to help you bypass web settings so you can unblock Twitter or gaming sites while at work. While some are legitimate, you’ll want to make sure you’re not using a service that will compromise your information.
You can surf the internet without compromising your information, but you must be careful. Take the time to be safe.
