10 Ways to Protect Your Privacy Online
Source: www.newsweek.com (Adapted) Oct, 22nd 2010
Up to a couple of years ago, I used to say that the average
person could protect his or her privacy on the Web. Even as the founder
of an online reputation-management company, I believed it was possible -
so long as you were willing to commit some time doing it. Today, I tell
people this: the landscape of personal data mining and exploitation is
shifting faster than ever; trying to protect your online privacy is like
trying to build your own antivirus software - really, really difficult.
But whether or not you have the time (or money) to invest in the pros,
there are a few simple steps we can all take to reduce the risk to our
private data.
1. Do not put your full birth date on your socialnetworking profiles.
Identity
thieves use birth dates as cornerstones of their craft. If you want
your friends to know your birthday, try just the month and day, and
leave out the year.
2. Use multiple usernames and passwords.
Keep
your usernames and passwords for social networks, online banking,
e-mail, and online shopping all separate. Having distinct passwords is
not enough nowadays: if you have the same username across different Web
sites, your entire life can be mapped and re-created with simple
algorithms.
3. Shred.
If you are going to throw
away credit-card offers, bank statements, or anything else that might
come in hard copy to your house, rip them up into tiny bits first.
According to the author, when throwing away credit card offers or bank statements, one should
