Frosh 101
Often, starting a new school year also means things like opening a new credit card, going out with new friends, buying new clothes and spending more time online.
All of these things sound fun – and they should be. But you can take simple steps to protect your online identity so that others can’t use your information in ways you hadn’t intended.
Online or not, banking should be safe.
Start by never giving your PIN to anyone and choosing one that is not easy to guess. Plus, never leave your personal information lying around (and don’t write your password on the bottom of your keyboard!) – even if your roommate is your best friend. You should also keep track of personal documents such as credit card statements.
Don’t put your information on the marketplace.
Never give out personal information without asking why it’s needed and, if you have to, give marketers only the minimum amount of information necessary to complete a transaction.
Feel free as a bird when you go out!
Never loan your ID to your underage friends, no matter how badly they may want it. And you should always carry around only the minimum amount of personal information that you need – especially when you go out! Who knows what you’ll lose!
Protect your online privacy – boring but easy to do!
Read the privacy policies of the Web sites you use and make sure to use the privacy settings. You should also check security procedures on your computer – install anti-virus, anti-spy software and firewalls; make sure that the file and printer sharing options on your computer are turned off; clear your memory cache after browsing; reject unnecessary cookies; and use anonymizers while browsing. Be sure to watch out for scams and to keep your passwords safe and to change them regularly. And make sure you always check to see if a site has a clearly stated privacy policy and the ‘lock’ symbol before doing business and providing your credit card details.
Remember to think twice before you post information; you don’t have to put your whole life on social networking sites! And before you start the fun, make sure that the online forms/games/applications you are using are secure – once again, read the fine print.
You are at the age when you don’t want anyone watching over you – maybe your parents have already given up! This means you need to take responsibility for your private information and your online identity. When it comes to personal information, you never know who’s watching, so… Watch yourself!
Know your privacy rights: it’s your personal information and it’s up to you to protect it. http://www.youthprivacy.ca/