Atlantic Star Safety - Online Safety

Online Safety--The Do's And Don'ts

Online Safety is part of the vernacular of the growing internet presence that has become part of our daily existence. And, with any emerging medium that is embraced by large numbers of people, there are bound to be pitfalls. One needn't look too far to find horror stories that could have been avoided with some simple research on online safety . Keeping this in mind, think in a proactive way when approaching the do's and don'ts of your online experience. Using common sense is the best place to start.

If you are one of the many people who look to the internet for romantic connections, there are definite rules of online safety to observe. Remember to keep your personal information personal until you are extremely familiar with the people you meet in chat rooms or on dating services. This includes your home address, your work address and any other critical information that you would not like to be common knowledge. Also, never meet new people in secluded areas; first meetings should take place in well lit crowded areas where there is a comfort zone for both parties.

There are also other types of information that you should keep personal when pondering online safety. These include any bits of information pertaining to your personal finances. Credit card information, Social Security Numbers and birth dates should never be freely revealed unless you are dealing with a well established company. Remember, with just these simple pieces of personal information, thieves can obtain all types of credit in your name. And, by the time you realize that you have become a victim, the transactions have already happened and the thieves are long gone.

Look at cyberspace as a large playground for all types of predators, and, even though there are genuine people and services available online, the bad apples have created an environment that makes it imperative to be fully aware of the rules of online safety.