safe http://www.webupon.com/tags/safe New posts about safe Online Slang Guide for Parents http://www.webupon.com/Web-Talk/Online-Slang-Guide-for-Parents.137007 The following acronyms are often used by IM and text happy teens to make communication faster. It serves another purpose, too, by making it more difficult for parents to understand their conversations. You may recognize the more common “lol” which translates into “laugh out loud,” but who old enough to remember the fall of the Berlin Wall will recognize “gypo” (get your pants off) or “kfu” (kisses for you).

It is important to understand what your children are saying, and who they are talking to. The anonymity of the internet makes the latter task more difficult. Television programs such as “To Catch a Predator” make us feel as though everyone on the opposite end of the computer talking to teenagers are slimy creatures with ill intentions.

Children feel the need to rebel as they grow older, so an exchange full of “PAR” and “PIR” may not be so damaging - especially if they are talking with a friend you know. Be on alert for “A/S/L” which means “Age/Sex/Location.” This implies the person on the other end doesn't know your child and is casting a wide net. Even if the content of the conversation seems benign, know that predators don't announce their plans. They mimic teen lingo and are adept at feigning interest in a variety of activities. This enables them to reel them in, moving to the “LMIRL” or “let's meet in real life.”

Protect your kids by familiarizing yourself with this common online teen lingo:

A/S/L Age/Sex/Location

ADR Address

GYPO Get your pants off

IWSN I want sex now

KFU Kisses for you

KPC Keeping parents clueless

LMAO Laughing my ass off

LMIRF Let's meet in real life

LOL Laugh out loud

MOOS Member of opposite sex

MOSS Member of same sex

MorF Male or Female?

NALOPKT Not a lot of people know this

NIFOC Nude in front of computer

P911 Parental Crisis/Parent alert

PAL Parents are listening

PAR Parents are watching

PIR Parents in room

POS Parents over shoulder

ROFLMAO Rolling on floor laughing my ass off

SorG Straight or gay?

TD2M Talk dirty to me

WYCM Will you call me?

If you think your child may be using social networking in a way that may be harmful, sit down and discuss it. Remember, anything posted online doesn't disappear when you remove it, and some people using the web are online predators. Stress to your child the importance of not giving out personal information to anyone he meets online.

]]> Wed, 11 Jun 2008 03:24:09 PST 10 Reasons to Chose Firefox http://www.webupon.com/Browsers/10-Reasons-to-Chose-Firefox.132275 Firefox updates itself often

Whenever updated versions of Firefox are available, Firefox automatically downloads them and installs them upon the next time you restart Firefox. These updates include mainly security features that help keep you safe, making Firefox the leading internet browser in safety.

Firefox has themes

Finding an internet browser that suits your style can be hard... But that was before Firefox came into the picture. Firefox has an endless amount of themes that are simple to install. These themes change the Firefox colours, buttons, and other features to fit your style.

Firefox add-ons/extensions help make your life easier

The add-ons/extensions on Firefox are endless. You can get add-ons that will control your media players through a control panel in Firefox. You can get an add-on that displays a screen saver to help protect your screen when you wander off. You can even get an add-on that lets you decide whether to save or open PDF files when you click on them.

Firefox is better for viewing pages

Excluding Microsoft pages, which are rigged to work best on Internet Explorer (made by Microsoft), and to work poorly on other browsers; Firefox is the best browser for viewing websites. I am not sure exactly what is it that makes these sites run better, but Firefox pulls it off.

Firefox restores pages when it closes improperly

We've all experienced losing the pages we were on due to browsers/computers freezing up, power going off, etc. And we have all been ticked off when we lost whatever page we were viewing or working on. If Firefox closes improperly, when it restarts it will prompt you to restore your last session or start a new one.

Firefox lists recently closed tabs

Under the history menu, Firefox has a section that lists recently closed tabs. So if you accidentally close it, there are no worries, as you can easily get back to where you were with 2 simple clicks. Even if you didn't close the tab accidentally, it is great for finding any recent page you looked at.

Firefox has built in search engines

Tired of typing in URL's to search engine sites? Firefox provides a section where you can chose your default search engine/site (i.e. Google, Yahoo, Wikipedia), and you can type in what you want to search on that site. Whether you want to find info on identity theft on Google, or want to look up the history of the Jaw Harp on Wikipedia, Firefox brings you this convenience. Note: This feature is amazing for dial-up users.

Firefox imports Internet Explorer settings

For Internet Explorer users: When you first install Firefox, it will import your existing Internet Explorer settings, including your Favorites, cookies, stored passwords, and a variety of other data. This saves you a lot of time, and makes switching to Firefox even more convenient.

Firefox has keyboard shortcuts

Firefox and Internet Explorer share many of the same keyboard shortcuts. So if you are used to certain shortcuts on Internet Explorer, than changing to Firefox is certainly going to be convenient and the only difference you will notice is that pages load quicker, there are less errors, and it's a better browsing experience.

Firefox is just plain awesome!

There are so many reasons why Firefox is the best browser to chose, but what tops it off is that the experience itself is unique, and after trying out Firefox for yourself, you too will understand this reason. So if you don't have Firefox yet, what are you waiting for!?! It's free, and it's the best! Happy internet browsing!

]]> Sun, 01 Jun 2008 07:30:27 PST Keep Safe Over Internet http://www.webupon.com/Security/Keep-Safe-Over-Internet.100057
  • Don't give any of your personal details to anyone you don't know…make sure nobody can't find out!
  • If you play games that are in chat rooms…make sure that you know who you're talking too and if you can trust them!
  • Not only…people can harm you, they can also harm your computer by sending files that include viruses such as…Key Loggers, Trojans and others…
  • Make sure you know what you're downloading…and remember try to get Internet Security!
  • Virus Scan your computer weekly…to make sure!

    •  

    ]]>     Thu, 27 Mar 2008 02:27:40 PST     Six Simple Ways to Ensure That Your Computer Stays Safe http://www.webupon.com/Security/Six-Simple-Ways-to-Ensure-That-Your-Computer-Stays-Safe.99420

  • Anti-Virus



    With the number of viruses out there, Anti-Virus software is the most important thing you'll ever buy. Choosing Anti-Virus software is also more important than you'd think. Not all anti-virus software is good; some are excellent, some are mediocre.

    I used to have McAfee anti-virus, but one day a virus got on my computer that McAfee never found, it dialled phone numbers using my computer [since I have dial-up]. We then got a phone bill costing just over $800 CDN.

    I then sought for help from my friend's dad, and he recommended Kaspersky anti-virus. I got that, and the anti-virus immediately found and deleted these viruses. I've been using Kaspersky anti-virus for over 2 years now. My computer has never had a virus since and runs amazingly. It's an award winning anti-virus software, and is well worth the money.

  • Disk Defragmentation



    Some of you have heard of it, some of you haven't; disk defragmentation is fast, easy, and will help your computer run fast. Every PC is equipped with a disk defragmenting program; this program is located at: Start - All Programs - Accessories - System Tools - Disk Defragmenter.

    This program moves files around on your hard drive to free up space and make your computer run faster. Don't worry, disk defragmenting wont delete or change any of your files locations. Every thing will stay the same; the only difference is that your computer will run faster. It is best that you run this program once every month.

  • Anti-Spyware



    Although Spy ware is not as bad viruses, it is still important to stay protected. Spy ware is basically a thing that finds out what you browse on the internet, etc. Some spy ware is dangerous, some is not; but to be safe, you should download an anti-spy ware program.

    Most anti-spy ware programs are good, so finding a good one shouldn't be too hard. AVG is an example of a good anti-spy ware program. Keep in mind, there are free programs out there, but to make sure you are really safe, it's best to test out the free ones, and then buy the full version (most free anti-spy ware programs are a trial and have an optional full version if you pay, which, of course, are even better than the free ones).

  • Internet Browsing



    Choosing an internet browser is important; there are several ones out there. Most computers come with Internet Explorer , however, Internet Explorer is known for not being a very safe inter browser.

    Mozilla Firefox is the safest internet browser available, and is recommended to be used on many sites that Internet Explorer and other internet browsers have a hard time viewing. Firefox is safe, free, and updates itself frequently. Not only does it do all that, but Firefox also has many extra features, such as extensions (add-ons allowing you to do more with Firefox) and themes (allowing you to change the appearance of Firefox).

  • Passwords



    No matter what, you should always ensure that your passwords are secure. Some people like to use simple passwords, some people even use password as their password. If you make easy to guess passwords, then it is your fault if your account for whatever gets hacked.

    Passwords should be eight or more characters long, and contain symbols (*, =, %, etc.), numbers (7, 23, 8, etc.), and upper & lower case letters (H, P, g, F, s, etc.). Using names of pets, family members, loved ones, and so on, is a bad choice for a password. If your password is dog, Jane, password, etc. than you are lucky if you still have that account that you use that password on.

    An example of a good password is this: $30K_CHEVelle. This password has symbols ($ and _), it has numbers (3 and 0), and it has a combination of uppercase (CHEV) and lowercase (elle) letters, and the password is 13 characters long, making it a great password. These combinations are nearly impossible to just guess, which makes sure your account stays safe.

    So remember to keep your password safe by making is good like this. One last thing, never use the same password in many spots, as if someone hacks one account, they are bound to try the same password on all your other accounts. If you can't remember all these passwords, write them down on a piece of paper, and store it safely in your room.

  • RAM



    RAM (Random Access Memory) is important to run multiple programs at once. If you are the kind of person who likes to listen to music, read your emails, download stuff, do some paper work, and surf the internet all at the same time, then you need lots of RAM to do this all.

    RAM allows you to run more programs at once. If you have around 125MB of RAM, then you will probably experience a slow computer that freezes if you try running more than one program at once. However, if you have 1000MB of RAM, you will notice that you can run many programs at once. The more RAM you have, the more your computer is able to do.

    Think of it this way, RAM = arms; if you trying to cook, repair and engine, play piano, walk the dog, and write an email at the same time, you will need at least 8 arms for that, and at least 10 to do it at a decent speed. Imagine someone trying to do this with just 2 hands; that is how a computer feels when you try to listen to music, browse the internet, watch movies, etc. at the same time.

    So if you get more RAM, your computer can do it for sure. Keep in mind, most new computers have more RAM than you need, so this applies most for older computers (2+ years older in most cases). RAM is hardware, so you can't download it, you'll have to buy it from a store that sells computers.

    • Thanks for reading; I hope this article has helped you learn a bit more about how to keep your computer safe. There are many ways to keep it safe, but I find that these are the most important ways. Stay safe.

    ]]>     Tue, 25 Mar 2008 11:33:27 PST     Don't Risk Your Identity and Money Online http://www.webupon.com/Security/Dont-Risk-Your-Identity-and-Money-Online.79947 So you've found the perfect gift for that special someone. Credit cards out, ready to checkout- STOP!

    • Well known brands equals better security. You should shop with companies you have heard of. If you see something that's too good to be true, then it probably is. For example if you see the new iphone for $40 then it may well be a scam to get your details.
    • If you're not sure about the website then check them out. If there isn't an email address or phone number then that's a major sign for not using that site. If there is a number then ring it to find out whether it is real or not. If it goes to answer phone or you don't like what you're hearing then you should shop elsewhere.
    • Also, you should enter any important details and passwords on shared/ public computers. People can put key loggers onto shared computers so that when something is typed into them, they can find out exactly what you wrote, when, where and what it was for.
    ]]>     Mon, 04 Feb 2008 07:48:42 PST     Blog Sites: Are They Safe? http://www.webupon.com/Blogging/Blog-Sites-Are-They-Safe.75240 It's on the news, you hear it in the lunch room, it can't be helped. Are blog spots really safe? Well, frankly, the answer is yes. A blog site is just as safe as the person who is using it is smart. Despite the amount of negativity surrounding such places, like predators and the likes, with proper use, and no abuse of these sites, teens, adults, and kids alike can safely use these available services without worry.

    When you are editing your profile on one of these sights like My Space, Facebook, and many more, there are text boxes for you to fill in personal information such as address, birthday, so on and such forth, but that doesn't' mean you need to fill those in. In fact, a safe blogger would not fill such fields in. How is a predator suppose to find you if they know nothing about you but your name? Another field which is questionable is your school, sites leave a place for you to say what school you go to. Don't fill it in, and you can't be tracked that way. What's more is the sort of things which people put into their summaries of themselves. There is so much more to write about one's self than where they live, just don't mention it, it isn't that important. While you want a level of familiarity to be expressed on your profile, there is no need to broadcast such details about your where abouts as the house, town, city, state you live in.

    Blog spots are a great way for friends to stay in touch, make new friends, even meet people from other countries, but you need to be smart about it. If you put all kinds of crazy pictures on, and in depth info about yourself, you just keep on increasing your level of risk. In turn, you give the site a bad name if something happens. For such instances, there is no one to blame but yourself, so you had better be prepared to deal with the consequences. While some may argue "why are there even fields for so much information" it doesn't mean you need to fill that in, perhaps you are using the site to make contacts in other countries or something, or for whatever reason, and you need those fields.

    While there is much controversy over whether or not these sites are safe, I believe it is safe to assume that they are, and are only risky to the point of someone's own blatant stupidity. A smart blogger is a safe blogger, so do your homework, find out what you need to know, and blog the right way!

    ]]>     Fri, 18 Jan 2008 03:19:27 PST     The Virtual Doorman http://www.webupon.com/Services/The-Virtual-Doorman.73317 Since 2001, a company name Virtual Doorman made it debut. It offers the same features as a doorman but with benefits. A Virtual Doorman is a person who is in a building not too far away monitors the apartment. They have cameras in the front door and in the elevator as well as the hallways.

    The Virtual Doorman offers many benefits such as access to the building when you lost your key, the Virtual Doorman sees if you belong to the apartment. It also can help notify you off deliveries by text message, email or phone. The Virtual Doorman also helps decrease vandalism and theft by capturing it on video and sending it to the police.

    One problem with the Virtual Doorman is privacy. People might not like it when they have eyes watching them from all over. For example: It overhears some credit card information in the elevator and the people don't feel like it's necessary.

    The Virtual Doorman is home to apartments in the city area. The Virtual Doorman also have received Starbuck gift cards and boxed chocolates from their tenants. When it comes down to it, a virtual doorman provides more protection then a real doorman as it can lock down the apartment if intruders are spotted.

    ]]>     Fri, 11 Jan 2008 12:15:10 PST     Seven Steps to Make Myspace Safer http://www.webupon.com/Security/Seven-Steps-to-Make-Myspace-Safer.71143 Myspace was designed for people 14 and older to communicate. The people you read about in the paper haven't followed these seven steps on how to make Myspace a place for friends without any fear.

    1. Do Not Accept a Friend Request from Someone You Do Not Know

      A lot of times, people on Myspace add random people as their friends, just for the fun of it. Or, the person could want to harm you in some way, and wants to get your information. Just add the people you know, so you don't run into a rapist, child abductor, etc.

    2. Always set Your Profile to Private

      If your profile is set to private, there isn't any way unwanted people are going to view your profile and all of its information; they have to be your friend first. The only thing they will see is your picture, your last login, how old you are, and where you live.

    3. Lie About Where You Live

      Your friends don't need to know where you live. They should already know what city and state you live in. If an "unwanted person" of any kind sees that you live in, lets say, Armada, Michigan. The "unwanted person" could have the guts to go to Armada and try to find you. If you lied about where you live, the "unwanted person" will not be able to find you. Word to the wise, make sure that whichever city and state you choose from is real. If it isn't the "unwanted person" could see right through it. You can also lie about your age if you want; just make it believable.

    4. Don't Put Too Much Personal Information in Your Myspace Profile

      I know a lot of people who put which hospital they were born at, where they go to school, and a whole autobiography about their life. I could read some of my friend's profiles and find out almost everything about them.

      Even if your profile is set to private, just in case some "unwanted person" sees your profile. Keeping information about yourself to a minimum ensures that "unwanted persons" do not see through your deception of where you live. Also, a lot of your friends just don't want to read your personal autobiography.

    5. If You Do Add Someone You Do Not know, Do Not Plan on Meeting Them

      That's common sense, right? Wrong! If you read some of the papers you can see that some people on Myspace met with one of the "unwanted people" that they added to their friends list. You don't want to disappear, get raped, etc. Just don't plan on meeting them

    6. Remember The Golden Rule

      The Golden Rule is: treat others how you would like to be treated. For example, don't keep messaging a person saying that they are fat, ugly, will never get a date. Just plain mean things because many people, especially girls, take that seriously. Some of them might take it so seriously that they commit suicide. You can have your fights with your friends, but don't keep messaging the same girl with mean and snide remarks about them. Life is already filled with cruelty, don't make it worse.

    7. Never Give Away Your Password

      There is a reason why Myspace has a password, just as your E-mail, instant messenger, etc.. It is to protect your privacy from any "unwanted people." If your friends have your Myspace password, they can mess with your settings, change your password, and accidentally give it to an "unwanted person." Keep your password to yourself, to keep you Myspace settings how you want them, to have the same password, and to help keep an "unwanted person" from viewing your profile.

    I hope that everyone finds these steps helpful and have a safe Myspace experience!

    ]]>     Fri, 04 Jan 2008 07:10:49 PST     20 Amazing Ways to Protect Yourself from Identity Theft http://www.webupon.com/Security/20-Amazing-Ways-to-Protect-Yourself-from-Identity-Theft.48821

  • Do Not Give Out Your Social Security Number

    In the United States of American every legal citizen is assigned a unique personal identity number more commonly known as a “Social Security Number”. This piece of information allows US citizens the right to gain employment, to receive social security benefits and many other rights allowed under US law.

    Most American banking institutes require a social security number to be on file at the time a new account is opened, so to insure that the citizen is who they claim to be. So, it becomes very important to protect this information from becoming public knowledge and not to give your social security number out, just to anyone asking for the information that you do not know.

    Avoid giving your Social Security Number to online or offline survey companies or to people and companies over the phone or on the Internet, unless the site is encrypted using SSL security protocol (Sites using SSL security protocols will display a locked lock usually gold in color either at the top or bottom of the secured page on the website).

    Avoid giving your Social Security Number out, because you receive an official looking email requesting the information, because many times these types of emails are scams designed to steal personal information from the person who the email was sent to. If a person receives an email that appears to have been sent by a banking institute even one that the person actually banks with, then contact the bank directly either by phone, email or in person to confirm that the email sent was really from them.

    Do not take all emails received at face value, because it only takes one mistake to have your personal identity stolen. This instruction also applies to emails claiming to come from online auction sites or employment agencies that a person has contacted recently or is a member of.

  • Avoid Using Your Real Identity In Online Forums and Social Networking Sites

    The Internet is a hive of links that are intertwined to connect people and governments from all over the world and any information that a person reveals about themselves can be accessed by companies, government agencies and strangers in a matter of minutes. Avoid using your real name when participating in online forums or social networks, but instead use a screen name in these public places and keep any personally identifying information about yourself hidden from the public's eye anytime when it is possible.

    Identity thieves are always trying to obtain personal identifying information about people, so they can become the person that the information had been stolen from, so that they can obtain credit cards, open bank accounts or even worse commit other more serious crimes in their victim's name. All the while, the identity theft victim is left holding the bag resulting in any activity that the identity thief has committed during the time the thief became their victim. Many times the identity thief is never caught and brought to justice for these types of crimes and their victims must wade through the red tape of clearing their good name.

  • Shred All Documents Containing Personally Identifying Information

    When disposing documents such as billing information, sales receipts, subscription cards or any other documents that contains personal identifying information in them, it is important to dispose these documents responsibility. Shred all documents containing any personal identifying information, before throwing into the trash. Use a shredder that will shred those documents into the tiniest bits of paper possible, so that no identity thief can just put the documents back together like a jigsaw puzzle and retrieve the information that they need to steal your identity.

  • Shred All Unused Credit Cards and Credit Card Applications

    Frequently, banking institutes and credit card bureaus mail out pre-approved credit card applications to qualified individuals, so to sale those individuals on receiving their credit cards. Some of these credit card application packets contain personal information about the individual and usually included in these packets are temporary credit cards that the individual may use until the actual credit card is mailed to the individual. In the wrong hands, these credit card application packets can lead to the first stages of full-blown identity theft if left unchecked.

    If anyone should ever receive a credit card application by mail and choose not to apply for the credit card, then be sure to shred everything received in the application packet including the temporary credit card. Shred it into the tiniest pieces as possible, so that there is no way to put the pieces back together again.

  • Check Your Credit Report At Least Once Every Six Months

    If you own any credit cards or not, it is very important to check your credit report at least twice per year, so that you can spot any activity that you yourself has not authorized regarding your account. Unauthorized activity could be a sign that your personal identity has been already compromised and you need to start contacting the credit bureaus, banks and National Credit Reporting Agencies to begin the process of closing all of your accounts, so no further damages can be occurred in your good name.

    Try to avoid checking your credit report more than twice a year and do not give companies that you are doing business with permission to check your credit report more than one-time, because this practice can actually cause your credit history to be damaged over time. Sometimes a credit report check is necessary when purchasing a big-ticket item or when applying for some types of jobs, so keep this in mind when giving your permission allowing a company to conduct a credit history background check.

  • Routinely Change Passwords On The Websites That You Use

    Anyone who uses the Internet must setup some type of Internet account and part of that account process includes setting up a password. Usually most individuals makeup a password that is easy for them to remember, so that they can easily and quickly log in and start surfing the web. The minority of Internet users will never change this password, because they either do not realize that their password can be compromised or they are just too lazy to change it from time to time. When in reality there are hackers on the Internet attempting to gain access to private Internet accounts, so to steal personal information or just to cause havoc across the Internet by sending out viruses and worms using other people's email accounts.

    It is a good idea to change a password once every couple of weeks, so to keep the hackers guessing and making the hackers' jobs more difficult to achieve. This advice applies to any website that an individual belongs to that requires the individual to setup a screen name and password, before they can log into their account.

  • Password Protect Any Personal Information Located On Your Computer

    Since more and more individuals are using their personal computers to conduct domestic business such as budgeting their finances, paying bills and filing taxes from home, it is very important to do everything to protect their personal information that is stored on their hard drive. Most operating systems that are used by the majority of computers come equipped with a set a password option. Find this option and set a personal password to further protect the personal information that is stored on the computer's hard drive.

  • Install A Firewall On Your Computer

    Installing a good firewall is a very important step to take, so to prevent outside intruders from gaining access of an individual's personal data stored on the hard drive or contained within the information that the individual provided to an online account. Firewalls can prevent most intrusions, but not all. A determine hacker can find a way to compromise almost any security measure, but usually they prefer locating the easiest, most insecure computer systems and/or servers, so that they can slip in and back out with the information that they came for within minutes.

    Think of a firewall like that of a home security system and the hacker like a burglar. A burglar normally will want to locate a home with as many unsecured access points as possible and the burglar would just assume breaking into a home without a home security system, then a home with one, because they do not want to be caught for one thing and they want to get in and get out with as much property as possible in the quickest time as they can. Now if the burglar were to pick the wrong property to break into and set off a home security system in the process, then they will want to runaway, before they get caught. The same thing applies to a hacker and a firewall is much like a home security system, but for the computer.

  • Install An Up-to-date Anti-Virus Program On Your Computer

    On the Internet there are hundreds of thousands of different types of computer viruses swimming through the surf and while some are relatively harmless others are quite dangerous and could cause everything from loss of data to computer malfunction. No matter how harmless a virus is, all viruses pose a threat to an individual's computer security. Installing and maintaining an updated anti-virus program into the individual's computer system can reduce the threats that computer viruses can cause to ones personal security. A good anti-virus program can remove, heal or disable a computer virus, so that it cannot do any serious damage to the security or function of an individual's computer system.

    It is very important to routinely visit the publisher that publishes the anti-virus software that the individual chooses to install for updates, so that the anti-virus software will continue to protect the security of the individual's computer system the way it had been originally designed to do. Many people using anti-virus and other software programs neglect to keep their security software updated or let their software subscription expire leaving their computer system vulnerable to computer virus attacks and unauthorized hacker entries. Just because an anti-virus program appears to be working properly does not mean it is actually working, especially if the subscription has been allowed to expire.

    Allowing anti-virus, anti-spyware and personal firewall software subscriptions expire means that the software publishers are not obligated by law or contract to provide any further software maintenance or updates to their customers that have chosen to allow their subscription to expire. If the software is no longer receiving the most critical security updates from the software publisher, then that software is no longer able to provide the most secure security for that individual's computer system and it opens the door for potentially harmful new Internet threats that would be normally protected against by the updated security software.

  • Install A Current Anti-Spyware Program On Your Computer

    There are thousands of websites on the Internet that employs spyware to allow the webmasters or website managers to be able to track visitors who elects to visit their website. Some more advanced types of spyware software allows a person, company or government agency to keep tabs on any Internet surfing conducted by private individuals that has come in contact with this type of spyware software. The spyware can be stored in many places throughout the computer whether it is stored on the hard drive or in the web browser or some other place, spyware is spyware and is used to track the Internet activity of individuals using the Internet for whatever reasons that they choose.

    Installing and keeping an anti-spyware software updated properly will allow the individual to take back the control of their computer system and keep prying eyes out of their personal business. The anti-spyware software will scan the computer system and locate the threat and either remove or disable the spyware, so that it cannot track the individual's Internet activity any further.

  • Avoid Filling Out Surveys The Internet

    There are literally millions of individuals who regularly participate in online or offline surveys on a daily basis, just giving away their privacy one survey at a time. Most surveys are designed to obtain as much personal information as possible from those individuals who choose to actively participate in the surveys, many times lured in to taking the surveys with promises of financial gain or free product rewards. However, promising the reward is perceived in the eye of the survey taker, but the risks are much greater to the possible future identity of the individual being compromised.

    Many, but not all survey companies are actually marketing companies trying to make a quick buck off of the naïve survey taker. The information that is collected will be shared with the company or companies who have paid to have the survey conducted and many of the survey companies routinely will continue to sell, rent or share the personal information that is collected from the individuals who participated in a survey for many years to come.

    Just take the time to read a companies privacy policy and you will learn exactly how the information collected from individuals who have chose to participate in the survey will be used by the company. If there is not a privacy statement to read and agree with or disagree with, then its better to avoid participating in any surveys with that company altogether, so to avoid any possible compromise of the individual's personal information from leaking out in the public domain for anyone to obtain.

  • Read The Privacy Statements Before Entering Any Contest

    If an individual has ever spent any time at all surfing the Internet, then they would have already realized just how many companies and websites frequently holds prize drawings, raffles, sweepstakes and contests. Millions upon millions of Internet surfers have either entered or will enter one of these contests before this day has ended. While there isn't any real danger of entering most of these types of contests there is always the chance to entering a fake or a rouge contest or sweepstakes that is designed to collect either personal information or email addresses, so to sell, rent or share with other companies or individuals becoming part of a larger marketing campaign.

    Ever wonder why at times there seems to be piles of marketing emails flooding your inbox? Well, it is quite possible that you have entered one or more of these contests or sweepstakes or even subscribed to a newsletter or two at some point and time. This is the main reason why companies and individuals regularly hold these contests or offer free newsletters, so to collect the most current up-to-date personal information from those individuals signing up for them. Even scarier is that an individual's personal information could end up in the hands of an identity thief and the individual could end up with more than the prize that they had bargained for at the time.

    Be sure to locate and read the privacy statement of the company or individual holding the contest, raffle, sweepstake or offering the free newsletter, so to understand how they will treat the personal information that they are collecting from participants entering or accepting their contests or newsletters. If there is no privacy statement to be found on the website or in the contest rules, then do not volunteer any personal information or email addresses and just move on to another website. It just isn't worth risking your personal identity for the chance to win some small prize or receive a newsletter, if it means chancing your personal identity and/or information to the unknown.

  • Remove Any Personal Information From Magazines or Mailings

    Each year throughout the world publishers' mail-out hundreds of millions of magazine subscriptions to individuals paying to have their favorite magazines delivered to the homes. Unlike, purchasing these magazines off of a newsstand the magazines that are delivered to an individual's home contains some personal identifying information, which was printed on the magazine, so that it could be shipped in the mail. Usually this information contains the name and address of the magazine's subscriber.

    Now this type of information may go unnoticed as a potential security threat, but to the seasoned identity thief it could mean the first step to securing a driver's license and a birth certificate in your name and eventually it could lead the identity thief to obtaining a social security number and credit cards in the victim's name. This kind of information could cause a great deal of damage to the good reputation of an innocent victim of identity theft.

    Before donating or disposing any old magazines be sure to remove any identifying information from the magazines first and then, dispose the magazine anyway that you choose. Better safe than sorry.

  • Do Not Carry Both Your Driver's License and Social Security Card Together

    In recent years, many states throughout the United States of America have adopted the routine of allowing individuals the choice of having their social security number printed directly on their driver's license, but this poses a tremendous security threat to an individual's personal privacy in many ways.

    First, anytime an individual allows another individual to check their driver's license for any number of reasons, then that individual is revealing their social security number along with their driver's license number and their home address to a perfect stranger in most cases. Second, if the driver's license is lost, then it becomes a real possibility that their personal and very private information could become compromised if it falls into the wrong hands.

    Lastly, if the driver's license is stolen, then the individual that stole it is now in full procession of everything that is needed to assume that individual's identity. It is not a wise choice to have a social security number added to a driver's license no matter what benefits are promised by electing to have it added to the driver's license.

    Even if an individual elects to reject the addition of the social security number to be added to their diver's license, many other individuals do carry both their social security card and their driver's license in the same wallet, purse or handbag that still pose a security risk of possible identity theft. If an individual's wallet, purse or handbag gets lost or stolen, then the individual who stole it still is now in sole procession of all of their victim's personal identifying information that could be used to assume their victim's identity and go on to obtain credit cards and bank checks in their victim's name.

    It is better to memorize your social security number and store the actual social security card in a safe place rather than taking the chance of it getting lost or stolen along with a driver's license and other personal information that could be stored in a wallet, purse or handbag.

  • Store Any Important Documents In A Safe

    Any security adviser worth their salt will advise an individual to invest in a good secure fire-proof or fire-resistant safe or lock box to store any personal or financial documents in to keep them safe and from the prying eyes of those who have no business knowing your business. When purchasing a safe be sure that the safe is large enough to store all of your personal belongings and documents in and heavy enough to prevent someone from just picking it up and walking away with it. It is best to bolt the safe into a concrete foundation and place it somewhere that is out of plain sight, maybe in a closet or in a basement.

  • Check Your Mailbox Everyday

    Be sure to check your mailbox everyday as early as possible or just as soon as the postman has delivered the mail. There are individuals that routinely steal mail from mailboxes in the hopes to discover personally revealing information about the people that the mail belongs to and sometimes the mail thief will get lucky and find a social security check, retirement check or birthday money that was delivered to an individual's mailbox.

    Take time to make sure that your mailbox is properly closing, so that the door isn't left wide open, so that the entire world can see your business. Before going out-of-town for any extended amount of time arrange to have your mail stored at your local post office, until you return home and you can retrieve the mail at the post office at a later date. Do not send personal bank checks out through the mail, but instead purchase a money order to pay bills or send money through the mail.

  • Avoid Doing Business With Internet Vendors That Do Not Have A Physical Business Address, Phone Number and A Secured Socket System

    Before conducting business with any company or individual on the Internet check to see if the company or individual has included a verifiable physical business address, customer service phone number and a secure socket system to receive a payment from their customers (look for a gold color locked lock either at the top or bottom of the page). If this information is not present or available avoid doing business with them.

  • Use Pre-paid Credit Cards To Make Purchases On The Internet

    There are a whole lot of people who refuse to use their credit cards to make a purchase on the Internet, because they are worried about the security or that their credit card number could be stolen and I can't say that I blame them, because it is a valid concern. There are many other payment options now available to the consumer than ever before. An individual can setup an online bank account with Paypal, Google Checkout or any one of the other online banking institutions available on the Internet.

    Or, if the individual prefers to complete an online transaction with a debit card or credit card, then that individual can purchase a pre-paid debit or credit card through Green-Dot or arrange with their offline banking institute to secure a credit card or debit care that is safer for Internet use. Some banks do offer credit cards and debit cards that have one-time use or temporary Pen Numbers that are changed after every unique transaction, ask your bank if they offer any such credit card or debit card that is safer for Internet transactions.

  • Maintain A Current List Of Phone Numbers To Your Banks and Credit Card Companies

    In case your personal information has been lost, stolen or compromised in anyway, then you need to report it right away to your credit card agencies, the credit bureaus and to your banks, so that any new activity can be monitored or stopped, before any real damage is done to your good name. Keep a current list of phone numbers to any company that may be needed in case of an emergency like the ones mentioned above.

  • Consider Purchasing Identity Theft Protection Insurance

    If you did not know before reading this article, there are a few insurance companies now offering identity theft protection insurance that is designed to limit the losses that can be associated with identity theft. From what I have read, the insurance is relatively inexpensive when considering the potential losses and hardship an identity thief can cause an individual. These insurance policies do vary from company to company, but some protection is better than no protection at all.

    One such insurance plan to protect against potentially devastating personal losses resulting from identity theft is called PrivacyGuard Insurance and there are other insurance plans available and can be found on the Internet, just by querying your favorite search engine using the search keyword(s) “Identity Theft Protection Insurance”.
    • ]]>     Thu, 27 Sep 2007 10:37:06 PST     Internet Zones http://www.webupon.com/Web-Talk/Internet-Zones.31789 Internet is considered to be of another world because you can meet millions of people in the internet, either through Online games or the Internet-Relay Chat.

    There are the safety and dangerous zones of internet.

    Safety zone

    Sites that do not harbours a potential danger is called a safe zone. For everyone, they have their own safe zones. In games, as long as you are not so stupid and would not get hacked, it can be a safe zone. In chat when the parties who are chatting do not ask or leak out personal details. These are safe zones.

    Danger zone

    There are a number of danger zones in the internet. Normally, sites which looks indecent and requests your personal details are quite unsafe, some install spywares and viruses into your computers.

    ]]>     Tue, 02 Jan 2007 04:47:34 PST