Online Privacy

A Module of the CYC Course – Personal Security

8-9-10

The Realities of Digital Communications:

• Deleting a digital post is not as permanent as setting fire to a handwritten note.

The Realities of Digital Communications:

• Edit > undo• Clipboard (copy >paste)• Trash (when was it emptied last?)• Other people

The Realities of Digital Communications:

• Digital content is easily forwarded and reposted.

The Realities of Digital Communications:

• Have you ever…– Forwarded an email– “reposted” a story or comment on

facebook or myspace– Shared something you found on the

internet with a friend or family member – Downloaded pictures through a photo

sharing site like Flicker or Shutterfly?

The Realities of Digital Communications:

• Private information is no longer, by default, private. If you want information to be private, you must take steps to make it so.

The Realities of Digital Communications:

• Check your settings:– Your email client• Yahoo, hotmail, gmail

– Your online subscription sites• Newspaper subscriptions, weightwatchers,

coupon sites

– Online commerce sites• Amazon, itunes, overstock.com, ebay, etsy,

The Realities of Digital Communications:

• Go to a site where you have set up a profile before – look for where you can access the privacy settings.• Raise your hand if you need

help.

The Realities of Digital Communications:

• Your online reputation has offline implications.

Privacy Levels on Social Networking Sites

Social Networks – the new “Wild West”

• What is the default privacy setting on most social networks?

Privacy Levels on Social Networking Sites

Taming the Wild Bull…. controlling who sees what content.

– Privacy settings– Creating personal guidelines for what is and

isn’t appropriate to post. • rule of thumb – would I want my boss/mother to

see this?

– Being selective with your connections.• Not everyone HAS to be your “friend”

Privacy Levels on Social Networking Sites

• Even though you are restricting access, remember content can be forwarded.

Privacy Levels on Social Networking Sites

• Everyone search the internet for a story or image you like.

• Go to EDIT>COPY• Open an email program• Choose “New message”• In the body of the new message go

to EDIT>PASTE• Send this to a friend

Social Engineering

• Calling their Bluff….– email, websites and social networks

represent a point of contact between you and the online world.• Social Engineering often uses manipulates

people by appealing to human interaction/emotions in order to obtain information.

• Phishing - Tries to attack you personally. Looks to be from a trusted company asking you for your personal information.

Example

Bogus Email Example

Privacy Levels on Social Networking Sites

• Everyone open a browser window and search for information on an email scam.

• You can start by typing in the words “Email scam” into Google, or go to: • www.ripoffreport.com

Understanding URLs

• Top level domains• Domain names• Text before the domain name• / after the top level domain

Understanding URLs

• Common tactic – URLs that look legitimate but are not.– Example –

citybank.com.jumbleofletters.com/jumbleofletters

Passwords

• Choose a password that can’t be easily guessed.

• Don’t write your password down in any easily findable place.

• Don’t send your password to anyone through e-mail.

Passwords

• Don’t allow public computers to remember your password.

• Don’t tell anyone your passwords.

• Don’t use the same password for all your accounts, especially the important accounts such as email, banks, credit cards.

• Create a system for remembering your passwords.

• Check the strength of your password - http://www.passwordmeter.com/

Shopping Online

• Make sure YOU initiated the contact.• Don’t follow an email link.• Type web addresses carefully.• Don’t give out SSN, DOB, or your Mother’s

Maiden name.• Do not accept free trial offers.• Don’t rely on a site “looking” professional.

Credit Card Security

• When possible, choose a credit card NOT a debit card.

• Best choice - choose one card for online use only or a prepaid credit card.

• Paypal.com - Most companies online accept payments from PayPal. Paypal acts as an intermediary for payment. If you don’t have a credit card you can set it up to take payment out of a checking/savings account.

Identity Theft

What is Identity Theft?• Someone uses your personal information

without your knowledge to commit fraud or theft.

Identity Theft Prevention Tips

• Do not store personal financial information on laptop computers.

• Before disposing of a computer delete all personal information.

• Review websites’ privacy policies.• A company or organization that you initiated

contact with will not request your password via email or phone.

Identity Theft Prevention Tips

Know the status of your Credit Rating

• Don’t search Google for “Free credit report”– These sites rarely turn out to be truly free

• Go to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) website to learn more.

• Request free credit report annuallyhttps://www.annualcreditreport.com/– the ONLY authorized source for the free annual

credit report that's yours by law.

Identity Theft Prevention Tips

• Everyone go to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) website and locate the link to free credit reports

Identity Theft - Public Computer Safety Tips

• Beware of “Shoulder Surfers”• Do NOT allow public computers to remember

your log in and password.• ALWAYS Sign Out or Log Off.• Clear browser history.• Close the browser window.

Identity Theft - Public Computer Safety Tips

• In this class you were asked to browse the internet, and send email. Since we are on public computers – let’s all do the following:– Go back to your email client and log off.– In your browser window – empty the cache/clear

your browsing history.– Close all programs and windows.

Safety Checklist

• ALWAYS check your privacy settings when you join an online community, or store.

• Think before you post• Choose STRONG passwords – and do not save them in in a file labeled

“Passwords”

• Do NOT allow public computers to remember your log in and password.

• ALWAYS Sign Out or Log Off.• Clear browser history.• Empty the cache regularly.

Sources

This curriculum was adapted from a workshop created by N. Riesgraf for the Hibbing Public Library (MN). Funding provided by IRRRA Do I.T. Community Technology Awareness Program.

Additional content created by Connect Your Community, a project of OneCommunity, funded by the federal Broadband Technology Opportunities Program.

Creative Commons License

• This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0