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Using The Internet - Advice And Warning

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hc4361 | 12:37 Wed 16th Jan 2013 | Technology
34 Answers
It appears that some people are naive in respect of the internet and unaware of the consequences.

We should all be aware that we lose control of everything we post on the internet as soon as we hit the 'submit' button. It is possible that the post will be there 'forever' even if we delete the post - it will be in a cache (a sort of short term memory) that others can save and redistribute.

When you post on public forums like AnswerBank the post is available for anyone in the world to read, save, copy and paste.
The vast majority of public forums including AnswerBank have terms and conditions that give the site owners the copyright of your post, for them to do with what they will.

Even if you think your post is restricted and private - eg, FaceBook with high privacy settings - you cannot stop other people copying and distributing your post, photos, anything. Beware of who you allow into your inner circle on such sites.

Many of us use photo uploading sites such as PhotoBucket. Make sure your privacy settings are as high as possible, otherwise sharing one photo will give the viewers access to all of your photos.

Use different aliases for different sites. This will make it harder for people to link your AB id with your FB account and other sites you use.

You should be aware that it is easy to upset or attract a stranger on any site and become a target for a stalker. Make it impossible for that stalker to identify you - don't be precise about where you live; use aliases when referring to your family members and friends (or generic words such as son, daughter, partner); be vague about your workplace.

Be aware that anyone can gather information about you by putting your name or alias in to a search engine such as Google. Anything you have posted in your own name or alias will show in the results, also any news reports about you or posts other people have made about you.
Protect yourself by using different aliases on every site you post on.

The internet is a wonderful tool but users must be aware of how it can be misused.
Just think before you register for a site; think before you press 'submit'. Your post could be there forever and distributed to thousands including your employer.

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Good point, factor
Question Author
I did put that in the OP, factor:

"Use different aliases for different sites. This will make it harder for people to link your AB id with your FB account and other sites you use. "

But worth stressing.

It is especially important to use a unique id for eBay. Once a person has placed a bid on your item he (or she) can get your full details including address and phone number.

Of course, the majority of internet users are decent people but it does no harm to be careful. One ABer had a very hard time when she was stalked and reported to her employer.
I have removed my info from Ebay so that only the winning bidder can see it.
Question Author
If I understand you correctly, woofgang, that is completely against eBay rules.

Any bidder can request seller information via eBay and the seller is duly notified that information has been passed on.
Sound advice hc, all my info is as "made up" as it can be.

I have more alliases and logins than I can keep track of though. Any suggestions for organising them either in my mind or as coded records?
A good post and wake up call hc
Maidup, I enter 100's of comps every month, many on sites that need you to create an account. i keep all these details in an address book. I have a 'default' password that i use for everything, this is 8 numbers and they are not written down anywhere, I just add something different to them for any accounts I create. Everything ( bar the 8 numbers in my head) is in the address book, I would never be able to remember it all, and it is no use to anyone else without the 8 no's. Works for me. X
Useful advice sparkles. I'll have to think of a system, take a day's holiday and use it to get organised!
Very timely thread hc, in view of recent events. I hope people take heed. Most useful and thanks for posting.
Question Author
Regarding multiple log in and password details I use LastPass. It is free and highly recommended in the tech industry. You need to remember one master password to log in to LastPass and it will keep a log of all your log in details, auto fill in if you ask it to and generate passwords.
https://lastpass.com/

I particularly like it because it stores everything in 'cyberspace' meaning I can access it on all my pcs and smartphones. Used it for years without a problem.

If you have just one pc then there is nothing wrong with the written address book although I did smile at the suggestion.
I would create the address book as a file on my pc. Quick and easy to find the details (using the 'find' box), easy to amend and of course you can copy and paste into the log in boxes. This is not recommended if you are likely to lose your laptop. :)

Thanks HC I'll give it a look.
Jeez, that's one BIG horse you got there hc.
Using the internet nowadays is like driving a car. Before taking a trip, you should know how things work and what are the rules. Fortunately, there are a lot of blogs that will explain it all, like https://figleafapp.com/blog/, for example.
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