Privacy - On the Web?!
One of the hardest concepts to understand for parents today and is so easily brushed off by pre-teens and teens is the notion of privacy. When the Internet first came about, there was a notion that you could browse these sites, do these things, and you did it all while in your pajamas in your bedroom and no one would ever know.
Well, the part about no one knowing that you're in your bedroom and your pajamas is true, but on the Wild Wild Web, there is no true notion of privacy. There's all sorts of technical mumbo jumbo for things that track you, but that's not the part to fear the most for your kids.
Kids have a tendency to disregard the importance of anonymity and privacy. They post and list all sorts of information about themselves, thinking "how harmful can that be?" If you're a parent and think that listing or passing some of this information on the Internet might be harmless, here's a small tutorial in how dangerous it can be.
Your children might give someone their phone number, post it in a message, or write it somewhere on their personal web pages. They're thinking "what's the big deal in that?"
Now, go to http://www.anywho.com/. Click on the Reverse Lookup link. Type in your phone number. If you're listed, this service almost instantaneously gives your name and address.
Well, now go to http://maps.google.com/. Type in your address in the format of "111 MyStreet Way. MyCity, MyState 11223". Now click on Satellite. You can zoom in and see your house very nicely. My address even shows our cars. The pictures are about 6 years old right now on Google, but periodically get updated.
Make it a rule for your children to never enter anything more personal than their city and state on the Internet.
Well, the part about no one knowing that you're in your bedroom and your pajamas is true, but on the Wild Wild Web, there is no true notion of privacy. There's all sorts of technical mumbo jumbo for things that track you, but that's not the part to fear the most for your kids.
Kids have a tendency to disregard the importance of anonymity and privacy. They post and list all sorts of information about themselves, thinking "how harmful can that be?" If you're a parent and think that listing or passing some of this information on the Internet might be harmless, here's a small tutorial in how dangerous it can be.
Your children might give someone their phone number, post it in a message, or write it somewhere on their personal web pages. They're thinking "what's the big deal in that?"
Now, go to http://www.anywho.com/. Click on the Reverse Lookup link. Type in your phone number. If you're listed, this service almost instantaneously gives your name and address.
Well, now go to http://maps.google.com/. Type in your address in the format of "111 MyStreet Way. MyCity, MyState 11223". Now click on Satellite. You can zoom in and see your house very nicely. My address even shows our cars. The pictures are about 6 years old right now on Google, but periodically get updated.
Make it a rule for your children to never enter anything more personal than their city and state on the Internet.
Labels: privacy
posted by Win at
8:00 PM
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