COM 340 post 1

We are always looking to protect ourselves, but we tend not to filter what we share with others online. The web is where thieves can gain access to your accounts the easiest. This article simply talked about what users can do to protect themselves.

Online identity theft has increased from 17% in 2001 to 24% in 2012. Social networking sites have become a primary source where your identity can be stolen.  A number of people tend to use the same password for a lot of their accounts. Yes, this does help you with not forgetting so easily, but also makes your very vulnerable to identity theft easily.

This means that people online need to be careful what they choose to share with the world. It is not just thieves that are looking for your information, also employers. If you have a social site whether it’s private or not, they can still access it. A few states have passed laws where this is illegal, but others can base whether they will or will not hire you on your online identity.

Some may not care what others think about them online, but there are some who do.  Others should take it upon themselves to self-censor. Look at your profiles online and see what you would assume from just looking though some of the posts you have made. Are you the person you really put out to be online? If the answer is no then you have to be real with yourself. Self-critic some of the things you write or publicly broadcast on twitter and Facebook. Not everyone needs to know every moment of your life.

Our virtual identities are what we see most of on these personal profiles. Some may read this article and still continue to post irrelevant facts about themselves. The reason behind this is because they have found a space where they can be who they truly wish they were.

Change would be good for the content that goes on these sites, but it can’t really be controlled. Since we don’t really know everyone personally we can’t really judge their content. Unless you do know someone then you can kind of tell whether they are telling the truth or not. It’s not up to the web to change it is up to the users. Our moral compass should play a factor in what type of image we are putting out.