How To Manage Your Privacy Online

Be careful. Think carefully before publishing your personal data (especially name, address, telephone number) in a user profile. Also, be mindful of the possibility that certain images or information re-emerge during job interviews.

Take care of the information contained in your profile. Learn from the CEOs of large

companies: they know very well what the value of personal data is, and they know how to manage it. This is why you will never find a lot of personal information about them on the web. Think carefully before using your real name in a profile.

Instead, use a pseudonym. Keep in mind that even in this case you cannot rule out that someone can identify you, as others may be able to find out who is hiding behind your pseudonym - perhaps through a photo. Consider using a different alias for each platform.

Respect the privacy of others. Be especially careful not to post personal information relating to others (including images or perhaps photos bearing legends or captions) without their consent. Keep in mind that in many countries it is a crime to publish information illegally, especially when it comes to images.

Find out:

Who manages the service?
From which country?
Are there adequate rules to protect privacy?
Are there independent control mechanisms (e.g. a data protection authority) to use in case of problems?
What guarantees does the service provider give with respect to the processing of your personal data?
Is the social network certified by independent and reliable subjects as regards the level of privacy and security?

6 Internet Safety Rules
Use the web to learn about the experiences of others with respect to the management of privacy and security by a service provider aka a website that is not known to you.
Use the information materials made available by the providers of these services, but also by independent parties such as data protection authorities and security companies.
Use privacy-oriented settings. Limit the availability of information as much as possible, especially with respect to indexing by search engines.
Use different identifiers (login and password) from those you use on other websites (for example for e-mail or for managing your bank account).
Make use of every opportunity to maintain control over the use of your personal data (profile data and traffic data) by the service provider; for example, you refuse to consent to the use of data for targeted marketing activities.
Follow your children's activities on the Internet closely, especially on social networking sites.

Final considerations

Experts invite authorities for the protection of consumers and privacy to adopt appropriate measures in order to sensitize the subjects in charge of disciplinary activities, service providers, and public opinion in general, and in particular young people, with respect to the risks for their privacy deriving from the use of social networks, and the need for responsible behavior towards their own and others´ personal data.

Be careful.

Used Literature

How To Manage Your Privacy Online

6 Internet Safety Rules