| One of the hottest computer topics that attract public | | | | should not provide sensitive personal information about |
| interest is privacy. The ease and efficiency with which | | | | yourself (such as credit card number) on Web pages |
| computers and internet are used to gather, store, | | | | that are not secure.5. Always discard needless |
| search, compare, retrieve and share personal | | | | Cookies These Cookies are not palatable. Cookie is a |
| information make computer technology especially | | | | piece of data that a web site collects about you when |
| threatening to anyone who wishes to keep various | | | | you visit it. The data varies with the web site - a |
| kinds of "sensitive" information out of the public domain | | | | commercial web site will collect demographics (that is, |
| or out of the hands of those who are perceived as | | | | sex, age, and other advertising information) to learn |
| potential threats. During the past decade, | | | | more about you, while an e-mail service may collect |
| commercialization and rapid growth of the internet; the | | | | identifying or personal (name, mailing address) |
| rise of the world-wide-web; increasing | | | | information to recognize you. If you have ever |
| "user-friendliness" and processing power of computers; | | | | checked a box saying "Remember My Password", |
| and decreasing costs of computer technology have | | | | you have set a cookie. Cookies inform site operators if |
| led to new privacy issues.Many people have been | | | | you have visited the site and, if you have obtained a |
| tricked my e-mail scams, claiming that they will make | | | | username and password, cookies remember that |
| you a millionaire. It is the same sort of pyramid scheme | | | | information for you. Many of the "personalized" search |
| that exists over the SMS or e-mail, but no laws | | | | engines use cookies to deliver news topics that users |
| covered it for a while. Also, many e-mail chain letters | | | | select; sites often use these same preferences to |
| have allowed urban legends to spread at an | | | | target advertisement. Furthermore, cookies can be |
| accelerated rate and created alarm over hoaxes | | | | used to track you online and enable creation of a |
| concerning many food and drug products. These | | | | profile without you realizing it.How to get rid of |
| e-mails only bog down e-mail systems and servers, | | | | cookies? You can search your hard drive for a file |
| but do not seem to be ending. Some advertisers also | | | | with the word "cookie" in it (i.e., cookies.txt or |
| e-mail unsolicited ads to e-mail users, in a practice | | | | MagicCookie) to view the cookies that have been |
| known as spamming.Let us now look at the most | | | | attached to your computer. Newer browsers allow |
| concerning aspects of privacy online:- Protecting you: | | | | you to recognize sites that send you cookies and |
| Online stalking has been a problem, with people | | | | reject them outright by accessing the "Advanced" |
| harassing new 'friends' online and sometimes even | | | | screen of the "Preferences" menu. In Internet Explorer, |
| threatening them, or confronting them.- Protecting your | | | | delete cookies by clicking on the "Delete Files" button in |
| data: This comes not from the fear of physical, but | | | | the "General" icon of "Tools"' "Internet Options" menu.6. |
| financial harm. Strangers may hack sensitive data such | | | | Always use encryption to keep your e-mail private |
| as your credit card number or sometimes any | | | | E-mail is not as secure a medium as many believe. |
| confidential information or site maps or photographs | | | | The internet is really no more or less secured than the |
| that are being mailed.A recent survey states that 93% | | | | Postal Service. Most people, including your mail carriers, |
| of commercial Internet sites collect some sort of data | | | | have no real desire to read your personal letters or |
| that may be used to identify you (this may be your | | | | open your checks. If you send a postcard, people will |
| home address, you e-mail address, name, etc.) and | | | | probably turn it over and read it if they have the |
| 57% collect demographics. Over one third of these | | | | chance. The human species is naturally curious. The |
| sites did not post any information that they were | | | | number of hackers out there specifically interested in |
| collecting data and/or what it would be used for. The | | | | your mail or e-commerce is very small. Presently, there |
| report concluded that only 10% of the commercial web | | | | exist technologies that allow you to encrypt your |
| sites that collected personal or demographic | | | | messages in order to protect their privacy. Some |
| information followed fair information practices in | | | | e-mail programs (i.e., Internet Explorer Outlook and |
| respect to notice, choice, access, security and contact | | | | Netscape Messenger) have encryption.7. Use |
| information.Though there are laws to protect such kind | | | | "anonymous remailers" for e-mails and anonymize |
| of activity, seldom they are investigated. The | | | | yourself while browsing when privacy is |
| Communication Decency Act stated that | | | | essential.Anonymity is essential to privacy and free |
| telecommunications, meaning the internet, e-mail, chat | | | | speech. It helps people to discuss on controversial |
| and chat programs (including IRC, AIM, and ICQ) should | | | | subjects and enable one to publish without a |
| not be used to purposely harass or intimidate. You | | | | forwarding address. The e-mail technology creates |
| cannot e-mail bomb people.The Online Privacy Alliance, | | | | problems for the right to anonymous communication |
| made up of prominent companies in communications | | | | since the sender of a message can be traced back |
| and technology is trying to help the internet industry | | | | through digital paths. But, "anonymous remailers" |
| self-regulate privacy topics. This may favor industries. | | | | presently allow you to send anonymous e-mail |
| Still, this leaves out individual consumers and others | | | | messages. From the moment you type in a Web |
| whose privacy is actually what is being debated. The | | | | address, a log is kept with information about your visit. |
| Online Privacy Alliance suggests that consumers | | | | Every day, most of us walk down the street without |
| should look for privacy policies and be careful where | | | | being recognized or tracked. While anonymity is often |
| they post their information. Bad guys will always try to | | | | taken for granted in the physical world, such luxury is |
| steal your credit card number, telemarketers will | | | | not available online by default. But tools that strip out |
| always pay someone for your phone number, and | | | | user information, thus preserving anonymity, have been |
| companies will always try to collect data for | | | | created and are readily available on the net.8. Let your |
| advertising purposes. Such is the way of the world.But | | | | kids know about the hazards of giving away personal |
| certainly, there are always ways to prevent than | | | | information to strangers online Tell your children that |
| cure.Tips to protect you and your data.1. Always look | | | | they should ask your permission before they can give |
| out for privacy policies. Web sites can collect a lot of | | | | out their name, address or other information about |
| information about your visit -- what computer you use, | | | | themselves or the family to a web site. A number of |
| what type of hardware and software you have, what | | | | Web sites encourage children to give information |
| Web sites you have visited. Web sites that ask you to | | | | about themselves or their family; some even attract |
| provide even a small amount of personal information | | | | kids with games and free gifts. Make children |
| can tie the data you provide to your browsing habits. | | | | understand that, giving away valuable information on |
| Never give your e-mail id to unauthorized third party | | | | the web is like giving information to strangers.9. Don't |
| web sites.2. Always have separate personal e-mail | | | | disclose your passwords or credit card numbers with |
| account.Often, online users do not realize that e-mail | | | | your friends.Privacy should be maintained at your level |
| sent from their work accounts is likely to be an open | | | | also. Never disclose your passwords even with your |
| book to their employers. Even if you send an e-mail | | | | closest friend. Human beings are never the same. |
| from your home, a copy is often stored on your | | | | Your close friend today may turn out to be your |
| employer's main computer server. Your employer has | | | | enemy tomorrow. It is better to always conceal certain |
| a legal right to read any and all correspondence in this | | | | things to maintain privacy. Never disclose passwords |
| account.Getting a separate account for personal use | | | | or credit card numbers, whatever the situation may be. |
| allows you to check your personal messages without | | | | If you have revealed it by chance, then change the |
| using your office e-mail server.3. Always remember to | | | | password immediately.10. Always be alertUse |
| clean your computer's memory after browsing.When | | | | common sense, ask questions and seek out |
| you browse the Web, copies of all accessed pages | | | | resources. Would you give your credit card number to |
| and images are saved on your computer's memory. | | | | a street vendor? Would you open a mail from an |
| Though this helps in visiting the same web page next | | | | unknown person? How much information does the |
| time faster, the browsing record it maintains intervenes | | | | magazine realistically need to process a subscription? |
| your privacy; Particularly, if you share a computer at | | | | Will you be subjected to a ton of unsolicited mail and |
| the work spot. You can delete most of your online trail | | | | e-mail bomb if you disclose your physical or e-mail |
| by simply going to the "Preferences" folder in your | | | | address? These questions that you ask yourself will |
| browser and clicking on the "Empty Cache" button. | | | | certainly restrain you from giving unwanted |
| Sometimes this option is in the "Advanced" menu of | | | | information.Follow all these tips, you can be a fearless |
| the browser preferences. In Internet Explorer, go to | | | | Web user of course; you must realize, however, that |
| "Internet Options" from the "Tools" menu and click on | | | | people in cyberspace are the same people you |
| "Clear History".4. Always watch out when you fill online | | | | encounter every day in the physical reality: your |
| forms. Online forms may be digitally transported in | | | | neighbors, your colleagues.The Internet is a new |
| ways that leave them vulnerable to undesired access. | | | | medium, as was the telephone more than a century |
| Alternatively, online forms may be encrypted so that | | | | ago. If used wisely, it can connect you to a world of |
| only the intended recipients can readily translate the | | | | people, ideas and information.Happy surfing!I'm Mrs. |
| information.You should ensure that your information is | | | | J.Hannah Monisha, I'm working as a Lecturer and Head, |
| stored and transferred in secure ways. Many browser | | | | Department of computer science,Indira Gandhi college |
| companies have realized the importance of data | | | | of arts and science,Govt. of Pondicherry, India. I've |
| security; newer browsers are designed to indicate | | | | completed my Masters Degree in both Computer |
| whether the accessed page allows encrypted | | | | Science and Information Technology. I have a total |
| transfers. The commonly used graphics are a key, | | | | teaching experience of 10 years.I'm a Member of the |
| which is broken if the page is insecure, and a lock -- | | | | curriculum design board of the Pondicherry University, |
| locked is secure and unlocked is not secure. The | | | | India. I've published an article on "Copyrights, Legal |
| graphic appears in the corner of the browser screen; | | | | issues and Intellectual property", in the proceedings of |
| clicking on the lock or the key will inform you of | | | | the National level seminar on Intellectual property rights. |
| additional security information about the page. You | | | | |