Security Questions

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Wait, what?

There is some information that you just don't give away (if you're smart and careful, at least). Yet, the internet and web services continue to push the boundaries of "how much is too much?" Of course I have a Facebook, a Twitter, and also an Instagram, so it isn't difficult to find me on the web. That can be said for most people my age as we go through this age of social media. However, how many of us are protected? How much of our information can actually be seen? As present as I am on the internet, my valuable information is only seen by those who I trust (as much as you can trust friends on Facebook). I pay attention to who I connect with on social media, and block whoever might be potentially dangerous or unknown.

Social media isn't the only place where information is given out, however. Web services from all over will ask for an account to be created, or to sign in with certain information. This information can run from very modest to the equivalent of your life's story. I take great care in paying attention to these details to make sure that nothing I touch on the internet has more information than they need. For example, if I use a web service that I will never buy a product from, or never need something shipped to me, then why should I provide my home address? My address isn't that private, but at the same time is not absolutely necessary to divulge. Sometimes it is just nice to stay anonymous on the web. There isn't a way for potentially malicious sources to hunt you down, and it certainly helps to lessen your personal presence on the web.

There are some, however, who have no boundaries when it comes to the amount of information that they share. No, I'm not just talking about the people who tweet about when they are on the toilet. These are the people who have all of their contact information listed directly on Facebook, completely open to the public. These are the people that are too trusting, too faithful in humanity, or just too unaware of what can happen should something go wrong. Scammers pray upon these people, hoping to get just enough information to make use of it. None of us are going to get five free iPads if we give our email address and name out, and not a single person reading this blog will come into a million dollars from Africa if they help out by giving their bank account information. There's something good to be said about the trust that these people have, but not everything that seems good is safe.

Stay in school, stay safe, and remember: don't post on Facebook to "hit you up" if 1,000 of your friends live somewhere you've never heard of.