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• DO NOT PROVIDE INFORMATION TO WEBSITES THAT DO NOT HAVE A PRIVACY POLICY. Most websites provide an online privacy policy. These policies tell you about what data the site collects and how it will use that data. Sites without a privacy policy offer no assurances or promises as to how they will use your personal information. Especially if you are unfamiliar with a company, take a minute to read the privacy policy to find out how your information will be used.
• NEVER GIVE YOUR PASSWORD TO ANYONE. Passwords should always be kept private. They are key to protecting your privacy. Use a unique password instead of a familiar word that would be easy for someone to guess. The best passwords are those that have no meaning and combine alphabetic and numeric values. While alphanumeric passwords are widely considered the best, we understand that many people may have trouble remembering them. If this is the case you may want to try using an acronym that is easy to remember. For example you could use OSCYS, which is the first letter of each word in the line "Oh Say Can You See." This makes passwords easier to remember, just be sure to make up your own and not use OSCYS! Another approach is to combine two unrelated words e.g., "setyou". Also, when possible, change your password every month. This makes it less likely to have it discovered by someone else.
• GUARD YOUR PRIVATE INFORMATION. Give your e-mail address, credit card number, contact information, and other sensitive personal information ONLY to known and trusted sources. If you are suspicious or unsure of an organization's privacy practices or if it has no privacy statement, do not provide it with your personal information. The benefit gained from providing your sensitive information to the site is not worth jeapordizing your privacy.
• NEVER PROVIDE PERSONAL INFORMATION IN E-MAILS, BULLETIN BOARDS, INSTANT MESSAGES, OR CHAT ROOMS. E-mails, instant messages, and chat rooms are not always secure methods of communication. Use a screen or user name instead of your real name and NEVER use these methods to provide sensitive information to another individual or organization. Likewise, bulletin board messages are available for anyone to see. Never provide personal information on these and be careful with your e-mail address. "Spammers" sometimes use bulletin boards as a source for gathering e-mail addresses to which they send unsolicited, junk mail.
• KNOW WHAT CHILDREN ARE DOING WHILE THEY ARE ONLINE. Be sure that children know never to give personal information to those they meet online. The old saying of "Don't talk to strangers" applies well to children using the internet. Also, consider moving the computer to a central location instead of keeping it in a child's room. This makes it easier for parents to be sure that their children are not compromising their safety while online.
• DELETE UNKNOWN OR SUSPICIOUS E-MAILS BEFORE OPENING THEM. E-mails can contain viruses or other harmful information. If you are unsure about the safety of an e-mail, just delete it before opening it. Also, look for messages that have unusual subjects or have the same subject line as another recent message. This can be a sign of a message that contains a virus.
• CONSIDER INSTALLING A FIREWALL, ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE A CABLE MODEM OR OTHER "ALWAYS ON" CONNECTION. A firewall monitors attempts to access your computer while it is online, and makes it more difficult for the hackers or other unauthorized users to access or disrupt your computer.
There are many resources you can use to gain more information about protecting your personal information.
We have listed a few below.
Better Business Bureau Online
Disney's Internet Safety Tips
Federal Trade Commision's Safe Surfing Site
Federal Bureau of Investigation's Parent's Guide to Internet Safety
Get Net Wise
Kidz Privacy
TRUSTe Consumer Education Site
Understanding Privacy
US Government's Identity Theft Protection Site
McAfee
Symantec Home Computing