Free Common Sense – No WaitingApr 10 '02 Write an essay on this topic.The Bottom Line Surf safely; none of us wants to read about your loss in the morning news. Some people just take up space on this planet. Exposure to mass media’s take on the horrors in the real world seems to pass by those naïve beings with little or no impact. My rant of the day and the impetus behind this plea to parents and others participating on this site has to do with Internet security. Folks, I just read an entertaining review by a member celebrating a milestone as an Epinions member. I so enjoyed the read; I sauntered over to the writer’s profile page to check out more about the ‘new-to-me’ scribe. The profile page personalization must have taken that member a good deal of time to accomplish. I saw several fresh or different ideas and was suitably impressed until I realized that I was staring at the photo of a gorgeous child, complete with a caption containing her first name. Scrolling down the page, my introduction to the member included more photos of beautiful children, with neatly centered nameplates. Scrolling back up to the top of the page, I was surprised to find not only the member’s name and city of residence but also, a link to their personal home page. The web site displays: · The family surname as a big, bold header · More photos of family members complete with captions · A photo of their new car (with license plate in full view) · A ‘mailto’ link displaying the usual email address and graphic · A contact page with home address and phone number I immediately utilized the email links on both the member’s profile page and personal home page to attempt contact with the amateur html wizard behind the creation of that web site. I desperately feel the need to contact the responsible party with a warning of the possible repercussions of offering up so much private information. For those proud parents wishing to display photos of the family, please take a moment to consider a few sad truths. Some very nice people spend time surfing the net; some twisted individuals find the same pastime fruitful as well. Pedophiles frequent more than the sites catering to their particular areas of interest; that gets old fast. Chat rooms set up for children to socialize with one another are always under scrutiny by law enforcement officials, child protection organizations and pedophiles. Personal family oriented web pages may seem tame to the majority of us. We want to share photos of the kids, our new vehicles, vacations, birthday parties and other events that create great memories in our lives. Epinions profile pages often serve the same purpose. Personally, I enjoy a glimpse into the real person behind the alias. We just need to use a little brainpower when creating these pages to assure the safety of our families and ourselves. Family pride is one thing but why give a possible kidnapper or molester your child’s name? Having that information available only makes the criminal’s quest easier. A stranger is less of a stranger if he or she knows your name. Providing a virtual road map to your home is just plain stupid and extremely dangerous. You just posted your G-rated web site; do you honestly think only nice people will find it? Delete the address and posted phone numbers pronto! If you feel the urge to share your whereabouts online, make it general. Without your last name, address, state and phone number, it is highly unlikely a stranger will locate you by the “Sunny South” or “Midwest” listed as your location. Check photos for identifying properties such as the exposed license plate showing in the photos of my above example. A cute shot of the kiddies posing with those statues in front of a restaurant appears tame to you; that local restaurant’s name may lead someone to your neighborhood. Unsavory types know all the tricks; try to think safety when choosing which photos you want to share with every computer user on the planet. Take the time to sign up for a free online email account. If the site host requests home address and other information before giving you access, find another less inquisitive site offering the same service. For those disinterested in creating home pages and personalizing profiles, go check out www.411.com for a rude awakening. Input your email address in the form and discover what the rest of the world knows: you are possibly one click away from an unwanted visitor. Do the same in the form requesting last name and state; there you are for the whole world to see. The reverse directory offers up addresses and names connected to the phone number input into that form, whether or not you have an unlisted phone number. Don't forget to click on the "Map It" button for a turn-by-turn guide directly to your front door. What I am saying is, take a good look at your Epinions profile page, home page and customized start page with a jaundiced eye. Remove any elements that might put your loved ones in jeopardy. Find out how vulnerable you are by using search engines and online ‘people finder’ directories. Use common sense and teach your children the same rules about strangers on the street apply on the Internet as well. Surf safely; none of us wants to read about your loss in the morning news.  |
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