5 Privacy Tips for Internet Savvy College Students
Let’s face it, just about all that our lives entail can be conducted on the internet these days. Whether it’s ordering pizza, shopping, taking college prep courses courses, or even completing classes online, the web has been wholly integrated into our very being. That said, students today use the internet more than ever, and that trend continues to increase. Pay Attention to these tips in order to protect yourselves from the dangers that the internet can potentially harbor.
1. Identity Theft is Very 2011
Ok, so perhaps the most important step to take regarding privacy is one of the simplest. There are three credit bureaus online, and you can check your credit for free once a year by heading to the following site: http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/freereports/index.shtml . Now we all know that college kids love saving money, but remember not all sites are born free, so use caution. (www.freecreditreport.com is a good example.)
2. Invest In Recovery Apps
These applications are crucial for any of you who have a habit of leaving your phone in random bars after having a few drinks. Then you go to drunk-text sometime later, only to realize the phone is gone! No Bueno. Perhaps you’re just as forgettable sober and said phone gets left in various campus locations. No worries, there’s a geo-locater device built into these programs, so that you can log in remotely or perhaps lock in its location. The “Find My iPhone” feature is one such application that does just that. You can easily set it up right from your own iPhone with a few simple steps. Click on this link for more information.
3. Utilize Passwords for Smart Devices
There’s plenty of personal information on these devices that you probably want to keep protected, so make sure not to leave them unattended. Many of them auto-save login information, which gives intruders easy access. Some even automatically log you in, which can be dangerous because you may not even realize it until after the fact. Most times this can be fixed by adjusting the settings. Also rethink that password (no, the name of your pet isn’t that unique) with a combination of letters and numbers.
4. Don’t accept people on Facebook just because they are hot
Sure, it may be flattering, and who doesn’t want to accept a hot guy/girl so that you can unabashedly go through their private pictures. However, spam is not quite as sexy. In fact, it kinda stinks. Neither is a stranger hacking into your information, so keep that in mind before you let anyone into your Facebook world that you don’t know.
5. Do your back to school Shopping Securely
When was the last time you looked at the URL when checking out after online shopping or registering for college courses. If you’re drawing a blank, then definitely keep this next tip in mind. All secure checkouts online will read “HTTPS”, which means it’s encrypting your payment information. Pay attention for that information, because you can’t afford any credit card declines. You need cute boots and you need them now.
Students should keep these tips in mind when navigating through their college experience. Remember, once something is uploaded to the internet, it’s frozen in time, and able to be sent, viewed, obtained…etc by anyone and everyone. Thus, when it comes to the web, it’s always in good interest to be smart about your private information.
