One of the first social skills we learn as a child is how to share. At home we learn to share things like our food, toys or our room. At school we are taught to share books, computers and even our experiences. As working adults, we often share office supplies, work spaces and our job knowledge.
In today’s digital world though, we sometimes find ourselves sharing too much information. We share too much about ourselves with too many people. This can be especially true of teens and children, but also of adults. All of us, in fact, need to relearn the art of sharing.
Protect yourself
It can be easy to open up to people online because we do not see them. It gives us a false sense of security. We sometimes forget about our potential audience. A simple text, post or tweet can reach hundreds, thousands or even millions of people.
Check the privacy settings on the various apps you use. These are usually found under “settings,” “options” or “tools.” Recheck them often as they can sometimes change without you knowing it.
Even when using privacy settings, the words or images we send can be easily shared. Screenshots can be taken of our posts or pictures and then shared with anyone. This should not make us afraid to share things but it should make us think twice before doing so.
Think about how the things you post online could affect others. Be sensitive when making comments about hot topics such as politics or religion, or racial or gender issues. If not, you could find yourself in the middle of a heated online argument. If that happens, it is better to ignore or delete unwanted comments rather than arguing back and forth.
Protect your information
There are certain types of information you should be very careful about sharing. These include specifics about your location, such as your street address or phone number. Never give out credit card or bank account numbers unless you know the site is secure. Check for the “https,” not just “http” in the address. The “s” means “secure.” Do not give these out in emails either. Do not share your passwords with anyone. Do not give your social security number out to anyone you do not know or trust.
Beware of “phishing” scams that try to trick you into giving out information. Never click on pop-up messages or ads that offer to improve your computer’s performance. Keep your security software up to date to guard against the latest viruses or spyware. Do not open email attachments or links unless you know who sent them and why. Do not respond to emails or messages asking for money or personal information.
Protect your child
Talk to your child about the dangers of sharing sensitive information online. This includes personal as well as financial information. Make sure they understand that things they post cannot be completely taken back, even if deleted.
Younger children, and even teens, are often more trusting than adults. Warn them that not everyone is who they say they are online. They should not accept friend requests from people they do not know. Check that their privacy settings restrict who can see their posts and their location. Make sure location services, such as GPS, are only turned on when needed. Warn them not to click on any pop-up messages or ads.
Caution your child about downloading apps. Explain that “free” apps can contain extra software and even spyware. Show them how to uncheck boxes that install toolbars and other extras they don't need. Make sure the settings restrict your child from making purchases. Use “airplane mode” as a quick way to turn off online features.
One of the first social skills we learn as a child is how to share. At home we learn to share things like our food, toys or our room. At school we are taught to share books, computers and even our experiences. As working adults, we often share office supplies, work spaces and our job knowledge.
In today’s digital world though, we sometimes find ourselves sharing too much information. We share too much about ourselves with too many people. This can be especially true of teens and children, but also of adults. All of us, in fact, need to relearn the art of sharing.
Protect yourself
It can be easy to open up to people online because we do not see them. It gives us a false sense of security. We sometimes forget about our potential audience. A simple text, post or tweet can reach hundreds, thousands or even millions of people.
Check the privacy settings on the various apps you use. These are usually found under “settings,” “options” or “tools.” Recheck them often as they can sometimes change without you knowing it.
Even when using privacy settings, the words or images we send can be easily shared. Screenshots can be taken of our posts or pictures and then shared with anyone. This should not make us afraid to share things but it should make us think twice before doing so.
Think about how the things you post online could affect others. Be sensitive when making comments about hot topics such as politics or religion, or racial or gender issues. If not, you could find yourself in the middle of a heated online argument. If that happens, it is better to ignore or delete unwanted comments rather than arguing back and forth.
Protect your information
There are certain types of information you should be very careful about sharing. These include specifics about your location, such as your street address or phone number. Never give out credit card or bank account numbers unless you know the site is secure. Check for the “https,” not just “http” in the address. The “s” means “secure.” Do not give these out in emails either. Do not share your passwords with anyone. Do not give your social security number out to anyone you do not know or trust.
Beware of “phishing” scams that try to trick you into giving out information. Never click on pop-up messages or ads that offer to improve your computer’s performance. Keep your security software up to date to guard against the latest viruses or spyware. Do not open email attachments or links unless you know who sent them and why. Do not respond to emails or messages asking for money or personal information.
Protect your child
Talk to your child about the dangers of sharing sensitive information online. This includes personal as well as financial information. Make sure they understand that things they post cannot be completely taken back, even if deleted.
Younger children, and even teens, are often more trusting than adults. Warn them that not everyone is who they say they are online. They should not accept friend requests from people they do not know. Check that their privacy settings restrict who can see their posts and their location. Make sure location services, such as GPS, are only turned on when needed. Warn them not to click on any pop-up messages or ads.
Caution your child about downloading apps. Explain that “free” apps can contain extra software and even spyware. Show them how to uncheck boxes that install toolbars and other extras they don't need. Make sure the settings restrict your child from making purchases. Use “airplane mode” as a quick way to turn off online features.
One of the first social skills we learn as a child is how to share. At home we learn to share things like our food, toys or our room. At school we are taught to share books, computers and even our experiences. As working adults, we often share office supplies, work spaces and our job knowledge.
In today’s digital world though, we sometimes find ourselves sharing too much information. We share too much about ourselves with too many people. This can be especially true of teens and children, but also of adults. All of us, in fact, need to relearn the art of sharing.
Protect yourself
It can be easy to open up to people online because we do not see them. It gives us a false sense of security. We sometimes forget about our potential audience. A simple text, post or tweet can reach hundreds, thousands or even millions of people.
Check the privacy settings on the various apps you use. These are usually found under “settings,” “options” or “tools.” Recheck them often as they can sometimes change without you knowing it.
Even when using privacy settings, the words or images we send can be easily shared. Screenshots can be taken of our posts or pictures and then shared with anyone. This should not make us afraid to share things but it should make us think twice before doing so.
Think about how the things you post online could affect others. Be sensitive when making comments about hot topics such as politics or religion, or racial or gender issues. If not, you could find yourself in the middle of a heated online argument. If that happens, it is better to ignore or delete unwanted comments rather than arguing back and forth.
Protect your information
There are certain types of information you should be very careful about sharing. These include specifics about your location, such as your street address or phone number. Never give out credit card or bank account numbers unless you know the site is secure. Check for the “https,” not just “http” in the address. The “s” means “secure.” Do not give these out in emails either. Do not share your passwords with anyone. Do not give your social security number out to anyone you do not know or trust.
Beware of “phishing” scams that try to trick you into giving out information. Never click on pop-up messages or ads that offer to improve your computer’s performance. Keep your security software up to date to guard against the latest viruses or spyware. Do not open email attachments or links unless you know who sent them and why. Do not respond to emails or messages asking for money or personal information.
Protect your child
Talk to your child about the dangers of sharing sensitive information online. This includes personal as well as financial information. Make sure they understand that things they post cannot be completely taken back, even if deleted.
Younger children, and even teens, are often more trusting than adults. Warn them that not everyone is who they say they are online. They should not accept friend requests from people they do not know. Check that their privacy settings restrict who can see their posts and their location. Make sure location services, such as GPS, are only turned on when needed. Warn them not to click on any pop-up messages or ads.
Caution your child about downloading apps. Explain that “free” apps can contain extra software and even spyware. Show them how to uncheck boxes that install toolbars and other extras they don't need. Make sure the settings restrict your child from making purchases. Use “airplane mode” as a quick way to turn off online features.