How could we exist without the Internet?
That's how most of us keep in touch with friends, find homework support, research a cool place to visit, or find out the latest news. But besides the millions of sites to visit and things to do, the Internet offers lots of ways to waste time, and even get into trouble.
And just as in the real world, some people you encounter online might try to take advantage of you financially or physically.
SMART SURFING
First rule of smart surfing? Remain as anonymous as possible. That means keeping all private information private. Here are some examples of private information that you should never give out on the Internet:
- full name
- home address
- phone number
- Social Security number
- passwords
- names of family members
- credit card numbers
ONLINE ANNOYANCES
Although email is relatively private, hackers can still access it — or add you to their spam lists. Spam, like advertisements or harassing or offensive notes, is annoying. But spam blockers can keep your mailbox from getting clogged. Many service providers will help you block out or screen inappropriate emails if your parents agree to set up age-appropriate parental controls.
If you don't recognize the sender of a document or file that needs to be downloaded, delete it without opening it to avoid getting a virus on your machine. Virus protection software is a must for every computer. And you can also buy software that helps rid your computer of unwanted spyware programs that report what your computer is doing. Some service providers make software available to protect you from these and other online annoyances, such as blockers for those in-your-face pop-up ads.
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