Most people that spend any time surfing the internet, understand that companies and websites are using cookies and data mining to gather information about you to sell to other companies. There are some seemingly easy ways to protect yourself while online by setting privacy settings and other measures offered by social media sites. However, many people fall prey to hackers and information gathers in ways that are not so obvious. Have you ever checked your banking information from public wifi, say at an airport, a library, or your local Starbucks? Bad idea.

Another seemingly harmless way to give away your data is through the multitude of games and quizzes that pop up all over the web. Did you put in your hometown, where you went to high school, or what was the first car you drove? Don’t those questions sound suspiciously the same as most security questions you can choose from when setting up a new account? Don’t think for a moment that someone with malicious intent isn’t gathering this information so they can access your accounts. First, they will claim they forgot the password, and since you have given them answers to your security questions, you may find yourself locked out as they spend your funds.

Another relatively new development in the rise of social media sites is affecting the workforce and your chance at landing that dream job. Several universities have conducted that show upwards of 80 percent of responding Human Resources Directors are utilizing social media searches to determining possible candidates for employment. In one revealing study, potential employers are not only Googling your name, but they are also checking Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and other popular sites to judge your character before offering an interview. In today’s digital world, your online image has become at least as important or possibly even more than your resume.

By now it should be obvious that how you conduct yourself and your business online may have severe repercussions on many levels. This website and the information contained herein is meant to assist and advise anyone who may have questions or concerns regarding proper online safety, security, and just everyday online etiquette questions.
My goal is to inform, assist, and possibly entertain as I help those in need to navigate the very murky waters of all things on the internet.