Help protect your privacy in online = communities

Published: October 30, 2006

Many Internet users belong to one or more = online=20 communities, where they can share ideas and = information=20 with people who enjoy similar interests.

Such communities include e-mail distribution = lists,=20 message boards, newsgroups, blogging sites, = social=20 networking sites, and more.

You can help protect your privacy and still = enjoy the=20 benefits of these groups by following a few = basic=20 guidelines.

Types of online communities

Online communities come in many different = forms and=20 are available through major Internet portals, = such as=20 MSN.com, Yahoo.com, AOL, and more. These are the = most=20 common:

=95	E-mail distribution lists: Also = called=20 "e-mail lists" or "groups," these services = let you=20 read, write, and respond to e-mail = messages on a=20 specific subject, using a single e-mail = alias. You=20 can even create new groups. For example, if you're interested in = travel,=20 you might join or create a group devoted = to that=20 subject. Then you could communicate with = all the=20 other members of the group by writing and = replying=20 to the travel@example.com e-mail=20 address.
=95	Message boards and = Newsgroups:=20 These sites are often also called = "bulletin=20 boards" because they provide a place for = members=20 to leave and respond to messages from each = other.
=95	Instant message (IM) services: = Using an=20 IM=20 program, you can type the message you = want to=20 send, and a friend on another computer can = see it=20 almost immediately. When your friend types = a=20 response, you see that quickly as = well.
=95	Chat rooms: Typically dedicated = to a=20 particular topic, these online forums = function=20 much like instant messaging, but allow a = group of=20 people to communicate with each other at = once,=20 rather than on an individual = basis.
=95	Blogging sites: A blog, short = for "Web=20 log," is a personal journal posted online = to be=20 viewed by the public. Visitors can leave = comments=20 for the blog writer about particular=20 entries.
=95	Social networking sites: Web = sites such=20 as Windows Live=20 Spaces, MySpace, Facebook, and others = that=20 provide several different ways for people = to=20 communicate with one another, including = through=20 personal Web pages with photos and video, = blogs,=20 message boards, and instant messaging = features.=20

Top=20 of page

What should you be aware of when you join a=20 community?

Online communities require you to provide = personal=20 information. You'll be asked for at least a = user=20 name, e-mail address, and password when you sign = up.=20

In the interest of community building (and = commercial=20 marketing), the community might also suggest you = fill=20 out a user profile that includes much more = personal=20 information, such as birth date, your home and = work=20 addresses, home and work phone numbers, gender, = marital=20 status, occupation, instant messaging names, and = more.

Profiles are public. Some groups allow = their=20 members to view lists of other group members' = screen=20 names=97and sometimes their e-mail addresses and = full=20 profiles as well=97in a membership area on the = site. Don't=20 post information that you're not comfortable = sharing=20 with strangers.

Comments you post are permanently = recorded on=20 the community site. As you get to know people, = the=20 community might begin to feel casual and = familiar, and=20 you might be tempted to talk about your kids by = name,=20 mention where you work or live, or reveal = information=20 about valuable collections in your home.

You might even mention when you plan to be = out of=20 town. Even if you've been involved with a = community for=20 a long time, don't be lulled into a false sense = of=20 security.

Stay aware of how such information might be = used by=20 scammers of all kinds, both online and off, and = refrain=20 from sharing too much.

E-mail and phishing scammers count on = the=20 appealing sense of trust that is often fostered = in=20 online communities to steal your personal = information.=20

The more you reveal in profiles and posts, = the more=20 vulnerable you are to scams, spam, and identity = theft.=20 In fact, according to the United States' Federal = Trade=20 Commission (FTC), 86 percent of the e-mail = addresses=20 that are posted to Web pages and newsgroups and = 27=20 percent of the addresses that are posted to = message=20 boards receive spa= m.

Top=20 of page

How do these services help protect their = users?

Online community providers offer several ways = to help=20 protect you when you use their services, = depending upon=20 the kind of community you join.

Here are some features to look for when = you're=20 considering joining an online community:

=95	Privacy policies that explain = exactly=20 what information the service will collect = and how=20 it might be used.
=95	User guidelines that outline a = basic=20 code of conduct for users on their sites. = Sites=20 have the option to penalize reported = violators=20 with account suspension or = termination.
=95	Special provisions for children and = their=20 parents, such as family-friendly = options=20 geared towards protecting children under a = certain=20 age.
=95	Password protection to help keep = your=20 account secure. Be sure to c= reate=20 a strong password when you first sign = up to an=20 online community. When passwords are = misplaced or=20 forgotten, the service might use security=20 questions (such as "What is your mother's = maiden=20 name?") to help confirm your = identity.
=95	E-mail address hiding, which = lets you=20 display only part of your e-mail address = on the=20 site's membership lists. Some services = offer you=20 the option to hide your e-mail address=20 completely.

Top=20 of page

Additional tools to help protect = yourself

Depending upon the type of online community = you=20 subscribe to, other options might be available = to help=20 limit other group users' access to you, your = e-mail=20 address, and your posts, including:

=95	Filtering options: Offered on = blogging=20 sites, these tools let you to choose which = subscribers can see what you've = written.
=95	Anonymous post blocking: Offered = on=20 blogging sites, this option lets you block = anonymous replies to your blog entries, = denying=20 mean-spirited or abusive users the = protection of=20 anonymity.
=95	IP address logging: Offered on = blogging=20 sites, this service lets the site track = each=20 computer that posts comments on your blog. = Anyone=20 who is reported to be violating the site's = user=20 agreement by posting abusive comments can = then be=20 contacted and penalized if = necessary.
=95	Private communities: Some e-mail = distribution services let you create = private=20 e-mail lists. Once you create a list, you = are=20 designated as the group moderator and can = approve=20 who joins and who can write or receive=20 messages.
=95	Opt-out marketing options: These = give=20 you the choice of whether or not to = receive=20 special offers or telephone solicitations = as a=20 result of registering to use the online=20 community.
=95	E-mail address masking: Masking = involves=20 inserting a word or phrase in the middle = of your=20 regular e-mail address to help foil = automated=20 e-mail "harvesting" programs, for example: = someone@nospam.example.com. However, some newsgroup and bulletin = boards=20 services don't allow masking, and as = spammers=20 become more sophisticated, their = harvesting=20 software might be able to recognize a = masked=20 e-mail address.
=95	Alternate e-mail addresses: = Consider=20 using an alternate e-mail address for your = subscriptions to help minimize inbox=20 clutter.

Top=20 of = page

Help protect your privacy in online = communities

Types of online communities

What should you be aware of when you join a=20 community?

How do these services help protect their = users?

Additional tools to help protect = yourself

Related Links