How can people find me on the Internet?
It’s a good rule of thumb to assume that anything you put on the Internet could be discovered. Even if you are sure your profiles and email are safe, there are computer hackers and computer spyware that could potentially access your information. Read more about this on our Internet Security page. You might want to Google your name and see what comes up. If your name is something very common, then try modifying your search by including some other kind of basic identifying factor like the city you live in, for example “Jane Smith New York City” or “Jane Smith Salem High School.” This will give you an idea about how easy it could be for someone to find you on the Internet.
Here are some ideas for staying safe.
• For any account that you create such as an email account, an online banking account, or a Facebook account, use a strong password and keep it private.
• Limit the amount of identifying information you use like your birth date, address, full name, etc. This will also help prevent identity theft.
• Be careful about what you post! Consider the articles you post to your profile, the pictures you put in a Facebook album, etc. These things say a lot about you, your interests and possibly your whereabouts.
Can I prevent someone from finding my Facebook through a Google search?
UPDATE JUNE 2010: It used to be possible for Facebook users to choose to have their information with held from appearing on Internet searches, like Google. With the new Facebook privacy policy that is no longer possible.
To be continued…
