Internet Safety Tips

We know that parents are concerned as the internet has introduced a whole new way for the young to interact. Where once it was word-of-mouth exchanges with friends and acquaintances in a school environment this has now been broadened astronomically. It now includes a much wider and looser definition of 'friends' locally and afar. And 'friends' who might not be friends but masked characters bringing unacceptable or repulsive interactions.

The net is an enormous communications advantage over previous generations. It is so valuable in exchanging information and knowledge that is accessible with the click of a few keys. But it has some very scary and socially unhealthy disadvantages that parents and kids should be aware of. Shrewdly camouflaged friendly and helpful temptations can turn out to be very harmful experiences.

From Instructify: Archive for the ‘Internet safety’ Category
At school access to the internet is monitored, there are often black lists of inappropriate sites, filtering systems and supervision by teachers and staff. But when the students get home this changes. The parents do not have access to the extensive resources and tools available to schools. So to help the parents we recommend that a simple three step rule, the 3 i's of internet safety. Read more . . .

FBI's Internet Safety Tips For the kids:
There are some very important things that you need to keep in mind when you're on your computer at home or at school.

• First, remember never to give out personal information such as your name, home address, school name, or telephone number in a chat room or on bulletin boards. Also, never send a picture of yourself to someone you chat with on the computer without your parent's permission.
• Never write to someone who has made you feel uncomfortable or scared.
• Do not meet someone or have them visit you without the permission of your parents.
• Tell your parents right away if you read anything on the Internet that makes you feel uncomfortable.
• Remember that people online may not be who they say they are. Someone who says that "she" is a "12-year-old girl" could really be an older man.

Lots of information and resources at the FCIC Internet Safety and Social Networks
Thanks to the Internet, you can order books, clothes, or appliances online; reserve a hotel room across the ocean; download music and games; check your bank balance 24 hours a day; or access your workplace from thousands of miles away. The flip-side, however, is that the Internet, and the anonymity it affords, can give online scammers, hackers, and identity thieves access to your computer, personal information, finances, and more. But with awareness as your safety net, you can minimize the chance of an Internet mishap. To be safer and more secure online, adopt these seven practices:

• Protect your personal information. It's valuable.
• Know whom you're dealing with.
• Use anti-virus and anti-spyware software, as well as a firewall, and update them all regularly.
• Make sure your operating system and web browser are set up properly and update them regularly.
• Protect your passwords.
• Back up important files.
• Learn who to contact if something goes wrong online

Social Networking Online
Social networking sites are the hippest new "meet markets," especially among tween, teens and 20-somethings. While these sites can increase a person's circle of friends, they also increase exposure to people with less-than-friendly intentions, including sexual predators.
Much more at the FCIC . . .

Loyalty Club Cards Annoying

It's troublesome to have a wallet stuffed full of cards and to rifle through them for the right one at the checkout.

But are they worthwhile? They appear to be. If you don't use your card at the supermarket you will lose out on points that can be used for rewards. A local major chain supermarket has gone one step further and displays 2-priced tags on very many items, regular and card price. You carry and use their card or pay much more. So much for choice? I do have their card and purchase about 2% of my groceries there, choosing to shop almost anywhere else.

Card programs cost retailers money to set up and operate. Where do these costs come from if not from the price of the goods sold to cardholders and others? I see nuisance not bargains, with advantage on the side of the retailers in the collection of purchasing data. There are also concerns about privacy. As customers pass through the checkout personal purchase information is transmitted and recorded.

Loyalty programs are structured marketing efforts that reward, and therefore encourage, loyal buying behaviour — behaviour which is potentially of benefit to the firm. Other critics see the lower prices and rewards as bribes to manipulate customer loyalty and purchasing decisions, or in the case of infrequent-spenders, a means of subsidising frequent-spenders. Commercial use of the personal data collected as part of the programmes has the potential for abuse. It is highly likely that consumer purchases are tracked and analyzed towards more efficient marketing and advertising (in fact, this can be one of the purposes of the loyalty card.) To some, participating in a loyalty program (even with a fake or anonymous card) funds activities that violate privacy. There has also been concern expressed regarding RFID technology being introduced to loyalty cards. Read more on Loyalty Programs at Wikipedia.

Loyalty card almost leads to wrongful conviction for arson.
The records of a man's purchases compiled by a supermarket loyalty program almost led to his wrongful conviction on arson charges in Washington state। A veteran firefighter was suspected of the crime and his Safeway Club Card revealed a purchase of the store-brand firestarter। He was arrested in October and what would have appeared to be a slam-dunk prosecution had to be abandoned when someone else came forward and took responsibility.
Canadian Privacy Law Blog: Loyalty . . .

Consumer Reports finds not many rewards programs are worth the effort. Their July 2008 issue offers tips to select the right programs and reap the most rewards.

To keep shoppers coming back and spending more, supermarkets, drugstores, warehouse clubs, gas stations, bookstore chains, and many other retailers are pushing points programs.

About 85 percent of U.S. households participate in at least one rewards program. A recent poll of Consumer Reports Money Adviser subscribers found that 41 percent of the newsletter’s subscribers carried three to five such cards, 9 percent had six to nine of them, and 3 percent somehow found room on their key rings or in their wallet for 10 or more.

Katherine Albrecht at CASPIAN asks: Why shouldn't I use a fake card?
It is a selfish solution. It acknowledges that there is a problem, but leaves the problem for the next person to solve -- or more unconscionably, for the next generation to solve. If we were living in a totalitarian regime where open resistance would mean jail or persecution, I could understand pretending to play along. But when the problem could be solved RIGHT NOW if everyone opposed to shopper surveillance would simply speak up, playing along removes you from the ranks of the potential solution.
More . . .