Practice Family Cyber Safety

Keeping Bloggers, Twitters and Social Media Users Safe

Just today, I was talking to my husband about web safety and publishing items on blogs, Twitter, Facebook and other social media sites. Oddly enough, when I came home to check email, Twitter and Facebook, I came across a direct message on my Twitter account from one of the people I follow. Twitter user Kate recently went through an awful ordeal with a hacker and published a lengthy post that has added depth to my post about Internet and computer safety.

Kate's Story

Kate has a very disturbing story about a cyber predator that took over her computer. She states in her post:
"He has fixated on me as the enemy, as someone who disseminates information he considers harmful. It's partly because I'm a mom, and for him that is not a comfort..."

She continues, "But what do I do now? As long as the threat was virtual, I felt safe. But now [he] knows my business address, my banking institutions and, most worrisome, my home address and phone number and where my kids live. Authorities have narrowed his location to a specific part of a specific state, and I’m somewhat comforted by the thousands of miles that separate us; but for some folks, miles are meant to be traveled. Is [he] one of those people?"

If you visit Kate's site you can read the entire story. I think we can all thank Kate for being brave enough to continue to post on the web and share her story with us. We all have to remember to practice common sense when on the web, such as using strong Internet passwords and running frequent computer scans for viruses, spyware, malware and trojans .

There are bad people out there using the web despite all the nice people you meet through social media. Make sure you think before you post a picture, tweet, or blog anything personal. Kate's story acts as a reminder to be vigilant and careful when using our computers and the Internet.

Net Nanny

Net Nanny is a program that should be installed on computers used by children. Net Nanny offers a reliable and comprehensive Internet protection solution, making the Internet a safe and productive environment for businesses and families. ContentWatch, Inc. states, "(Net Nanny) as an innovative company focused on delivering Internet protection solutions for families, libraries, schools and businesses. We provide top-rated, Internet Protection tools specifically designed for the non-technical user."

Please feel free to comment on other safety tips you practice when you blog, tweet or Facebook.

Practice Family Cyber Safety