Security Breach Warning

To all teenagers who go on the internet;

Look, I don’t really have a myspace, facebook, etc. myself. When some program or whatever asks for too much, I normally give them some fake information unless it’s trusted. (I.E. name-Victor Ian King & location-Somewhere over the rainbow) Yeah, I’m one of those “can’t be too careful” types of people, but there are reasons for you to not just say, Hi! I’m ___, I live ___. You probably already know why, but I’ll say so anyway. Sexual predators, people who try to threaten and scare you for fun and people who attempt to make you look bad, on the internet and in the real world. Myspace and Facebook are nice sites and all, but you should probably know a few things about them.

First of all, Myspace has approximately 29,000 registered sex offenders on its site. That’s actually only .016%. No typo. Also, the terms of service on both sites also say that when you give them your information, it’s their property. (Like you read the terms of service at all.) Facebook even had a feature that would allow any user to know what another user has been doing on their website and such. Its users rioted, and the feature was changed around quickly. Another issue is that people have copied other people’s websites to try and steal their identity for various reasons. Groups of people have even attempted to install fear in others by finding out their information and threatening to hurt/rape/kill them. Some people might actually go so far as to try doing that.

What you should probably try doing to defend yourself is to check and make sure that a site is credible enough to give your information to before you do so. Don’t think that someone is safe unless you really know them in real life. But still, try to avoid telling people your information. People can also pretend to know you in real life too. Be careful. Also, don’t open suspicious files and e-mails and stuff. Your information could be obtained from your computer, as well as all of the stuff on it. Make sure you have a virus protection program, because you don’t need to tell someone your information to lose it. On last thing, prevent your friends and family from giving away your information, because their information is your information most of the time. (Like your school, state and maybe your house)

Don’t get too freaked out about this, but do be aware. And another thing, you should probably tell your friends and family and such to do the same. If your friend spews out your name all of the time, then he might be giving away his own information away, including his school, which is probably your school. Or at least your state. My name may be out on the internet, but there are seriously thousands of people with my name.
This site is why I’m not afraid to tell you my first name.
www.howmanyofme.com – you are not alone.
Just be aware, and don’t think it can’t happen to you. (Unless you don’t have an e-mail address, which probably isn’t true if you are reading this.)