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Top
Five Things You Need to Know
About Internet Privacy
- There is no such thing
as "absolute
privacy" on the Internet.
There is a wealth of direct
and indirect information about
Internet users available to
any Web site they visit. For
example, online registration
of software can send the
configuration and content
information of your personal
computer to the registering
entity. In addition, your
Internet Service Provider
keeps logs of the sites you
visit for a limited period of
time. This activity is seldom
monitored. However, they are
required to produce these logs
for legal authorities, if
requested.
- Most sites keep track of
visitor frequency and duration
in order to help customize
their content. Most Web
sites keep track of how their
visitors use their site. For
example, frequency of visits,
duration and selected links
all may be tracked in order to
provide users with the content
they most wish to access. The
Internet sites that provide
the highest levels of personal
privacy all publish an
explicit privacy policy. Sites
that do not have a clear,
concise privacy policy should
be considered suspect.
- Sites without clear,
concise privacy policies
should be considered suspect.
Users who are concerned about
safeguarding their privacy
should look for and understand
the privacy policies of the
sites they visit. The purpose
or intended use of any
information that is gathered
by the site should be fully
disclosed. A user should not
disclose any information to a
site if he or she has any
reservations about the use of
that information. For example,
disclosing a phone number or
e-mail addresses can give a
site a vector to public domain
sources of information on that
user.
- Employers may monitor
and log employee e-mail and
Internet access. Internet
users should also be aware
that workplace related e-mail
and Internet access is also
logged and frequently
monitored. Employers have
almost no exposure or
limitations with respect to
how they use this information.
- Internet users can set
up the browser software to
limit certain types of
disclosures and some
third-party attempts to
collect personal data.
Internet users can limit their
privacy exposure by simply
managing a few configuration
details in their browser
software. You can refer to
your browser's help function
or contact your browser
software provider for details
regarding the most secure
browser configuration. In
addition, users can further
limit their privacy exposure
by using software tools that
make their profiles anonymous
to the sites they visit.
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