Giving Out Too Much Personal Information

What kinds of information do you give out over the Internet?

• You might start out with your age, sex, and location. Maybe throw in your first name and a few likes and dislikes.
• Did you know you've already crossed the line if you've given out your last name, birth date, and/or school name?
• Some of you are really bold and will go as far as to post your addresses, phone numbers, class schedules and your photos.

You have just drawn a map to your exact location in 'real life' that can be accessed by anyone, including people who would harm you or steal your identity.

Now why would you do that?

Maybe you just want to be down with the latest and meet cool people online. You give out all your vitals so people will know what you're about and drop you messages, add you as their 'friend', or IM you?

"I have a right to post what I want."

• You're not in control of your personal information like you would be if you had written it in a real diary. Once you put it on the Internet in a blog or a personal profile site, it becomes public domain.
• Everything on the Internet can be recorded and saved. So when you're revealing all of your personal information online, you might want to ask yourself if you're comfortable with people you don't know, your family members, teachers, law enforcement, and even future employers looking at this information.
• Internet predators are looking for you and they don't need your permission to contact you or use the information you put out there to come looking for you.

"I know better than to meet up with someone I don't know offline."

We all agree that meeting cool, new people can be fun, but on the Internet, you just don't know who's on the other end. Seriously, it could be someone who will try to hurt or harm you. They know what they're doing and they definitely do their research - on how to get YOU to trust them.

It's not too late to quit being bait.

So you posted a few too many personal details. What's important is that you've made an awesome choice to keep yourself safer on the Internet. All you have to do is take down any vital information you feel is taking things too far.

Be smart >> Stay in control of YOUR information >> Make safer choices >> Ask yourself "How much is too much?"