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With each new and improved aspect of Internet surfing and online privacy, comes new and improved ways to steal information. Learning what to share and when or when not to share, is the key.

How information is collected

Cookies – for Internet users, cookies help users gain access to websites not attainable unless users accept them. These cookies consist of data stored on the user’s computer. Developers can use these tracking cookies to track a user’s activity on the Internet, connecting them to a user’s social networking site profile. A profile can give clues to a member’s browsing history. Ads targeted for that user, based on their internet activity, will appear alongside their social networking profile.

Even though the majority of businesses use cookies for legitimate purposes, others will use them for malicious reasons.

Uploaded Photographs

With so many technological and scientific advancements in the area of crime solving, digital photography is no exception. Studies showed that people could use profile pictures on social networking sites to locate and track an individual. Pictures taken by iPhones include the latitude and longitude, a feature that owners do not always disable manually.

Search Engines

Users may reveal personal information while utilizing search engines. Search engines can use the terms entered or even the time a user performed a search to gather information. Ironically, search engine developers admit to retaining information in order to prove a better service or to protect users from fraud.

Log-Ins

To protect information obtained by sites requiring a user to log in, users should always log out and either clear history and cookies, or set your browser to automatically clear all passwords, log ins, and Internet history each time a user closes the browser.