1. Giving out any more personal details than absolutely necessary is "madness". You might have to give out certain details while creating an account with an email client, but otherwise, keep personal details like Name, Address, etc with you. It is recommended to give out fake names and addresses on websites you will use only once. Similarly, it is wise to create a separate email account which acts like a pseudonym that you use when filling up forms.
2. Making online payment transactions is a big deal. Whether you like it or not, the website stores your credit card information, because it has to. Therefore only use very trusted websites while buying or selling.
3. Install good antivirus software and scan the computer everyday. Scanning is essential every singly day so that any spyware, adware or malware will be detected in time. Antivirus software allows you to schedule scans and updates. Ensure you do both regularly, ideally everyday.
4. If using MS Windows, go to Start > Control Panel > Firewall and ensure the firewall is turned on. Firewall screens all incoming internet connections (all those tiny updates and messages you keep getting). The firewall will also have an ‘Exceptions' tab. This tab allows you to make exceptions for all those internet connections you want to receive. For example, if you use iTunes and want to avail of updates whenever possible, you can make an exception for iTunes. Windows Vista has much more advanced security options.
5. A lot of the data you send and receive over the internet is stored on your hard drive in a folder called temporary files. Mostly these files are cookies, which are saved by the websites you visit on your computer. Although not dangerous they do imply a little security threat since they contain information about you and what you did on your visits on a particular website. Therefore, periodically, it is recommended to delete all items in this folder.
   

Reading the statistics for identity theft over the past couple of years leaves you with the blueprint for what you must do to protect yourself in the upcoming year(s). The statistics that were released in 2008 should show you what is happening online and therefore the need for real precautions when it comes to our transactions on the internet. If you are doing business online, as many people are, or you use personal information in any sphere on the Internet, what can you do to protect yourself?

There was a twenty one percent increase in the number of consumer fraud and identity theft complaints between 2006 and 2007. This information was a part of the statistics that were released during the 2008 year by the Federal Trade Commission. There was also a loss of more than one billion dollars from these complaints during that same time frame. Even more devastating were the statistics that sixty five percent of victims did not file a police report. Of the remaining victims, twenty seven filed an accepted police report while eight percent tried to file a report that was not accepted by the police. 

One thing is very clear from these findings and that is that victims are not fighting back. The lack of real reporting on these crimes can only encourage the thieves to continue their practice of stealing your money. If you have been the victim of identity theft, it is imperative that you report the crime, not only to catch the criminals, but to serve as a warning to others who may fall victim to the very same crime. 

Pay attention to reports of identity theft and scams that are distributed online. The more aware we all are the more difficult it is for thieves to conduct their business. There are a number of businesses that will help you protect your identity and keep watch over your financial information. Make use of these services and watch your credit report and information very carefully. At the first sign that someone is using your name or financial information for their own purposes, report it. We must improve on those statistics for 2009 and put the thieves on notice that they will not have the cover of darkness any longer. 

If you are concerned with your safety while you are online, you might stay away from the many contests that are available to you on the Internet. Using a service that will keep your identity and IP address anonymous on these sites will give you the freedom that you need to enter these contests with confidence. Many of the contests are real, but there is really no way of knowing without opening yourself up to all kinds of dangers.

When you use a service that hides your identity while you are online, you can enter the contest regardless of any research that you have done on the site. Anonymity Gateway gives you the ability to do just that. When you are able to enter these contests safely and securely, you will feel you have a much better chance of winning one of them.  

The prizes that are available are quite tempting and you can get in on all the really great offers. The site for Anonymity Gateway has some very good tips for handling yourself while you are online. If you use the service to keep your identity anonymous and follow all the tips that are outlined on the site, you will be able to enter some really great contests with renewed confidence.

While the service will not guarantee your win, it will leave you free to enter the contests without worry. Contests online are a numbers game and the more that you are able to enter, the greater your odds of winning something on one of them. When you have a security measure in place, you will be increasing your odds of actually winning a contest when you have the ability to enter many of the various contests available online. 

Take some time to protect yourself while you are online and check out Anonymity Gateway. Protecting yourself online is a simple process, but it is an absolutely vital one if you are going to protect yourself against identity theft and numerous scams that exist online. 

Before asking ourselves about the possibility of having global online privacy we have to ask ourselves if we need to have global online privacy on the Internet?

In spite of the amazing growth of Internet usage, concerns about online privacy protection seem to be the primary concern of Internet users. This might become an obstacle to the diffusion of the Internet and the future growth of e-commerce. Therefore, understanding users' privacy concerns has become a main issue in the academic, business and government fields. Researchers try to establish what kind of information net users would like to disclose in terms of their gender, education, computer literacy and so on. 

When studying online privacy protection, there is a new concept involved. It is global privacy. In the Internet setting, privacy risks come not only from domestic companies but also from multinational companies. The boundaries of countries disappear. Several countries recognize the importance of data protection on the Internet and seek global cooperation. 

For example, the European Union (EU) and the United States have had a long debate about personal information protection obtained on the web. Thus, the EU sees online privacy in terms of human rights while the U.S. regards it as a business contract between Internet users and companies. 

However, is it possible to have so called global privacy without considering regional differences? Is it possible to have a global standard of online privacy protection? 

These are only a coupe of questions that we will try to find the answer in our future posts.