Friday, February 20, 2009

Public, not Private

PUBLIC AND PRIVATE
Public refers to information that is okay for anyone to knowabout you. Basically, they are unable to contact you.
Private refers to infomation that is personal and is revealed to online strangers via Friendster, blogs and MSN. This information allows online stalkers to track you down.

Information revealed online is PUBLIC not PRIVATE. Think TWICE before posting any information!

Inspirational use of Blogger

Inspirational use of Blogger:
1)Keeping in touch with close friends via a class blog.
-Friends are able to spend time together and bond with each other better.
2)Using blogs as a forum.
-Discussions of certain issues are now made more convenient and easy.
3)Using blogs to express our feelings.
-Other people are therefore able to make changes in their behavior through the blogger's personal experiences.
4)Promote good values.
-People are able to be motivated and do things the right way.

Interesting Facts

Interesting Facts of Blogger:
1)Blogger was created by Pyra Labs of San Fransisco in 1999 by Evan Williams and Meg Hourihan.
-At first, blogger had been raising little money. After a couple of years, Pyra Labs ran out of money and went bust. Fortunately, they were able to survive narrowly. Since then, the company have been built up and the service has been kept going continuously.
2)Blogger was completely re-written in 2002.
-This is to license other countries in the world.
3)Blogger was acquired by Google in 2003.
-Since the acquirement, blogger has been focussing on people having their own voice on the web and organizing the world's information from the personal perspective.
4)Blogger was never realeased with business projects in mind, nor with a focus on the internal web server's content.
-It was built to make it easier for people to publish online, no matter where one's content was hosted.

Case Study

Case Study:

Posting entries on a blog is usually a pleasant activity and some people managed to do a real business out of it. However, publishing messages on a blog sometimes may bring you more trouble than you have ever expected according to recent reports concerning a blogger who may go to jail due to comments posted on his blog. The 24-year-old Chinese man who put racist comments on his blog may spend up to three years in prison, the Singapore Police Force said in a statement. However, he may only get fined because he has already admitted he was wrong when he posted the comments online and said he'd publish a public apology.The Chinese man was arrested at his home in Paya Lebar Way while his computer, suspected of being used for posting the comments on the blog, was also seized. The Singapore Police Force said that the maximum punishment for such an action is three years in prison.It seems like the blogger's remarks concerned a man met in the Singaporean public transportation system but no information about his race was made public. Moreover, the Singapore police didn't reveal the name of the blog, so we can't know for sure whether it was already closed or not.The Singapore Police Force officials underlined the fact that such comments must be stopped because they are considered illegal and residents who post such content on the web may get in serious trouble as the authorities are always ready to take attitude against them.

CW Tips

Cyber Wellness Tips:


1)Be Street-Smart
While the net has many positive uses, you need to learn to be street-smart and avoid the dangers. This is important because parents cannot protect you like in the real world!
2)Be Responsible and Respectful
The internet is a powerful tool because we can reach and influence millions directly. Therefore, it is important for every user to be responsible and treat others with respect.
3)Achieve Balance
Use the Net with balance to enhance your real life and not to replace it.
4)Embrace Inspirational use of Internet
Embrace inspirational use of the Internet as technology can improve the society when used appropriately.

Take note that you should have a COOL identity!
COOL stands for:
-Cannot reveal Gender and Age
-Original
-Out of this world
-Something that you Like

Any information revealed online is PUBLIC! Once you placed the information online, it is:
-Freely accessible to any one
-Not within your control

Practice SELECTIVE DISCLOSURE of information. There is no need to lie in order to protect yourself. You become a liar if you habitually tell lies!

Blogging safely

Tips to blog safely:
Listed below are some tips on how you can blog safely:

1) Do not reveal your gender and age.
Most online stalkers target young female bloggers to be their victims.
2) Do not have an online profile.
Personal details stated in online profiles may provide insight into physical locations and habits. These personal information may assist someone interested in pursuing you.
3) Post anonymously and practice selective disclosure of information.
Posting a blog anonymously will help protect you from unwanted attention. There is no need to tell a lie in order to protect yourself. You become a liar if you habitually tell lies.
4) Avoid personal or identifying details.
Do not post about locations that you will be or about areas you live near.
5) No photos.
Refrain from posting a picture. This will protect you from unwanted attention.
6) Avoid inappropriate dialogue.
Engagement in dialogue can be interpreted in a way that it was not intended. If the dialogue makes you feel uncomfortable, disengage from the dialogue and refrain from further posting.

Friday, January 16, 2009

Blogging Risks and Dangers

Dangers of Blogging:

A blog is an online diary or a personal chronological Web log of thoughts published on the web. While blogging provides a humanizing effect on news and journaling, it also opens a window into our personal lives. Cyber stalking is everywhere. It allows online stalkers to prowl for victims. Very often, many bloggers have been targeted by online stalkers and become victims. In this blog, you will learn how to identify possible cyberspace risks and surf safely by taking personal responsibility.
Always remember that just because you do not have a dialogue with someone does not mean that they are not reading everything that you write. Many people merely lurk online and don't engage in comment posting, but do read what is written. Your audience could be much larger than you realize.
Internet content is timeless, and keep in mind that even if you remove content, it might be archived or syndicated. If you do not want something read, do not post it to the Internet.