Adults Need Internet Safety Lessons Too

We all seem to know the dangers of the internet. We have preached to our children about stranger dangers, and internet safety. But as adults, knowing full well not to give out private information, are we unknowingly endangering our loved ones and others.

As a parent, I occasionally check on my children, and their internet sites. Sometimes I get carried away, look at their friends sites, or my own friends sites. I see a really neat picture of Jane. I don't know Jane, but she looks interesting. Before long, I am reading Jane's profile, looking at her pictures.

On one such adventure, I noticed something which upset me. A Father with his own Myspace page, unknowingly gave out personal information that could endanger his daughter, if the wrong person was looking. His page was not private, so his profile was public. Just by reading his page, I learned what town and state he lived in, his only daughter was 13, her first and last name, and some of her friends.

His daughter on the other hand, had her page private, with no personal information given.

Since this man live in my own town, I grabbed the phone book and looked him up. There it was, his address.

I did some further checking on my own children, to see if their safety was at risk. I was amazed at what I found. School activities that list, names, grades, teacher, school location. I found Time lines, and Genealogy sites, with our families personal information. Everyone in my family is listed. My children, their spouses, grand kids, birth dates, maiden names, photos, the list goes on. It all seems innocent. As I read over the information, I realize how easily it is for anyone to obtain our private personal information.

This person unknowingly may, or may not endanger loved ones, and friends. All because they unknowingly made private information public on their site.

Check your information. Are you endangering someone you love unknowingly?