Read the text below entitled 10 Ways to Protect Your
Privacy Online in order to answer questions 17 to
20:
10 Ways to Protect Your Privacy Online
Source: www.newsweek.com (Adapted) Oct, 22nd 2010
Up to a couple of years ago, I used to say that
the average person could protect his or her privacy
on the Web. Even as the founder of an online
reputation-management company, I believed it was
possible so long as you were willing to commit some
time doing it. Today, I tell people this: the landscape
of personal data mining and exploitation is shifting
faster than ever; trying to protect your online privacy
is like trying to build your own antivirus software
really, really difficult. But whether or not you have the
time (or money) to invest in the pros, there are a few
simple steps we can all take to reduce the risk to our
private data.
1. Do not put your full birth date on your social-
networkingprofiles.
Identity thieves use birth dates as cornerstones
of their craft. If you want your friends to know your
birthday, try just the month and day, and leave out
the year.
2. Use multiple usernames and passwords.
Keep your usernames and passwords for social
networks, online banking, e-mail, and online shopping
all separate. Having distinct passwords is not enough
nowadays: if you have the same username across
different Web sites, your entire life can be mapped
and re-created with simple algorithms.
3. Shred.
If you are going to throw away credit-card offers, bank
statements, or anything else that might come in hard
copy to your house, rip them up into tiny bits first.