A safer internet

Today is Safe Internet Day - and all kinds of people and organisations offer advice how to use the world wide net in a safe way.

To me, it's just using your common sense. For instance, when you use Facebook (or any other social network), don't offer too much personal information. I just use Facebook to see what others do (and those 'others' being selected personally, only people I know) and apart from my name and where I studied there's not much to be found. Google knows well enough what we're doing, so why offer more information?

Well, I don't mind Google. I find it funny how soon after I've looked up a place, a destination, a hotel, etc. I see advertisements for just those places popping up everywhere I go. Doesn't do a thing to change my mind. Both my sister and I know what we want and nobody else is going to persuade us to think otherwise!

When I was still teaching (gosh, that's already two years ago!) I always told my students to be prudent on the web. Like one girl, who complained to me that she was being hounded by suggestive calls from guys she didn't know. I said: 'Just turn off you phone if you don't want them to call you.' Huh - she hadn't even thought of that! I do have  smartphone too, but I only switch it on when I want to surf the web or want to make a call. When I see something on Instagram or whatever, I block the person sending the message I don't like. Easy.

And by god, I never posted a nude picture any time. The thought! Private moments you share with those you love, not with the world.

And of course, never believe someone who's claiming 'to know something about you'. They don't. They're just after your money. The best way is to report this to the police - and yes, that once happened to me as well. Of course I wasn't feeling threatened, but anyway I filed a complaint and it was taken earnestly by the police officer who came to write it down.

And also don't believe those mails which promise you lots of money, or fall for the moves of people who hunt lonely people. They try to win your confidence, and then start asking for money. You hear enough about people who lost thousands of euro's to so-called sweethearts on the internet.