Teens

1. Teens Top 10 Checklist to Protect Your Personal Privacy Online

2. Top 10 Checklist Summary • Locate and Review Security Settings on Social Sites • Think Before You Post to Social Sites • Understand GPS for Your Mobile Phone • Use Caution with Links, Downloads & Apps • Understand How Data is Protected on School Websites or Devices • Use Passwords • Limit Personal Information Provided Online • Be an Informed Online Shopper • Protect Your Devices • Know Your Email Rights

3. #1Locate and Review Security Settings on Social Sites • Who can see your information? • Direct connections • Friends of connections • Everyone? • Who can contact you? • Only connect with people you know

4. #2 Think Before You Post to Social Sites • Don’t post your full date of birth, phone number or home address • Choose your comments and pictures carefully; once you’ve posted it’s out there forever • People who can see your content may share with others beyond your “friends” or connections • Don’t publicize your specific travel dates

5. #3 Understand GPS for Your Mobile Phone • Pros • Using maps • Can emergency services find you? • Can your friends or family find you? • Cons • Can someone follow you / stalk you? • References: • https://www.privacyrights.org/fs/fs26-cellprivacy.htm • To disable geo-tagging – http://icanstalku.com/how.php#disable

6. #4 Use Caution with Links, Downloads, & Apps • Use caution when downloading information from links in email • Links may contain viruses or malware that you don’t want on your computer • Consider who sent you the email with links • If unsure, mark as spam and delete • Purchase apps from legitimate sources and avoid offers for “free” apps • Read the terms of use, especially about what information is used or shared • Understand what personal information the app can access

7. #5 Understand How Data is Protected on School Websites or Devices • If you register for classes on your school’s website, read the Privacy policy to learn how your information is protected. • If you lease or borrow a computer (laptop or tablet) from your school, ask about the rules for content accessed or saved on the computer • Does the device have a camera? • What happens to pictures taken with the device? • Can you / should you remove all content before returning the device, or will the school wipe the memory?

8. #6 Use Passwords • Use passwords for your computer, phone, tablet • Make your password memorable for you, but not easily guessed • Set your devices to require a password after a short time of inactivity • Reference: https://www.privacyrights.org/fs/fs23-shopping.htm

9. #7 Limit Personal Information Provided Online • If a website asks for personal information, does the request make sense? • Look for and read the disclosure about how your personal information will be used before providing it • Is payment card information saved on the sight? • Will your email address be shared or sold to others?

10. #8 Be an Informed Online Shopper • It’s typical to provide payment card information for an online purchase but consider • Site security (look for https in the url or a lock icon on the page) • A credit card is a better choice for payment that a debit card (broader protections if you have a dispute with the seller) • Many sites offer to save your payment card information to make future purchases easier, but avoid this option to reduce the number of places your payment information is stored • If you have concerns about the site, call customer service to place your order over the phone • Resources: Credit Card consumer protections: http://www.privacyrights.org/fs/fs32-paperplastic.htm#3

11. #9 Protect Your Devices • Virus and spyware protection • Security software (even when it comes loaded on your new computer) must be kept up to date to protect you against the newest threats. • Resource: www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine-archive/2010/june/electronics-computers-security-software/overview/index.htm. • Peer-to-peer file sharing • Software allows groups to share files but may expose files you don’t intend to share • Resource: www.onguardonline.gov/topics/p2p-security.aspx. • Limit what you do using unsecure Wi-Fi • Never leave your computer unattended at public wi-fi locations • Limit secure transactions,always check for encrypted site (https) • Resource: https://www.privacyrights.org/fs/fs36-securing-computer-privacy

12. #10 Know Your Email Rights • You can unsubscribe from unwanted emails • Emails from businesses or organizations selling or offering something (commercial emails) should have an opt out link or instructions for stopping future email; take the time to formally unsubscribe • You can mark unwanted email as spam • This may not stop future emails but will generally direct them to your spam folder when they arrive, rather than your main inbox • There are some emails you will receive as part of your online transactions; generally you cannot unsubscribe from these, but they should recap a transaction or provide a notice you’ve requested • Order confirmation • Notices from your bank • Reference: www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0262-stopping-unsolicited-mail-phone-calls-and-email