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 Thu Feb 15, 2007 15:28 pm How do you protect your personal information? |
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Hi Englishuser,
Since I’m not a counterspy I have nothing to worry about.  But I’m acquainted with many programmers who keep my PC saved from hacking. |
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 Pamela
I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 14 Mar 2006
Posts: 1238
Location: Rf
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| Thu Feb 15, 2007 15:57 pm How do you protect your personal information? |
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Hi Pamela,
Thank you for your post. The fact that you don't hack other people's computers or engage in criminal activities does not mean other people wouldn't be interested in your personal information. You never know what people could do with paper documents you throw away, for instance.
There is no way of keeping a PC safe from hacking apart from not connecting it to the Internet or intranet networks.
Englishuser |
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Englishuser
I'm here quite often ;-)
Joined: 06 Jun 2006
Posts: 806
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| Sat Feb 17, 2007 23:39 pm How do you protect your personal information? |
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| Englishuser wrote: | | Data security and privacy threats are prevalent in today's society. |
Could you please explain us what society you are referring to and why you think that privacy threats are prevalent in that society? Also, how exactly do you define a 'privacy threat'?
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Torsten
Learning Coach
Joined: 25 Sep 2003
Posts: 8256
Location: EU
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| Sat Feb 17, 2007 23:57 pm How do you protect your personal information? |
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Nope, no shredder and I only burn things if I happen to need some paper to get a fire going. Do you have a paper shredder, EU? Do you burn things? What sorts of things do you find it necessary to burn and/or shred?
| Quote: | | There is no way of keeping a PC safe from hacking apart from not connecting it to the Internet or intranet networks. |
You may be in for a rude awakening in this day and age of wireless everything. |
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Yankee
I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 16 Apr 2006
Posts: 8265
Location: USA
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| Sun Feb 18, 2007 16:50 pm How do you protect your personal information? |
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Hi Torsten,
You asked what society I was referring to earlier in this thread, and why I think that privacy threats are prevalent in that society.
I think people's privacy is at great risk in virtually every society in the World. Only members of very remote communities are less at risk than members of most other communuities, and someone who lives in such a (remote) community could rarely participate in online discussions.
People's privacy is threatened mostly because so many personal and sensitive items of information are kept on computer harddrives and other digital media that could potentially be accessed by determined computer whizzes.
Englishuser |
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Englishuser
I'm here quite often ;-)
Joined: 06 Jun 2006
Posts: 806
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| Sun Feb 18, 2007 16:56 pm How do you protect your personal information? |
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Hi Yankee,
In answer to your question, yes, I do shred quite a lot of things. As a rule, I destroy any documents or digital media containing personal information or sensitive personal information relating to myself or other people. Occasionally I am required to shred documents so as to comply with the Data Protection Act.
As for keeping a non-networked PC, I dare say it works very well for me: I keep one for accessing the Internet and another one for dealing with personal and sensitive personal information.
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Englishuser
I'm here quite often ;-)
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| Sun Feb 18, 2007 19:11 pm How do you protect your personal information? |
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| Englishuser wrote: | I think people's privacy is at great risk in virtually every society in the World. Only members of very remote communities are less at risk than members of most other communuities, and someone who lives in such a (remote) community could hardly participate in online discussions.
People's privacy is threatened mostly because so many personal and sensitive items of information are kept on computer harddrives and other digital media that could potentially be accessed by determined computer whizzes.
Englishuser |
Hi Englishuser,
What do you mean by 'sensitive items of information'? I wonder what kind of data you are talking about. Also, who in your opinion is threatening the privacy of the world? Is a secret organization or are you referring to 'computer hackers' (whatever that term might mean). Do you have any concrete examples to back up your claim or are developing some kind of your own private conspiracy theory? Are you trying to hide your true identity because you think that somebody might be stealing value information of yours?
_________________
Test Of English for International Communication
TOEIC Preparation & TOEIC Vocabulary |
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Torsten
Learning Coach
Joined: 25 Sep 2003
Posts: 8256
Location: EU
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| Sun Feb 18, 2007 19:53 pm How do you protect your personal information? |
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Hi Torsten,
Thank you for your post and your questions. I will try to answer them below.
| Quote: | | What do you mean by 'sensitive items of information'? I wonder what kind of data you are talking about. |
I do make a distinction between confidential, personal and sensitive personal items of information.
Confidential information includes information such as bank account numbers and passwords. Personal information includes information about for instance your family, date of birth, occupation and street address/adresses. Sensitive personal information includes, but is not limited to, information about a person's religious beliefs, union membership or non-membership, sexual orientation and medical situation.
| Quote: | | Is a secret organization or are you referring to 'computer hackers' (whatever that term might mean). Do you have any concrete examples to back up your claim or are developing some kind of your own private conspiracy theory? |
No, I am not developing what you call my own conspiracy theory. It is a fact that criminals and some other people are or could be interested in finding out things about individuals that you as an individual wouldn't like to share with other people. Most of the time we're talking about people accessing somebody else's bank account without permission or some sort of 'identity theft'.
| Quote: | | Are you trying to hide your true identity because you think that somebody might be stealing value information of yours? |
I don't know exactly why you're asking that question, so I will tell you what I think you'd like to know. I do not reveal my real name or location publicly in the forums because I feel I have the right to participate in online discussions without having to tell people who I am. It really is that simple. I've made a decision, and I feel I am free to decide what information I wish to disclose about myself. Most other members of the forum do not tell us that much about themselves either. I don't think you can expect anyone, with the possible exception of the site owner, to tell people exactly who they are. |
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Englishuser
I'm here quite often ;-)
Joined: 06 Jun 2006
Posts: 806
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