Here’s the problem…
With the popularity of social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace, it becomes increasingly imperative we teach our children about protecting private information about themselves and their families.
Sexual predators, pedophiles and identity thieves prowl these and other similar sites constantly. They are targeting our youth, seeking a vulnerable point to glean the information they need to carry out their hideous crimes.
In addition to those with nefarious intent, employers are now checking these types of sites looking for information about their applicants. Imagine the effect of finding some compromising photos, or false braggadocio that will be taken as truth. That person's resume is in the trash bin.
The internet is not the only resource. Cell phones are another tap for extracting information- via text messaging, voice, or signal interception.
So, it seems pretty clear that we need to educate our youth about what they say and do when they interact with the public, even face to face.
What’s a Parent to Do?…
Privacy education should start at home.
Parents should take a look online and see what information about their children pops up on search engines. They should also be aware that “cyberbullies” may be spreading malicious information about their children on the internet.
Parents should counsel their children about what types of identifiers should be kept private, such as last names, phone numbers, social security numbers, addresses, locations, landmarks, school names (including mascot names), etc.
As for other information that can come back to haunt youth, this a good basic rule of thumb to impress upon them:
“If you wouldn’t want your parents, grandparents, or prospective employers to read it - DON’T WRITE IT.”
Once the information is out there in the open, there is no control to take it back.
Education In Schools & Communities…
The State of Delaware has taken a proactive measure by adopting the iSAFE program in its school districts. The program has grade appropriate curricula about privacy for use in the classrooms. At the high school level, the program includes sections about identity theft.
Other excellent programs are available via the International Association of Privacy Professionals. As part of Data Privacy Day, January 28, 2008, the IAPP launched an educational initiative aimed at our youth. They helped create and make available two presentations about data and personal privacy. One is aimed at secondary school students, and the other is for college level students.
These presentations can be offered in schools or to youth groups. Real estate professionals can find this an excellent way to get their name known as they reach out into their communities.
The real bottom line is this: The more ways we can educate our youth, the more we can emphasize an important message, the more heartache we can prevent down the road.
For more information about how to set up an education program in your area or schools, please contact me at stopidtheft@msn.com.
Paul Joslow is a Certified Identity Theft Risk Management Specialist for Information Security Consultants LLC in Townsend, DE. He gives educational presentations about Data Privacy and Identity Theft.
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