Are you anonymous online? Is your personal information safe?

That is a no to both of those. You are not anonymous online. There is some device that knows who you are and where you are accessing the internet. So, with the right information and the right access you can be tracked.

Thank about it this way, you ask your browser (Chrome, FireFox, Internet Explorer, Or whatever) to load up www.wireclub.com. And, it loads. Well, there is data that is going to the server and back to your computer. Each of these bits of information is cared by different hardware along the way. Your homes public internet address (IP) or your mobile device's IP is known. And, your provider can match this IP to your account.

https://www.whatismyip.com/ is just one website that will give you your ipaddress and what is public about it.

Also, http://ip.filefab.com/ is just another view. This shows the information that your browser gives to the webserver. Like, to wire, google, or whatever.

These sites do give you an area that has been assigned to that IP. For example, mine will give you somewhere in Michigan. Normally it is the city.

However you don't need to worry so much about people finding out who you are from that. Normally, it takes a legal action to get the matching IP and Account information. What we all need to be mindful of is the information that we provide or the information that the people we give our information gives it too. In other words, you fill out a form to when a prize from ABC-BoxStore. They can then take that information and sell it to other advertisers. Who, can then list it in a unsecured database that is searchable by the internet and therefore Google. Or, we signup with a social media company like Wireclub or Facbook.

When is the last time you put in your full name into the google box? How about your address, phone number, or other personal identifiable information. You might be surprised on how much stuff is really there about you.

Things you should know about personal online safety:

(1) When you create a Social Media account on Wire, Facebook, or any Other sites that is worth using, you must learn the safety options setup by the system.

(2) Setup the security to only allow those you want to see your information. Everyone, Friends, Friends of friends, People who have a Profile Pic, or whatever.

(3) Make a point to check the settings from time to time to ensure the options you picked are still what you want. Also, there might be new options to use.

(4) Try not to use the same picture on sites you don't want to be linked or found. There are many people who pull pictures off of wire to find out where else that picture is being used.

(5) Use google and other sites to verify what information is listed about you. There are many sites that you might be listed on that will take your information off once they are asked to. However, once its on the internet its on the internet. Just might be harder to find. There are sites that achieve webpages.

(6) Do not put anything on your profiles that you would not want your Boss to find out about. More companies are doing online searches of prospective new hires to find out has much about someone as they can.

This is not an all inclusive list. This list is off the top of my head. I been online since the late 1980s before there was pictures on webpages. Been doing techsupport and other computer related things most of my life. So, I pick up on some of these recommendations. I guess maybe I should look up some sources and make my English 101 and 102 teachers proud. However, these or my personal-Educated views so i don't think I need to prove these are good ideas. I believe they speak for themselves.

However, I was working for a Dailup company and did a little research on keeping kids safe online. I found this http://www.getnetwise.org/ website. Its been a long time since I really was on this site. But, it list things that we all should be mindful of.

Here is two places on wire that you need to know about to setup your security:
https://www.wireclub.com/settings/privacy
https://www.wireclub.com/settings/messaging

and Facebook:

www.facebook.com/settings?tab=security
www.facebook.com/settings?tab=privacy

Those are just two tabs from the settings. It is the users responsibility of a site to learn the security and privacy options and set them to what they feel is safe.

Img: is not mine.