Betty teaches you the importance of keeping your OFFLINE identity separate from your ONLINE identity

Betty

Betty
Cyber Defender & Clubhouse Supervisor

Betty learned the hard way about sharing too much information online when rumors she had spread through her online blog upset some of her friends. Since then she has made it her goal to educate everyone about what information is inappropriate or unsafe to share online to prevent others from getting hurt.

As a Cyber Defender, Betty focuses on the most important information you should never share online, your offline identity.

Favorite Quote:

A stumble may prevent a fall
- English Proverb

Favorite Food:

Tea and crumpets

Interests:

Chatting, macrame, collecting teacups

December 20 2007

Personal Information: Hidden Personal Information

Photos and videos can have all sorts of personal information in them that you could reveal without even meaning to if you post them online. This information could be used for identity theft or cyber bullying, or it could even reveal your offline identity.

You could give away your school or a location you like to visit often by posting a photo of that place. A photo of you wearing a school or team t-shirt, a scout uniform or baseball cap could help a Cyber Criminal figure out what your interests are and even where you'll be after school. Why, I just had to give a stern talking-to to a friend of mine who wanted to post a picture of a flower in her front yard. She didn't even realize that in that photo you could see her house address, the name of her street, and her car's license plate number!

Before you click, check each photo thoroughly and don't post any that reveal personal information! Blur out or alter any risky parts, or better yet, don't post them at all. If you need to share a photo with a friend, show it to them in person. It'll be easier to talk about, too!

posted by Betty
topics: Personal Information

December 18 2007

Omni's Dark Secret

This is what Nils told me.

A long time ago, Commander Omni used to be Ex-Commander Nils' partner. They would often talk about the future of the Internet. It was Commander Omni that got Nils thinking about becoming the Master Hacker. They both agreed that the Internet should be free and open to everyone. That the Cyber Defense Force was restricting the Internet too much. They created elaborate plans for how they would change things. He said Commander Omni was working toward the exact same goal that he was.

posted by Betty
topics: Miscellaneous

December 12 2007

Cover-up

Commander Omni must have gotten wind that I've been asking around about her past. She politely asked me to stop. She told me that no good would come of sharing what I've learned. What Nils told me must be true!

posted by Betty
topics: Miscellaneous

December 11 2007

Safe Online Communication: Safe Online Profiles

I sincerely hope that none of you are lying about your age and signing up for social networking sites. When you are old enough to have an online profile, please be sure that it's a safe one!

You have control over what you put in your online profile, so be sure to give it some serious thought. It can be very tempting to provide as much information as possible, but remember how risky even the smallest facts can be? Just entering your birthday and zip code when signing up reveals your age and what city you live in. You're only a few more bits of information away from revealing your whole offline identity!

Before you click, check over everything to make sure you're not revealing any personal information. If you can't alter photos to protect your offline identity or personal information, than don't post them. Don't post anything you don't want your parents, teacher, or a weirdo stranger seeing. They can, and they will. Don't post anything that you're not prepared to have in Cyberspace ten years from now, it will still be there when you're applying to college or your first job and they will look for it!

I tell you, Cadets, it keeps me up at night sometimes worrying about you sharing too much personal information online. Just remember that when you post it in Cyberspace, it is stuck there permanently. Anyone in the whole world could find it!

posted by Betty
topics: Safe Online Communication

December 6 2007

New Source

I've been digging around trying to find the specifics on Commander Omni's dark secret. Ward is keeping his mouth closed. Maya and Keen have never heard of it. And I'm certainly not going to ask Commander Omni herself. So that leaves me one last source, Ex-Commander Nils.

He told me a story, but I'm not sure how much of it is true. I need to do some fact checking before I go public with this.

posted by Betty
topics: Miscellaneous