Millions of people are traveling the Internet (a.k.a. Cyberspace). And as going online gets easier and more affordable, even more will venture into Cyberspace.

Because Cyberspace is an image on a computer screen, sometimes it is called a "virtual" world — not actually real. But travel anywhere has real risks and rewards. No matter where you go — even if you don't actually leave your home to get there — common sense and knowledge are your best travel companions.

Information — The Currency of Cyberspace

When you enter Cyberspace, you've arrived in a global marketplace stocked with products and services. But the Internet's major currency is information. You seek it from others. Others seek it from you. Marketers, in particular, want to know as much about you and your buying habits as you are willing to tell. Since some information may be quite personal, you'll want to know how it is gathered, how it is used, and occasionally abused. Just as you might carry cash in a secret pouch when you go abroad, you may want to protect certain information when you go online.

Information is gathered on the Internet both directly and indirectly. When you enter a chat room discussion, leave a message on a bulletin board, register with a commercial site, enter a contest, or order a product, you directly and knowingly send information into Cyberspace. Often, a web site may require information from you as the "toll" you pay to enter.

Data also can be gathered indirectly, without your knowledge. For example, your travels around a web site can be tracked by a file called a "cookie" left on your computer's hard drive on your first visit to that site. When you revisit the site, it will open the cookie file and access the stored information so it will know how to greet you. You may even be welcomed by name. If you linger over a product or a subject that interests you, it will be noted. And soon, you may see ads on the site that look as if they've been custom tailored for you. As web sites gather information directly and indirectly, they can collect a complete data picture of you and your family. This kind of information is valuable to marketers because it helps them target their sales efforts.

Travel Tip:

When you enter a web site look for a privacy policy that answers your questions about accuracy, access, security, and control of personal information, as well as how information will be used, and whether it will be provided to third parties.

Maintaining Privacy When You Travel

It's difficult to be anonymous once you've ventured into Cyberspace. Expect to receive unsolicited advertising e-mail, even personalized ads that seem to know you. This so-called junk e-mail can be a nuisance, even a scam. If it looks questionable, simply delete it. Check with your ISP or online service for ways to limit unsolicited e-mail.

As anywhere, Cyberspace has its share of "snoopers" and con men. Guard your password. It's the key to your account. People who work for your service provider should never request your password. If they do, refuse the request and report the incident to your service provider immediately.

When shopping online, be very careful about revealing your Social Security or credit card number and shipping address. Many web sites scramble or encrypt information like that to ensure the safety of your personal data. Look at the privacy policy for information about how the web sites you visit scramble or encrypt your personal data. This technology is improving rapidly, but still is not foolproof.

Concerns about loss of privacy are not new. But the computer's ability to gather and sort vast amounts of data — and the Internet's ability to distribute it globally — magnify those concerns.

To a large extent, privacy is up to you when you enter a web site. Look for a privacy statement. Sites that are most sensitive to your privacy concerns not only have privacy policies, but also display them clearly and conspicuously, offer you a choice to share your personal information or restrict its use, and explain how your information will be used.

Travel Tip:

Know who you're "talking" to. Don't give out personal information to strangers.

Travel Insurance For Cyberspace

Experienced cybertravelers carry a little "travel insurance" when they enter Cyberspace. Here are some tips from the experts:

Traveling With Children

Taking the kids on a trip into Cyberspace can be a rewarding experience for you as well as your children. Before embarking on your trip, you should know that web sites collect a significant amount of personal information from children, such as the child's name, postal and e-mail address, and favorite activities and products. This information can be collected by asking children to register with the site, join a kids' club, enter a contest or complete a questionnaire online.

The personal information collected is used to create customer lists. In some cases, these are sold to list brokers, who, in turn, rent the lists to other advertisers. (Often, this practice is not revealed. Look at a web site's privacy policy for an explanation of how the site handles your personal information.) Sometimes this information is posted on the web site in "guest books," members' profiles, chat rooms or on home pages hosted by a web site. Posting such information may enable others to contact your child, possibly without your knowledge. It's unlikely that you'd let personal information about your child be posted on a neighborhood bulletin board; exercise the same caution with electronic bulletin boards.

Children learn to use computers quickly, but because they lack life experience, they can reveal information you might not wish to share. That's one reason children should be supervised when they venture into Cyberspace. Here are some precautions you may want to take:

shopping-online-guide.com © 2002-2003 All rights reserved