5 laws of life online

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Anything you say or do will become public. Absolutely everything can be learned about you. And this is no longer paranoia, but a harsh reality. It's time to learn the laws by which life on the Internet functions.

The data leak from the Ashley Madison website, which is designed to find a partner for the purpose of adultery, has put at risk not only famous people, but also those whose privacy has never been of interest to the public. The editor-in-chief of The Verge, Chris Plante, believes that it is time for all of us to understand what is happening on the Internet and learn the rules of conduct in it.

As in the case of the Criminal Code, ignorance of the laws does not excuse one from responsibility.

Rule # 1

Always keep in mind the fact that anything you say or do can become public.

Rule # 2

Don't be fooled by the strength of your passwords and privacy settings. They create the illusion of safety and make you forget about rule number 1.

Rule No. 3

Remember, context and data are often the same thing. Each of your posts on the Web answers several questions:

Who did? (It is you.)
What did you do? (This is the data you posted.)
When did you do it? (Time to add data.)
Where did you do it? (The site you checked in.)
How? (What device was used in this case.)
What for? (The purpose of the site.)

Rule No. 4

Imagine that all your credit card transactions are recorded in a huge ledger that could one day become publicly available.

Rule No. 5

Trust that your data does not disappear anywhere if you delete it.

Sooner or later, everything becomes fashionable. And soon you will be able to say that you were paranoid before it became mainstream. Take comfort in the fact that now everyone can join the club of celebrities who have lived in constant fear for the safety of their personal lives for decades. We are now stars ourselves, we ourselves will create reasons for gossip. It's time to get used to the idea that all actions - in real life and online - have consequences.