Protecting Your Personally Identifiable Information
Every time you log on to a favorite website, play an online game, make an online purchase, or use social media, you are sharing information about yourself. Some of this information is harmless. Other times this information lets people know more about you than you want. We all have Personally Identifiable Information (PII) that others can use to figure out who we are, what we do, and even where we live. Sometimes you may be sharing it without realizing it.
Personally Identifiable Information (PII):
PII is information that can be used to identify you. You should NEVER post any of this information online.
Examples include:
- Your last name
- Address
- Phone number
- Email address
- Social-security number
- Usernames and passwords
- Date of birth
- Your residence
- Family members' names (brothers, sisters, children, grandchildren, or others)
- That you are home alone, including being on vacation (when your home might be unattended)
- Pictures that can be used to identify you
Private Information:
Private information is information that can be used to identify you.
Examples include:
- Your favorite food
- The sports teams you like
- Your opinion- if done respectfully
- Pictures of your pet
- Favorite music
- Favorite movies or books
It is NEVER safe to share private information online. You would never give your private information to a stranger you met on the street. Posting private information on the Internet makes it accessible to strangers as well as people who may want to do something illegal or inappropriate with the information.