Identity Protection
The internet is deceptively anonymous, but this feeling of security that comes from a lack of physical contact is false, and can be wiped away in an instant. These days, you need to assume that whatever information you put online, people will find. The good, the bad and the ugly are all there if someone knows how and where to look.
The university strives to help you maintain your network security and privacy. Follow our rules, guidelines and suggestions and you should be able to avoid major problems while enjoying the internet.
As you view this page please click on a word if you do not understand it, or look for it in our Terminology section . If you do not know the definition of a word that is not included in our Terminology section, or feel you need more information, please contact us.
User ID and Password
Guard ALL your Information - Be very careful how and where you use your personal information online. In addition to guarding your social security number, credit card numbers, address and other personal information, you should have the same regard for the password that protects this information from outsiders. Don't share your password with others!
At NC State University you can choose to hide your personal information from those who search the university directory. Directory information is considered public information and will be released unless the student requests privacy suppression. All other information is considered private, and will not be released outside the University without the expressed permission of the student, as required under The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974. If you would like the security of this additional step, please login to PackTracks and choose 'Personal Info' - 'Privacy Block'.
Good Passwords are Vital - Be smart and creative about your passwords. It can be hard to keep up with all of them at once, but it's very important to be secure online, and in many cases, the password is the only way to do this. Always try to pick a password that is a mix of upper and lower case letters and numbers. Remember to change your password from time-to-time (once a semester at NC State) and do not tell anyone your password! Do not use the same password for multiple accounts or services. Remember- the more the account is used, and the more important it is, the more cautious you should be.
At NC State we have strict guidelines for password in order to help avoid compromised Unity accounts. Check out our guidelines, as well as password tips!
The Online 'You' - Always remember that as you use the internet you are creating an online identity for yourself. This collection of information should never be more than what you are comfortable with strangers knowing about you.
In some cases you may repeatedly use the same user ID within different websites. This ID is a representation of you, and a tie between all the sites that have information about, or photos of you. Remember that you need to use this representation of you responsibly; don't bully, harass or slander others in blogs, chat rooms or email. This type of behavior could be used against you later and penalties may be imposed under federal law.
If you believe someone is harassing you, contact the site manager to report it. Most social networking websites have a mechanism for reporting these types of offenses and it is important to protect yourself.
Photos and Other Personal Identifiers
Your picture - Think twice before posting a picture of yourself online. Remember that people may take a copy and "photo-shop" or edit it in some way. Make sure that it's a photo that would not embarrass you.
The photo may also have identifying features. Do not use it if the photo would give away your personal location or compromise your safety in some way.
Photos with others - Do not post other people's personal information. If you choose to post a picture, ask the other people in the photo if it's ok to use the photo and always ask before you give the names of others in the captions. Avoid mentioning private details about yourself or others.
Posting your daily life - Be cautious about posting information about your location or favorite hang out spots. This means avoiding the name of your school, street, clubs you visit or, in a small town, even where you live. When creating an ID, be sure that it doesn't tell too much about you: where you work, where you live or what you like to do.
Thinking Ahead Online
'Googling' you in 10 years... - Only post things that you would be comfortable with others reading. You never know if your parents, friends or a future colleague or employer will one day see the embarrassing and personal things you post now, or have posted in the past. Once something is online, it is very difficult to get rid of it and to be sure that it is gone forever. Even if information is deleted, older versions of the webpage with that information still on it may be saved on peoples computers or, for example, in Google (this is referred to as 'caching').
Meeting your online friends - Be very careful about people you meet in chat rooms. Remember that you know nothing about this person and anything they tell you may be a lie. Trust your gut; if something seems wrong, stop conversing with the person and notify someone if you are really concerned.
If someone you have met online asks to meet you in person, be extremely cautious. Consider whether you really want meet them, and never go meet anyone alone. Suggest you both bring a friend to the initial meeting to keep everything casual and safe. Always make plans to meet in a public place and be sure to let others know where you are going and who you will be meeting.
Diversion Tactics - Avoid SPAM. Don't pass your email address to unknown or un trusted users. In many cases you may need an email address to register for things online. Find and use an alternate email account for cases in which you do not want to give out your primary email address (read the site's privacy policy to see if you can expect SPAM from them). Free email accounts are easy to find these days, from sites such as Hotmail, Yahoo! and Google. Go to the site once a month or so to make sure you haven't missed anything important, and to keep the email account from closing (some sites may do this if you do not log in over a designated period of time).
If you're still getting SPAM, let NC State help you deal with it. We have filters that can be applied to your mailbox to move these messages to the trash. More university suggestions on dealing with SPAM can be found here.