This article was published in 2011 and updated in October 2026.
Protecting yourself online isn’t only about antivirus software. The information you and others share about you — on social media, in apps and on websites — can be used for scams, identity theft or simply to damage your reputation. The good news: protecting your personal information costs little more than a change of habits. Here are three essential ways to protect yourself online.
1. Control what you share — and what others share about you
Every detail you post can be collected: your birthday, address, workplace, holiday plans, photos of your home or your children. Criminals use such details to guess passwords, answer security questions, impersonate you or know when your home is empty.
- Review the privacy settings of your social media accounts and limit who can see your posts, friends list and contact details.
- Think twice before posting your location in real time, travel dates or photos that show personal documents.
- Ask friends and family not to tag you or share photos of you without asking, and use the tag-review options many platforms offer.
- Give apps only the permissions they really need, and delete accounts you no longer use.
2. Be careful who you connect with
Not everyone online is who they claim to be. Fake profiles are used for romance scams, investment and crypto fraud, phishing and sextortion — blackmail with intimate photos or videos. Be cautious with friend requests from strangers, people who quickly push conversations to private messaging apps, ask for money or gift cards, or pressure you to share private images. Once something is sent, you lose control over it. If you’re being blackmailed, don’t pay, keep the evidence, report the account and contact the police.
3. Keep an eye on your online presence
Regularly search for your name to see what others can find about you. Set up a free Google Alert for your name or your business, so you’re notified when new content appears. Google’s Results about you tool can alert you when your phone number, address or email appears in search results and lets you request their removal; in the EU you can also ask search engines to delist outdated or irrelevant personal information. For businesses, it’s worth managing your online reputation actively.
Don’t forget the technical basics
Use strong, unique passwords with a password manager, turn on two-factor authentication, keep your devices updated and be wary of links in unexpected messages. Read our guide on how to improve your internet security for the details.
Julie Hayes
Oct 03. 2011
Probably the most common ways on getting a virus or other harmful spyware on our computer is through the internet or by downloading files on the internet. Its best to know how to avoid them to protect our PC.
James
Oct 03. 2011
So informative things are provided here,I really happy to read this post,I was just imagine about it and you provided me the correct information I really bookmark it,for further reading,So thanks for sharing the information.
admin
Oct 03. 2011
You’re welcome and thanks for stopping by my blog 🙂
techatlast
Oct 03. 2011
Thanks to John Thoma for this nice information that he shared in this post to enlighten us more about online security. Thanks to Salman too for publishing it.
admin
Oct 04. 2011
You’re welcome … buddy !!
Patricia, promotional products
Oct 07. 2011
Cool blog. Very useful for me. Thank you very much for sharing.
admin
Oct 07. 2011
You’re welcome …
Sally Brown
Oct 08. 2011
Thanks for this post. I am going to check ‘me on the web’ since I wasn’t aware of this before. I also purchased a ssl certificate to help. Sally
admin
Oct 08. 2011
Good to know that you found it useful … Anyway thanks for stopping by my blog
high intensity focused ultrasound
Oct 09. 2011
I just want to emphasize that you should be careful of the information you entered online. Identity theft is rampant in United States. According to the recent study, they utilize Facebook in order to get your information. So always be mindful of your personal information and just add friends that you know, not just random people.
ElectronicsNews
Oct 13. 2011
Excellent informative sharing, great ideas, It’s an awareness to all about their PC.
Steph
Oct 31. 2011
I am looking to get permission to use the photo of the keyboard in the post for an exhibit that I am creating. Is this possible?
admin
Nov 01. 2011
You’re required to give credit to the original author of the image
sandeep Kumar
Dec 09. 2011
Thanks for sharing such a nice Tips for online security….
admin
Dec 10. 2011
You’re welcome ….Thanks for stopping by my blog
Waseem
Feb 06. 2012
Again very nice and valuable information, you choose most important matter to discuss as online security is a major concern to keep ourselves safe.
WebDesign
Apr 09. 2012
Thanks for the post. Saved so much of my time! 🙂
kiran
Mar 25. 2013
good post