Protecting Your Privacy Online (Sunrise, Ch 7, 2010-01-07)
00:00:00.000 | So how can we protect our privacy online? Let's ask Jeremy Howard who runs email hosting service Fastmail, Jeremy, good morning.
00:00:09.000 | When we talk about privacy on the internet, what should we be worried about?
00:00:13.000 | Well, I think one of the big issues actually is just education and apathy.
00:00:18.000 | It's an important topic for people to be aware of and it's not always working the intuitive way.
00:00:23.000 | For instance, yesterday I actually asked my hairdresser, I said,
00:00:26.000 | "What do you think is important in online privacy? Is it something you worry about?"
00:00:31.000 | And she said to me, "I don't have to worry because I don't do online shopping. I don't use my credit card on the internet."
00:00:37.000 | It's an interesting issue because in fact the credit card is maybe the one thing that's really safe.
00:00:43.000 | The banks don't want you to know this, but in fact if anybody else uses your credit card,
00:00:47.000 | you immediately can get a refund unless they can prove they've got your signature, your approval and you've received the goods.
00:00:54.000 | So maybe some of the things you think are a problem aren't, but on the other hand, running a big email service,
00:01:00.000 | I see a lot of really big problems in areas like social networking, in the browser and certainly also in email.
00:01:08.000 | Alright, Jeremy, let's start with sites like Facebook. How can we control what happens to the information that we put there?
00:01:15.000 | Well, look, always remember rule one of using the internet. Do you know rule one?
00:01:21.000 | Rule one. Whatever you put there and just assume everyone's going to see, would that be close?
00:01:24.000 | Rule one. Don't drink and type.
00:01:27.000 | Good rule.
00:01:28.000 | So, look, assuming you're sober while you're there on Facebook, I think it's still important to think about
00:01:33.000 | who's going to see this information sometime in the future.
00:01:36.000 | I know a lot of people, particularly in that kind of 16 to 24 age bracket, who put up stuff that I think in the future,
00:01:43.000 | they might be sorry they put up. I know as an employer, one of the first things I do when I get a resume come in
00:01:49.000 | is I take a look on the internet and see what I can find out about them, see what the real them looks like.
00:01:54.000 | So, be aware that what you put on the internet is going to be seen by lots of people.
00:01:59.000 | Also, be aware that sites like Facebook do give you privacy settings.
00:02:03.000 | Now, by default, most stuff you put up there is available for everybody to look at.
00:02:08.000 | But you can turn that off by going into the privacy settings.
00:02:12.000 | Alright, Jeremy, let's talk about email. Why is that so vulnerable and how can we keep it secure?
00:02:18.000 | Look, the big issue with email is that it was designed 30 years ago for academic and military networks.
00:02:24.000 | It assumes trust.
00:02:26.000 | So, for instance, when you get an email that says it's come from President Obama, it could have come from anybody.
00:02:31.000 | It's just like sending somebody a letter and writing on the back in the sender section sent from President Obama.
00:02:37.000 | That's how secure it is, not secure at all.
00:02:40.000 | So, just to answer your question about what can you do,
00:02:44.000 | all of the email companies and big senders at the moment are trying really hard to deal with the situation.
00:02:50.000 | And, in fact, a really interesting company called True Domain in America has actually set up a new service
00:02:55.000 | where they're tracking all of the reputable senders
00:02:58.000 | and they're getting them to sign, electronically sign, with mathematical algorithms their email.
00:03:03.000 | And, in fact, quite serendipitously, Overnight Fastmail, which is my company, became the first company in the world
00:03:09.000 | to start allowing customers to use this service.
00:03:12.000 | So, that's one kind of thing you could use to protect yourself.
00:03:15.000 | Sounds like something we should all look into.
00:03:17.000 | Yeah, but, I mean, regardless of whether, and I think all the email companies over time will start using this,
00:03:22.000 | regardless of whether yours does or not, just think about this.
00:03:26.000 | Before you click on a link, it's in an email, think carefully.
00:03:30.000 | Perhaps you don't want to do that.
00:03:31.000 | What would be much better would be to open up your web browser and type it in manually.
00:03:35.000 | That way you can be sure that somebody hasn't actually hidden something in that link or in that attachment.
00:03:40.000 | If it looks like it's come from a friend, tricky viruses pretend to come from your friends by using their address books, for instance.
00:03:47.000 | Jeremy, good tips. We'll try and remember all of those. Thanks for your time this morning, Jeremy.
00:03:51.000 | Thank you.