10 tips for safer instant messaging

Posted at December 27, 2009
Windows Live Messenger
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1. Never give out sensitive personal information, such as your credit card number, social security number, or passwords, in an IM conversation.

2. Only communicate with people on your Contact List or Buddy List.

3. Never agree to meet a stranger in person whom you’ve met on IM. (I can’t agree with this, there are many interesting people on the IM, I think meet them is ok. But the place for such a meeting is very important, and, we should meet him/her with our friends.)

4. Never accept files or downloads from people you don’t know. Never accept files that you weren’t expecting from people you do know.

5. Each IM program assigns you a name, not unlike an e-mail address. This name is usually called a screen name. Choose a name that doesn’t give away your personal information. For example, use SassySue instead of DetroitSue.

6. Monitor and limit your children’s use of IM. If you sign up for the MSN Premium service you can approve all of your child’s contacts before she can instant message with them. You’ll also get a report of your child’s online activity mailed to you each week. Check the MSN Messenger Web site for more information on the parental controls included in the MSN Premium service.

7. Just like an e-mail address, don’t post your screen name online. People might find it and use it to send you unsolicited IM messages。 （right！I used to post my email and screen name everywhere–and I receive hundreds of bunk emails everyday. If you have to leave your email or screen name on the internet, post it in a picture so that the search engines can not collect your information, for example: )

8. Don’t send personal or private instant messages at work. Your boss may have a right to view those messages.

9. Most instant message programs allow you to automatically logon when you startup your computer so that you don’t have to enter your password every time you want to use the program. If you use a public computer, make sure not to configure your IM program for automatic logon.

10. Be careful how you reveal when you’re online or not. IM programs allow people on your contact list to see if you’re available. However, using this feature may offer people more information about you than you feel comfortable giving. Windows Messenger and MSN Messenger both allow you to control how you appear to people on your contact list. Read Control Your Online Status Using Windows Messenger and Set Your Online Status.

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