I love the internet. But there is no amount of love you have for
something, a time might come when some element of hate might creep in.
The coming of the internet in the early 90s changed my life all
together – thumps up for Sir Timothy John ‘’Tim’’ Berners-Lee for his invention
of the World Wide Web. I started off by going to internet cafes to surf
the internet. I fell in love with the internet and how it works. I loved most
the fact that I can get virtually any information from the internet.
My love for the internet grew when I bought my first internet
internet-enabled phone, then a laptop, then a modem and then a blackberry
phone. My knowledge base became immeasurable. Getting information on virtually
any topic became just a click away. Afterwards, opened my Yahoo email account.
Communication became swift. Then I opened my Facebook account. In no time, I
reunited with many of my lost friends and relations. Wao!!! With time,
sophisticated gadgets entered the market one after the other - tablets,
smartphones, iPhones, sophisticated satellite dishes and much more.
At work, the internet became a wonderful assistant. As an
academia, the internet has really boosted my data base and confidence. It takes
me seconds to source for any information - I mean any information. The
internet has been a remarkable assistant in all spheres of live and discipline
- medicine, architecture, arts, engineering, security, communication,
agriculture, entertainment, oil exploration, education and much more.
As I was enjoying this wonderful creation of man, some people, in
secret places across the globe were scheming on how to use this creation to
create pain in the heart of other internet users. Cybercrime is now common
place. Hacking is now a means of livelihood. The most alarming and the height
of it all is DEATH arising from internet-related activity, namely ONLINE
DATING AND SOCIAL NETWORKING. The latest one is the murder of Cynthia
Osokogu, a 25 year old Nigerian student, by friends she made via
Facebook on July 22, 2012. In fact, her death prompted me to put this blog post
together.
Social networking sites like Facebook, Badoo, Tweeter, and MySpace
are wonderful creations of man. For me, it has really closed up the distance
between me and my friends and family members scattered all over the world. But
unfortunately some users of these networks have refused to follow one principle
(Biblical) that has guided me through life so far. What is it ? TRUST
NO ONE !!! Yeahh TRUST NO ONE !!!
One fact is clear - whatever precaution one takes can still
be broken. But another greater fact is that is worse and very dangerous when no
precaution is taken at all. When you go by my principle :-
*You will not release very personal details online such as bank
account details and PINs
*You will not give details of your credit cards online without
caution
*You will not go and visit a stranger you only know online without
security arrangements
*You will not disclose your actual locations to a stranger
*You will not discuss very intimate work details to a stranger
*You will not agree to marry a “stranger’’ you got to
know online
*You will not end up being deceived by the photos you
see online, especially profile pictures
*You will avoid flamboyant photos online
*You will not accept friend requests on social networks
without caution
The above are some of the precautions you and I could take to
avoid being victims of internet criminals. Living a carefree life can really
expose us to a lot of risk. So much money, properties and worse of all, life,
have been lost through internet-related criminal activities.
HAPPY SURFING!!!
Related posts :
..caution is the watch word....
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