Internet Security & the Online Disability Community

It's late on a Saturday night and since everyone from your usual chat room had something else to do and no one was there you decided to check out what's happening on IRC (Inter Relay Chat). You run into a really neat person and he/she is asking where you live and who you live with. Now if you've been in this situation I sure hope you've read up on your Internet security before answering those questions?

Most disabled persons have a fair amount of time that they can spend online. It's a wonderful environment for us to keep abreast of the latest developments on our medical conditions, and an easier way for us to socialize. You don't even need to take a shower to log online (unless you are using a computer camera when you chat). However, I do find that a lot of people that frequent online disability chat rooms aren't exactly up to date in their knowledge of Internet security and how to protect themselves from running into problems online. They tend to frequent the same chat room and get to know the same familiar people and when they venture into a new chat environment they tend to forget how vulnerable they can be and disclose personal facts too easily.

What sort of problems could they prevent with a little knowledge? Well, at one end of the spectrum the minimization of SPAM or abusive e-mail and at the other the unwanted attentions of an online "stalker." Let's face it, these situations are difficult enough to face if you are an abled bodied person but for a disabled person the risks can be more serious.

Most disabled persons I've run into online do tend to frequent medically based chat environments to do their chatting, and in the majority of cases these chat rooms are fairly safe to participate in. However, because these chat environments are to some degree specialized, they are not as busy as regular chat rooms. Disabled persons do tend to check out other more popular chat scenes to participate in. In these other chat environments, our disabilities are hidden from the other users. I would recommend they remain hidden unless you really know a person well.

So how do you increase your Internet Security I.Q.? My suggestion would be to visit the CyberAngels Internet Safety Organization. CyberAngels has information and links to everything you've always wanted to know about Internet security and safety. Their mission statement is to " Empower Internet Users Through Internet Safety Education." They provide you with the tools you need to protect yourself, and, in the case that you need to be protected, the resources to deal with an online problem. Remember that you don't have to be an Internet newcomer to run into problems. You just have to run into one nasty person and your online life can get pretty miserable . . . fast! CyberAngels can prevent that from happening and make your online time enjoyable and safe.

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