Monitor Information Output
People are getting on to these social networking sites more and more as more people join. Maybe it is a just a “jump on the band wagon” type of thing, but never the less, these sites grow exponentially every day. As the sites grow, and people continuously ignore privacy settings and other safety precautions on these high risk sites, more and more personal and sensitive information is posted to the World Wide Web. This information can be used for just knowledge purposes, but it can also be used maliciously.
These issues are highly unpublicized and for the most part, only privacy advocates are concerned with the matters. Most people are blissfully unaware of the privacy risk their social networking web page presents to them and everyone they involve on it. Some people are going to try and teach the youth (and truly everyone) how to properly protect themselves on the Internet and these sites.
Enter the developer called Six to Start. Partnered with a local news station they are developing a game designed to teach kids about privacy, without the “teaching” aspect seeming so austere. The game is called “Smokescreen” and kids will be able to use their privacy as a defense system; the more things and information you put out there, the less your defense will be. The game rewards them also for not completely shutting off their release of information. Sensible things to put on your blog page, like name and interests, and maybe just COUNTRY of location.
While these programs have not been tested for effectiveness yet, it would only make sense that they succeed; kids like video games, but detest school. If you weave the schooling into a video game, they will love it. They will enjoy the video game not thinking it is schooling, but they will absorb the education none the less.
“Smokescreen” could be a potential winner. While it is still under wraps and no release data has been set, it is quite a concept. On top of this, it is slated to be free, and kids are always looking for free entertainment. Hopefully the program will take off, and educate many kids about their Internet use, and how much information they should put out there. Hopefully it will stop them from posting lewd pictures and getting themselves and their friends in trouble.
The program will certainly feature many different aspects of Internet safety. Perhaps they will weave in an anonymous proxy, and the advantages it provides. An anonymous proxy can keep you completely protected on the Internet through strong encryption services, that encodes all of your data to points where no hacker could break in. They also will ensure anonymous surfing by giving you a secure tunnel of access that no one could intercept and steal anything from.
