Online Reputation Management and Internet Privacy New Year’s Resolutions

It’s that time of year again. Yes, time to reflect back on the previous 12 months and determine what you’d like to do better. Time to put your best foot forward in the year to come, keeping in mind new goals, things you’d like to keep the same, or items you plan to do only slightly different. We at ReputationDefender like to put our best foot forward in the new year too – our digital foot – so we’ve compiled a list of seven simple to-do items to keep our online reputations spotless and protect our digital privacies. Feel free to follow in our footsteps!

1. Turn on cookie notices in your Web browser.

Cookies are information that websites can store on your computer, preventing you from having to type in the same information every time you visit a website. Some cookies are used to monitor what types of sites you visit and items you buy online, a process called data mining, A few browsers, including Netscape and Internet Explorer, allow you manage cookie settings and select what cookies you’d like to have or not have on your computer. Also, you can use easy-to-find cookie management software, such as www.adsubtract.com for Windows.

2. Know your online privacy settings and use them.

This is a simple yet effective idea and an opportunity for you to learn a little about how protected – or unprotected – you really are. Recently, we shared a complete guide to Facebook’s updated privacy settings. Check them out here. Here’s a helpful website for turning on privacy settings for MySpace. It’s a good idea to explore the settings of each site before you begin actively using them.

3. Use a temporary credit card number for online purchasing.

Though the Christmas rush to purchase presents online is past, it’s always a good idea to follow this suggestion. Call your credit card provider to determine if they can issue a temporary number with a preset spending limit and impending expiration date. To stay even more secure, try and pay with cash whenever possible.

4. Set up a separate account for your personal e-mail.

If you haven’t done this already, it’s time. Work e-mail isn’t safe. Besides the fact that you may accidentally share important company information with outsiders, employers often have the legal rights to view the information in your account. If they don’t like what they see, you can be fired. Signing up for a free account with Google’s Gmail or Microsoft’s Hotmail is quick and easy to do, and often accessible from work.

5. Make sure you’re using strong passwords and protecting those passwords, or change your passwords altogether for the New Year.

Avoid passwords that can easily be guessed, such as your last name, spouse’s names, date of birth, etc. Vary your passwords from site to site and change them occasionally. A secure password is one of the most important parts of maintaining a secure identity on the web. If you don’t have strong passwords already, make some today. After all, there’s no time like the present!

6. Update your online profile.

Keep your online reputation fresh and updated with information you want people to know on websites you use regularly. Renew your public profiles on LinkedIn and other professional web pages, blogging sites, and social networking platforms with new work information, achievements, hobbies, links, and more. Keep people in the loop with the info you don’t mind sharing.

7. Be extra wary of any information you enter online.

This is more of a general tip to keep in mind throughout 2010 and beyond. Even if you’re using a social networking website, that doesn’t mean you have to share all there is to know about you. Taking the cautious route isn’t a bad thing at all. You should only enter your information into sites you know and trust. Treat websites like you would treat your e-mail. If you see spam, delete it. There are plenty of phony websites that shouldn’t be used at all.

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