With many of us investing so much effort and time in our “online” lives, it’s no wonder that we’re protective of our internet personas. Just as in “real life”, it’s important to maintain and develop an online identity, especially when we lack the same in-person contact that we enjoy in our daily, family lives.
When you have a blog, you create a brand… a reflection of your identity and the “self” that you present to others on the internet. It’s something that must be nurtured and cared-for, is just as fluid as your “real” self and under just as much, if not more, scrutiny.
Vigilance is an important part of protecting your identity online. For example, I’m aware of another blogger who uses the term “lipglossiping” as a verb and a means of identifying with her blog and her brand. This means that in Google searches, the term will include search results that link a reader to her website, directing traffic away from mine. It’s not the most dastardly case of identity theft you’ll ever come across but it’s not entirely innocent either.
If I were so inclined, I could trademark the term “lipglossiping” and instruct my solicitor to send a stream of cease and desist letters. It’s a costly but valid way of protecting an online identity.
But what about your “real-life you”? How do you protect that when your identity falls into the wrong hands, one with more sinister intentions?
It can be extremely distressing, not to mention time-consuming… clawing back and unravelling the threads of this very personal crime. Identity theft is sadly an all too common side-effect of internet use and in many cases, you’ll know nothing about it until it’s too late to stop it.
That’s where the People’s ID Bot Project can help. Powered by Experian, the Facebook Page serves to alert its community of the latest security news and breaches, learning and growing from the marvels of (safe) social-sharing. Users post about their own experiences of identity fraud while case-studies, infographics, and other word-spreading tools help fight the battle against online scammers. It also serves as a feedback portal for the latest tool in identity protection: the IdentityProtect ID Bot.
Whether you fall foul of an internet virus, a security breach in one of your favourite websites, or even just find yourself sharing a little too much about yourself online, the IdentityProtect ID Bot works to scan the web in real time, alerting you instantly if your personal information is at risk of being illegally shared, stolen or sold online.
Whether it’s phone numbers, addresses, bank details or even usernames… IdentityProtect can monitor the lot, all you need to do is tell it what to search for and you’ll be instantly protected. Isn’t that clever?
If you’d like to put to put IdentityProtect ID Bot to the test, I have 10 codes available for a FREE one-year subscription (worth £47.88) to the IdentityProtect ID Bot. I will allocate these codes on a first-come-first-served basis. If you would like a code, please leave a comment below or contact me via email.
I’d really like a code for my Mum please! She’s getting on a bit and signs up to all sorts of “promotions” online, I dread to think of the information she’s sharing.
I’d love one if you have any left! I do a lot of online shopping but am not very cyber aware!
I’d love a code please, if there are any left.
Do you still have any codes left? If so, can I please have one too?
^^^ Once again ladies, you have all been emailed. I have four codes left!
If you still have any codes left, I would be very grateful for one.
I’d love a code. I’ve fallen foul of being hacked and impersonated a couple of times now and it makes you feel so sad that someone would do that.
It would be great to have something like this to reassure yourself that you are being as careful as possible.
All those who asked/emailed have been sent codes, hope you find them useful!
If I’m right you have 1 code left? If so I’d be ever so grateful. It’s really naughty that the other blogger is using that term on her page!
I’ve emailed you a code!