By Carissa Hohmann
TX. Weber High
We live in an "easy access" world. We like things simple, we like things fast, and we don't have time for complications.
In our fast-paced, frozen-pizza lives, we often eliminate even the complications meant to protect us. Time is one of our biggest worries, so without a thought, we often gamble with our own security just to gain a few more precious seconds.
This flaw is especially true when it comes to the Internet. Many teens think of the Internet as one big playground. And why shouldn't they?
The Internet is a place where things can be bought without spending gas money, friends can be talked to without making eye contact and homework can be done without library books. It makes things fast, simple and, consequently, perfect for us.
But that assumption is wrong.
Internet accounts also hold loads of personal information, and information means power. As intimidating as it sounds, it's true: Nothing can be bought without a credit card number, no registration can be completed without a date of birth, and no friendly e-mail can be stored without personal information enclosed. The Web knows a lot about you, and it could turn on you at any moment
You're probably thinking, "I am smart with my information," so this doesn't apply to you. You know there are safeguards to protect your parent's credit card number every time you order off eBay. You don't pass important personal information and numbers out like cookies while on the Web. Up to this point, you probably think you're pretty savvy.
However, only one thing is stopping the whole world from accessing any information you have ever given out or received on the Web, and that one thing is a word -- your password.
That single word has more power than you think.
Many teens -- and adults -- fail to think of their passwords as gateways to highly personal information.
"My good friend has my passwords," said Weber High junior Logan Bell. "I trust her, so I know that she wouldn't, like, tell anyone in the world about it."
Yet, if your password were to fall into the wrong hands, culprits could easily begin their games of manipulation and deceit. Once inside your account, anyone can be you. They can read messages you've received, delete messages so you'll never receive them and even write nasty messages with your own good name attached.
To save time and hassle, passwords are revealed over cellphones, taped to the monitor of the family computer, programmed automatically into systems and shared nonchalantly with best friends.
Those are some of the worst mistakes you can make, security-wise. You never know who is listening when you are on a phone. Believe it or not, you might not be alone when you believe you are, people might be listening when you trust they're not, and you might be talking louder than you think you are.
You may still be thinking you always know who's on your computer, who's listening and who you can trust, so none of the above applies to you. You are wrong.
People can be curious, people can be tempted, and people can be brutal. No one really knows what other people are capable of.
Do not share your password, even with your closest friend. High school is an especially vulnerable time for manipulators, and keeping your business to yourself is one of the finest precautions you can possibly take to protect yourself.
Prevention is the best way to avoid complications, which just waste time. So, do yourself a favor and save time -- and, possibly, money -- by taking the time and effort necessary to keep your passwords safe. It's simple, and it might save you a lot more time than it ever cost you.
That's right, it's going to save you time and energy, and we all know how much we like the idea of that.
Carissa Hohman will be a Weber High senior this fall. E-mail her at pariskrod@msn.com.
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