Internet Safety
> Viruses, Scams, Hoaxes, Online Transactions, Hacking, Spamming, Adware, Spyware, Identity Theft ! Is the Internet not safe anymore?

The internet can be a safer place if you take the time to educate yourself. Just like driving a car, you need to know about the rules of the road, especially when driving in a strange country. The internet is a very strange place indeed, and the language of computers may be just as unfamiliar to many. Not only do you need to know the rules of the road, you also need to know how to protect and maintain your car (er, computer) to have a worry free journey in cyberspace. When you educate yourself, you can avoid most of the common pitfalls. Read on!

Internet Safety Education
Developed by Calgary Police Service and Shaw, click here for their Internet Safety Series online videos , featuring current information on: Future Technology, Email Security, Chain Letters, Identity Theft, Chat Rooms, Phishing, Internet Fraud, Safe Surfing, Meeting Online Friends, Online Transactions, General Precautions.

Online Sexual Exploitation of Children
Cybertip.ca is Canada's National Tipline for reporting the online sexual exploitation of children. It is a centralized web portal for receiving and addressing reports from the public regarding child pornography, luring, child sex tourism, and children who are exploited through prostitution. Cybertip.ca also provides the public with information, referrals and other resources to help Canadians keep their children safe while on the Internet. Visit cybertip.ca

Identity Theft
Solicitor General of Canada - Identity Theft has become a growing concern. The Solicitor General has issued a Public Advisory: Special Report for Consumers on IDENTITY THEFT. Read the Advisory here

To report an incident of identity theft on the internet, contact PhoneBusters at 1-888-495-8501

Hacking
Hacking is when unauthorized access is gained to a computer by advanced means. The RCMP has published material on this growing crime. Read more about hacking on their website.

Theft of Telecommunications
This commonly refers to theft of satellite signal, telephone, or microwave but also encompasses computer crime. You can read more about theft of telecommunications on the RCMP website.

Spamming
Spam has become the vast majority of traffic on the internet and has been described as the greatest future threat to the internet. This is mainly because of the sheer volume that can overload servers and prevent you and I from receiving legitimate email messages. The Government of Canada has some information about Spam on their website. Read about it here.

In recent news, ISPs (Internet Service Providers) have been cracking down on spammers. Since it's so hard to track them down, they still have a long way to go.

Online Transactions
Shopping or Banking online can be terrifying if you don't know how to protect yourself. From buying prescription medication to internet commerce, the Government of Canada has provided a number of informational articles and links to help you ensure proper security. Read more here You may also want to read a brochure by Alberta Government Services Shopping on the Internet (PDF document)

Adware and Spyware
Adware is first noticed by many users as the annoying little programs that often operate on your computer without your knowledge. Usually, you'll also notice your computer has suddenly gotten quite sluggish. This is because all those little ads you don't even know are running have been using up your resources.

You may have gotten Adware when you downloaded that free little utility program or when you clicked to get rid of another annoying ad. This malicious type of advertising has spread quickly in recent months and may generate pop-up messages even when you are not surfing the net. Adware crosses the line and is known as Spyware when it monitors the computer users behaviours and sends the data back to the software company. Spyware removal programs are commercially available to help with this problem. Beware of online "free spyware removal" offers that pop up on your computer. They are likely spyware themselves.

Popular Filtering Software
Some popular programs are NetNanny, CyberSitter and CyberPatrol. Recent studies have questioned the effectiveness of many internet content filtering programs, so parental monitoring is essential.

Reporting Internet Crime
If you receive any suspicious information over the internet that you want to bring to the attention of the Medicine Hat Police please send an e-mail message to "hatcybercop@medicinehat.ca"

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