Do I have the right to privacy on the internet?

You have a right to privacy in all aspects of your life. However, it is important to remember that once you place material on the internet, you have lost control over it.  No website is 100% secure, even websites where security is in operation and people need permission to access your details. Also, even if you delete the information, image or video, someone may have made a copy or downloaded the information before you removed it. 

Remember that information posted on the internet will live on long after you may have forgotten you put it there. Also, you should bear in mind that some employers have begun to check the internet and social networking sites in particular as part of their vetting process before offering jobs. 

What about privacy statements on websites?

It is important that you check the privacy statement on a website before you give any personal information. Sometimes, these privacy statements are long and written in technical language.  However, at the very least, you should check whether the website operators pass any of your information to others.  Some websites, including widely-used, popular websites, have the right to distribute anything you put on the website now or in the future.

What if I find something on the internet that I think is illegal?

You can report any suspected illegal material to the Irish Internet Hotline (see contact details at the end of this pack).  If you are not sure whether content is illegal, you should report it anyway and the analysts at the hotline will assess it. 

How do I protect my privacy on the internet?

There are many ways you can protect yourself online.

• Install and regularly update your security software.
• Do not give your email address when you are online, except if you are sure you are visiting a trustworthy website. This means you should not write your email address in an instant message, blog post or online comment.
• Do not reply to spam or suspicious emails.
• Read the privacy statement or guide of the website you are using.
• Don't open suspicious emails or attachments from people you don’t know.
• Don't click on links in emails that ask for your personal details.
• Use strong passwords (combinations of letters and numbers that would be difficult to guess) and change them at least every three months.
• Use different passwords for your financial accounts, email and online shopping.
• Never put bank details or personal information in an email.

Can companies monitor the searches I have made?

Search engines use what are known as ‘cookies’ to record the searches that are made from a particular computer.  These cookies can hold that information for up to 35 years.  However, the cookies do not connect you, personally, to the searches made. Instead, the cookies identify the computer from which you made the searches.  It is possible to deactivate the cookies on your computer. You can get information on how to do this from the help section of your web browser. 

What about children and young people using the internet?

The internet is a great resource for everyone, including children and young people. However, there are important issues to bear in mind when young people are using the internet.  The Irish Council for Civil Liberties has produced a teaching resource called Think Before You Click, which covers many of these issues. It is available to download free of charge from www.thinkb4uclick.ie.

The Irish Internet Hotline also provides advice and information for parents and young people about internet use (www.hotline.ie).  In addition, Webwise (www.webwise.ie), the Irish Internet Safety Awareness Centre, has resources that deal with the safe and effective use of the internet by children and young people.