Cyberbullying: How Oversharing Can Make You A Victim

Many have suspected that Kim Kardashian’s oversharing about her life on social media may have helped contribute to her armed robbery event that happened in Paris earlier this month, and according to NordVPN, a data encryption service, it could have played a factor.

In a recent press release, they tell a similar story about Brianna Wu, a game developer who moved out of her home two years ago because she no longer felt safe there. Wu had been receiving death threats on Twitter by members of the GamerGate community, which escalated her concerns to actual fear when one tweet confirmed that her home address was detected by the bullies.

“Oversharing personal information online – such as one’s home address – is one of the reasons why cyber-bullying can come into the physical world and truly threaten people’s lives and property,” says NordVPN. “Cyberbullying persecutes the victim everywhere they go, and even their home cannot be a refuge anymore.”

While many people have concerns about privacy and identity theft, many still give out too many personal details online even if they don’t mean to. To help fight cyberbullies, NordVPN offers the following advice to keep you and your family safe.

• Anyone can be a victim of identity theft and yet research shows that many don’t believe that it will actually happen to them. One study showed that up 56 percent of the respondents felt that way.

• While it may be true that “what happens is Vegas, stays in Vegas,” it is also true that what is posted online stays online. Posting drunken photos on Facebook when you’re in college will still be there years later when you’ve become a respectable businessperson. Rule of thumb, refrain from posting anything you think might have the possibility of haunting you later in life.

• There is really no good reason to give all your personal information on Facebook or something similar, yet people have been known to post their address and phone number and then even go as far as making the mistake of telling the world when they will be going on vacation!

• Then there are those who share too much about their personal drama online as well. According to one study, people who share too many hurt feelings online tend to get bullied by others. If something is bothering you that bad, it would be better to pick up the phone and call a true friend rather than express yourself to the Twitterverse.

• Although it can be pain and difficult to remember a dozen or so different passwords, it could save you a bigger headache down the road. Don’t use the same password for every computer program you use and change them from time to time. Be sure to use numbers and character symbols too and avoid using common words that can be easily detected. And finally, stop using “password” for your password.

• While everyone enjoys free Wi-Fi at their local coffee shop, be aware that often they are using unsecured Wi-Fi networks. Hackers have been known to pose as a Wi-Fi “hotspots” too. Using a virtual private network can help keep public Wi-Fi safe.

• Finally, talk to your kids about sharing too much online. Some reports state that 42 percent of teens have been victims of cyberbullying. Teach your kids the dangers and how to avoid them. Explaining that while they could just ignore the comments that a bully says, it may be better to block them completely and if the situation become worse, report the crime. Also, be aware what your children say about others online as well. You could have cyberbullies living under your roof and not even know it.

[Featured Image by Thinkstock]