Online business, activities and transactions are increasing exponentially each year. That means that a ton of money is flowing through this virtual world, and where there is a lot of money, usually, there is a lot of greed as well. Some people will do anything to make a quick buck, so the average consumer needs to be on guard. Unfortunately, many people are still in the dark when in comes to staying safe online. Everyday, there are more and more people who become victims of internet fraud and scams because they have neglected to take online security seriously.

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A recent report by Government Computer News sheds light on a topic that millions of people all over the world deal with on a regular basis: Internet privacy and security in the hotel industry. People have many different reasons to travel, but with the modern tech-era upon us one of the most frequently asked questions when booking a hotel is: “Do you have Internet?” That answer is most likely a, “yes.”

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It’s common knowledge that the world has moved online, and so has the bulk of our personal lives. The majority of us pay our bills online, we manage our bank accounts online, and some may even earn an extra or full-time income from the Internet. Even those who were once leery of that “Internet thing” are venturing online these days. With our lives so impacted by the internet, there is an increased concern about online security. The information that we leave unguarded online can easily be obtained by unscrupulous people and used in ways that could a make our lives a nightmare. Be very careful of the footprints that you leave when you are on the web.

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It may seem like I am picking on China today, but they are just putting themselves in the spotlight with yet an another controversy regarding Internet censorship . Australian news TheWest.com.au reported that a PR company acting on behalf of Chinese milk producer Sanlu, asked Baidu, China’s leading search engine, to censor and stifle any negative publicity about tainted milk….twice.

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Beginning this month, many news sources (including Cnet and PC Magazine) have been reporting on the Chinese version of Skype that spies on certain “sensitive words” and blocks them from servers if needed. Skype is a software that allows you to make phone calls over the Internet and use your computer’s microphone and speakers to communicate with others. It is sort of like a beefed up version of AIM, but along with instant messaging allows you to video conference and make phone calls.

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With recent blog posts about the Virginia Watchdog and PulaskiWatch, it was only a matter of time before someone had their identity stolen due to the negligence of county clerks posting sensitive information. Computerworld reported on a Ohio woman suing the county clerk after her identity was stolen. An image of a speeding ticket, containing her personal information, was posted on the county website.

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Reported by the Wall Steet Journal:

The Department of Homeland Security will begin the first phase of a satellite surveillance program. Surprisingly, the department has not guaranteed or ensured that the program will not break any privacy laws. The spy program, known as the National Applications Office, is meant to provide government officials (on multiple levels) with access to satellite imagery. This pertains to security needs, such as identifying weaknesses at borders and ports, and was also created with the intentions of assisting emergency response.

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