Safety Tips

Are There Online Communities For Disabled People?

An Excerpt From my First Blog Entry:

This blog is not just for me. I hope it connects people suffering from Schizophrenia. I envision a community, where we can support and share our experiences. A positive group, that supports each member, as we deal with delusions, and the difficult task of being accepted and valued by society.

How Can Disabled People Stay Safe Online?

My Suggestions:

From my perspective, people who daily deal with personal disabilities do not like being bullied or attacked.


If a disabled person would like to protect their real-life information, they may wish to read about ways to protect their real-world identity.


From my viewpoint, the less a casual online reader knows about your real life, the safer you may be from Identity theft.


I believe it is easier to protect your real identity online by creating an online Identity which is similar to, but not your 'real world' Identity.


From my perspective, this can be done by using a pseudonym, a nickname and by picking a non-obvious 'Avatar' for your profile or web page picture.

Should You Use A Pseudonym? A pseudonym, also called a false name (pseudo means false) may be used online. If a website or web business requires your real name, they will let you know.


Many online websites are populated with people who use pseudonyms or their nicknames to identify themselves.


If a web-site or business asks for personal information, I would question how badly I needed their service; or ask the company how they intended to protect my identity.

According to Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, under the title: Avatar (computing)

"In computing, an avatar is the graphical representation of the user or the user's alter ego or character.
It may take either a three-dimensional form[1], as in games or virtual worlds, or a two-dimensional form as an icon in Internet forums and other online communities An 'Avatar' is often an artistic picture that represents the online user."The Internet definition for Avatar is different from other non-online usages. Another term which can be used is profile picture.


A profile picture can be a picture of the online user that does not easily identify the online user, such as a close-up picture of the user's eyes, nose, mouth or hair.

Join Safe Communities.

Friend-sites that help protect you and your friends' information are Friend-Friendly!


There are social networks that allow users to decide what information to keep private, which information to share with their friends, and which information to allow the public to see or not see and read.

Ways To Protect Your Real World Identity Online.

Shop the "Safe Web"

When making purchases online, you may want to shop at respectable or "Safe Business" sites.


Generally, the older businesses are safer. This seems logical, older business tend to develop good relationships with their customers. Older companies are also associated with higher quality.


You may want to look for URLs with the letter 's' behind "http"


https://


I have heard 's' stood for secure connection.

I checked Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, and found, under HTTP Secure

"The main idea of HTTPS is to create a secure channel over an insecure network. This ensures reasonable protection from eavesdroppers and man-in-the-middle attacks, provided that adequate cipher suites are used and that the server certificate is verified and trusted."



You may or may not wish to share your home address or home information with strangers.




If you don't know why you are being asked for your home address, and giving your personal information makes you feel uncomfortable, don't share.
Pseudonyms, nicknames, and avatars are not illegal.

Not sharing, with the public or suspicious online users, IS NOT ILLEGAL!!!




Many people in the real world feel uncomfortable listing their address in the yellow pages, and often request to remain unlisted in the phone directory.






My Advice: It is best to report suspicious activity.

Practice Safety Online and Off!