Discussion Topic #11: Think carefully about how different pieces of information fit together

When you are posting information online it is important to remember that different pieces of information can fit together to form something much bigger – just like all the pieces of a puzzle make a complete picture. 

It is important to always remember that every item you post will stay there unless you go back and delete it. And some items can be difficult to delete since they can be downloaded or archived by others. When you post items you create an online record of yourself.  And once you post something it is easy to forget about it. So, later, when you post something else, you may not realize how what you posted previously relates to what you’re posting right then. For example, let’s say you are careful not to post how old you are online, so you decide to just put the month and date you were born. Then, another day, you make a comment about what grade you are in. If someone puts those two pieces of information together, it could be easy to figure out your full birth date.

So, remember, sometimes we provide bits and pieces of information about ourselves, but when you put them together they can say a lot. Make sure you are not unwittingly revealing more information about yourself than you think.