There is no point in saying that the internet has not changed our lives because it has, whether directly or indirectly, but does the internet actually reflect the inner workings of the world? Are we leaving ourselves too open and too exposed?

When you sit down and think exactly what the internet does for you, your friends and your family it is easy to concentrate on the array of online shopping sites, free advice and chances to create your own business, but is there more?

Over the last few years we have seen a number major data protection issues with more and more confidential and detailed information being leaked onto the internet. Areas of society which were effectively part of a closed private network, such as your banking details, as now suddenly at risk from hackers as more and more of us use their online systems.

Social Security numbers are readily available to those who know where to look and how to gain access, telephone numbers are available and much more of your private information than was available just 20 years ago. Are we too exposed?

Those who do not see any increased security risks are either very confident about the firewalls and security software employed by surfers and companies alike or they have their head in the sand. As with any new development in the world, there is always a downside – investing in the stock market offered the public the chance to make large return, but the chance to lose, auction sites have given us the chance to nab a bargain, but are they always what they seem – and we need to appreciate and be very careful about security issues.

The juggernaut which is the internet is still hurtling at high speed brushing aside all in its way, and while very useful in so many aspects of our everyday life, there are dangers to personal safety and financial security.

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One area of the internet which is very popular but comes in for an awful lot of criticism is the social networking sector, the likes of MySpace, Facebook, BEBO, etc. But why do they come in for so much criticism?

The problem with these social networking sites is the over willingness for many members, normally youngsters, to give away far too much detail about their lives and interests. We are seeing more and more youngsters placing everything from their date of birth to their school address online for all to see. While 99% of those who view the information would never dream of doing anything with it, there are some who would. While the paedophiles quite rightly take the limelight as regulators fight to keep them offline and away from the most vulnerable of society, there are also a growing number of fraud cases involving older members of social networks.

Many people do not realise that by simply stating where you were born and when, together with your full name, anyone in the UK for example can obtain a copy of your birth certificate. Using this detail it is then possible to obtain passports, credit cards and the like, and then the real fun begins!

More and more people are suddenly finding themselves black listed for no reason or on the end of demands for repayment of monies they did not even know about. Too many of us think that it will never happen to us, and while the facts indicate that the chances of it happening to you are very low, the more you leave yourself open to attack the more chance it will happen. These fraudsters are no fools, they are ruthless, they are methodical and they will bleed you dry given a chance.

It is vital that when joining any of the vast array of social networking sites you do not give away personal information, because one day you might just regret it!

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While there is no doubt that the internet has been and continues to be very useful for a whole host of reasons, we are seeing signs that where information is concerned there are two distinctly different areas of access. We have seen a number of examples whereby large corporations, show business stars and politicians have been able to remove information from the internet, while the general pubic seem to be more exposed than ever before. So what really is happening?

There have been a number of instances in the recent past which include :-

Google Earth

We see more and more groups approaching Google to have certain information taken off Google Earth, and while some of this is justified, what exactly are they trying to hide from us?

Expenses

There is currently a major debate going on in the UK with regards to politician’s expenses and how they are allowed to spend tax payer’s money on second homes, travel, etc. While the public have been pushing for the release of the information for some time, the government have actually taken court action to block any publication. Again, what exactly have they got to hide?

Tax Returns

There have also been signs that many show business stars and top business people are receiving preferential treatment with regards to their tax returns. They seem to be more protected than the general public from the threat of people investigating their affairs.

These are just a small number of recent instances which have highlighted what appears to be a growing difference between the levels of protection the general public are afforded and those in more privileged situations. So while the internet has opened up a new and interesting arena for the publication of what should be general information, are we all playing on a level playing field or are the odds tilted in favour of politicians, large corporations and business people?

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