Many people seem to sniff at
the idea that their online identity is something worth worrying about. After
all, what damage can a face book, a tweet and a pinterest really do right?
WRONG! Today’s modern world exists primarily in the virtual sphere, and with
increasingly intelligent and sophisticated technology, our online identity can
be used to mar your reputation, break into your accounts, create passports, buy
houses and travel the world on credit cards all by virtue of your online
presence. There are many reasons why you should protect your online
identity and today we are going to go through the top 4.
1.) Its yours
Sounds
obvious, but people looking for you online are likely to type your name into
their social networks. What turns up, all depends on who owns and manages your
online identity. Today, everybody Googles – so that means potential employers,
business partners and associates, long lost friends and family members,
colleagues, investors, estate agents: pretty much every one you will ever deal
with could potentially Google you and find information about you. Therefore,
its important that when they do find you and interact with you – it is you that
is responding and not someone else.
2.) It’s a gateway to a real identity
Identity
theft is no small, laughing matter. Most social networks are linked to each
other and someone accessing just one of your social networks can quickly reveal
a host of information that can be replicated to create a real life identity in
your name. A real life identity in your name can then have access to everything
anyone else does, with none of the risks associated and that means large and
small purchases, debt, credit, passport and more. Why take the risk? Many
people make the mistake of thinking only “important” people get hacked, however
this philosophy is as weak as believing that only rich people have their homes
broken into. Criminals are opportunists more than they are strategists and
therefore protect yourself as much as you can because your online identity is a
gateway to a real and false identity in your own name, and also gain access to
your personal banking information.
3.) Its your reputation
There
is a common saying that words once said cannot be taken back, and the same is
true of any information that you are streaming out onto the internet. Some
people create online identities and hack into social media accounts only for
fun, and this can create havoc with your online reputation and your personal
computing equipment. An unprotected identity is a vulnerable identity, opening
up your computer and Smartphone to viruses and creating an easy platform for a
person to promote questionable websites and content in your name.
4.) Its very difficult to solve the problem once it has started
Protecting
your identity is also a good idea because if you protect it, then hopefully you
will never have to go through the painstaking process of having to solve a
problem with it. Once your social media and bank accounts have been
compromised, you will need to spend many hours on the phone, filing complaints,
explaining the situation to any people who have interacted with you and also
you will have to change passwords and pins. Save yourself the trouble, and keep
your identity protected instead. 
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