Chat room users' privacy at risk?

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Posted by Dan Bernard on October 28, 19101 at 07:40:05:

In Reply to: ARABIC VOICE & VIDEO CHAT ROOM posted by ARABIC CHAT on December 29, 1999 at 06:17:00:

Hi. This is Dan Bernard, a contributing writer for PC World Egypt. With the
growing popularity of chat rooms in Egypt and throughout the Arab world, the
editors have asked me to write an article giving advice on how chat room users
can protect their identity and privacy. Would any of you be interested in
providing personal accounts for the article about your own experiences with
protecting your privacy in chat rooms? We would hope to use your name and
country. The article will be published in the January edition of PC World
Egypt. Because we are working ahead for the holidays, we need comments by
November 14. You may submit comments to mailto:danbernard@email.com.

The questions are:
1. To protect their privacy, what precautions should chat room users take when
creating login accounts and while chatting? The precautions can include
technological steps (getting software) or through practice (not giving out
one's name).
2. What are the risks? Do you know of instances of chat room users' privacy
being compromised, and if so, how so?
More specifically,
3. Is it possible for other users to find out chat room users' name, phone
number, e-mail address, passwords or credit card numbers without the users'
consent or knowledge? If so, how, and what precautions can be taken?
4. Is it possible to receive for a chat room user to receive viruses while
using a chat room, or to make their computer vulnerable to being hacked into by
using a chat room? If so, how, and what precautions can be taken? Should they
get firewall software?
Also:
5. Is it correct to generalize that chat rooms are being more popular in Egypt
and the Arab world? If so, can you elaborate by giving statistics, anecdotes,
or suggesting reasons for the growing popularity?
Thanks. We hope the article will increase people's confidence and sense of
security while using chat rooms. I hope you can reply by e-mail or telephone
within a week.

--Dan Bernard,
contributing writer, PC World Egypt, http://www.pcworld.com.eg/
mailto:danbernard@email.com

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Comments: : :Hi. This is Dan Bernard, a contributing writer for PC World Egypt. With the :growing popularity of chat rooms in Egypt and throughout the Arab world, the :editors have asked me to write an article giving advice on how chat room users :can protect their identity and privacy. Would any of you be interested in :providing personal accounts for the article about your own experiences with :protecting your privacy in chat rooms? We would hope to use your name and :country. The article will be published in the January edition of PC World :Egypt. Because we are working ahead for the holidays, we need comments by :November 14. You may submit comments to mailto:danbernard@email.com. :The questions are: :1. To protect their privacy, what precautions should chat room users take when :creating login accounts and while chatting? The precautions can include :technological steps (getting software) or through practice (not giving out :one's name). :2. What are the risks? Do you know of instances of chat room users' privacy :being compromised, and if so, how so? :More specifically, :3. Is it possible for other users to find out chat room users' name, phone :number, e-mail address, passwords or credit card numbers without the users' :consent or knowledge? If so, how, and what precautions can be taken? :4. Is it possible to receive for a chat room user to receive viruses while :using a chat room, or to make their computer vulnerable to being hacked into by :using a chat room? If so, how, and what precautions can be taken? Should they :get firewall software? :Also: :5. Is it correct to generalize that chat rooms are being more popular in Egypt :and the Arab world? If so, can you elaborate by giving statistics, anecdotes, :or suggesting reasons for the growing popularity? :Thanks. We hope the article will increase people's confidence and sense of :security while using chat rooms. I hope you can reply by e-mail or telephone :within a week. :--Dan Bernard, :contributing writer, PC World Egypt, http://www.pcworld.com.eg/ :mailto:danbernard@email.com

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