It is relatively easy to encrypt e-mail, files and entire directories full of documents. One of the easiest methods for doing this is to use an archiver program which compresses files or directories and enables password protection. The result is a ZIP or ARC type file that, when viewed, appears to be just a garble of code.
Almost every computer already has encryption software bundled with it. I particularly like PKWare which makes ZIP files. This is available for free at http://www.pkware.com. But almost any other archiver will work to encrypt files by compressing and password protecting them.
Likely as not most of us do not use our computers to do anything illegal. Most people are not criminals or terrorists. So we do not have to worry about having anything on our computers that Big Brother or law enforcement officers might be concerned about.
What almost everyone should be concerned about is valuable data or information that in the wrong hands could be hurtful, harmful, embarrassing or otherwise damaging, but which is perfectly legal. An example would be business documents which a competitor might seek or a diary of personal thoughts and experiences you may just not want other family members to read.
In such cases simple encryptiond using an archiver that is password protected provides a measure of safety and comfort. Also these archivers can be used to encrypt e-mail, send it to friends, family or associates, who then can easily decrypt the e-mail using a password that is known to both parties.
Certainly if e-mail is so easy to encrypt any criminals or terrorists up to no good would use encryption to foil security agents upon their trail. Terrorists are not stupid, either, especially not the Osama bin Ladens of this world. They are well educated and sophisticated in the usage of e-mail and certainly know how to encrypt a document or use a coded message, by which is meant a message that has a meaning known only to someone who has the key used to break code or unlock the hidden message.
Of course encryption programs available to the general public could probably be decrypted by the FBI, CIA or Secret Service. But when programs like Carnivore go snooping on the Internet for leads to terrorists activity they are not likely to focus upon the average citizen who uses his or her computer to shop on Ebay, keep in touch with kids at school or update relatives across the country with respect to family affairs. So simple ZIP file archiving with password protection is all you or me need.
There are also other simple measures which may be taken to secure your data and protect personal privacy. Be sure to use password protection when you boot your computer and/or log onto Windows. Every family member or user should have their own password and secure areas on a shared system. In computer literate families where everyone is on-line or at least waiting in line to get to the computer, families should consider small area networks with a computer in each family members room or getting separate systems for each family member.
Certainly in homes where all family members are computer literate, privacy issues come up. Even children have a right to privacy: their own rooms, their own diaries, their on treasure boxes to secure precious possessions, and their own computers.
At what age children should be given complete access to the Internet is a matter for every parent to decide for themselves. Also, parents need to consider the personal privacy rights of children with regard to on-line journals, diaries, blogs, e-mail exchange or other on-line and user activities. Parents certainly do not want their minor sons or daughters undressing on live cams, broadcasting their virginity to the entire world. That would dangerously invite the attention of perverts, pedophiles, rapists, child molesters and other low life.
Safe guarding family members, especially minors, is why it is important for parents to have rules regarding on-line behavior. This means being able to supervise children who are on-line, communication closely with your children to know what they are doing on-line and teaching safe networking techniques. For example, parents should not permit their minor children to divulge their real names, ages, sex or addresses when in public forums or to strangers. In fact, this is a good rule for adults to also obey. If someone does not know your age, sex or other basic profile information, they can not easily stalk you for less than honorable purposes.
When your children are old enough to learn how to encrypt their own documents and demand their own privacy, that is a sign they are old enough to have their own computers and freedom to explore the Internet. However, personal privacy and personal protection are two different concerns. No one ever outgrows the need to protect themselves when either walking down the street or when surfing the Net. That's why encryption provides pretty good protection for Net surfers and a permitted Concealed Carry Weapon (CCW) provides pretty good protection for city street strollers.
But nothing ever replaces good old common sense. If you don't undress in public you are not likely to attract the attention of criminally insane, sick on-line voyeurs who seek more than just the casual thrill of watching you unrobe. After all, there are people in this world who would seek to destroy your life just for their own personal, perverted satisfaction.
I was made aware of this fact recently, after posting some rather revealing pics of myself upon the Internet. This was in combination with some rather provocative, profane, sensual, erotic literature of a fictional nature which I had published upon the Internet under an alias name. When distant, out-of-state, relatives became aware of the author they were so shocked they decided to investigate my on-line activities and conceived the diabolical plan to "destroy" my life. This resulted in threats against my life and a court battle that really resolved nothing. The end result was that I realized it was necessary to be vigilant, not to the point of paranoia, but to the point of preserving my privacy, such that I am now more careful about what I publish upon the Internet, and certainly about what I reveal to more conservative relatives.
This is good advice for everyone. Know who your friends are and who your enemies are. Create your own circle of friends and do not think that just because someone is a blood relation they are going to be trust worthy. Being closely related does not mean you are loved! Only trust those who express their love, devotion and faith to you. Especially be weary of those who profess a different religious belief or no faith whatsoever in God or respect for life! If you believe in life and love, someone who makes threats to the contrary is obviously not your friend, but your enemy!
Knowing your enemy is imperative when it comes to matters of security, especially on-line and system security. If you know your spouse is planning a divorce action, that's when it is time to encrypt all your files, lock up the computer, remove the hard drive and/or replace it with a new one. Or better yet, move out of the house and take the entire computer system, all floppy diskets and any computer printouts with you! In the 21st Century, the spouse who gets the computer is likely to be the spouse who has the required information to win any contest in court.
Being vigilant with respect to your on-line and system security is paramount to safety in the 21 Century. This is especially true for anyone who is outspoken or publishes their uncensored ideas and opinions upon the Internet. Creative writers and artist are likely to be the first to offend a conservative public, bullying family members bent upon their destruction, or a spouse or ex-spouse with a chip on their shoulder.
If you are a creative writer or artist know someone is out to get you because of your on-line publications, then I advise taking both an offensive and a defensive role. First contact Internet Service Providers (ISPs) regarding any Terms of Service (TOS) violations. Receipt of hate e-mail or threating e-mail certainly is a TOS violation. I've had occassion to do this with regard to people sending me hate e-mail after reading one of my editoral letters published on-line. If threats presist consider taking legal action and/or contacting law enforcement agents. This is especially true if anyone mentions such crimes as arson, sending you a bomb, committing savotage of your home or vehicle or otherwise making threats to destroy your life.
Certainly if someone threatens criminal activity, such as arson or savotage, or acts to destroy your personal property, then you have legal recourse. You can file a criminal complaint or take them to Civil Court. In that regard you will have a better chance of winning any civil action if first you make a criminal complaint and essentially let the state prosecutors prove the claim. It can be an expensive proposition to prove a civil case which has not first run the course of a criminal prosecution, especially if the criminals involved get a good attorney.
Believe it or not, those who win in court are not always those who are right and honest; sometime they are those who tell the biggest lies and pay for the best lawyers. A good example of this is probably O. J. Simpson. He got off in criminal court as he had a supurb defense team. But the civil courts judged that he was guilty as Hell and took away all of his property that they could get.
When family members, relatives, a spouse or ex-spouse are the source of threats related to on-line activity, the problem is especially difficult. This is even more true if one loves their family and relatives and does not want to put them in jail or have to drag dirty family laundry throught the public court system. Generally family disputes can not be resolved in court, no matter what amount of money is involved or what the nature of a verdic. Family disputes can only be resolved by establishing communication and coming able to restore what love or trust has been lost through a relationship gone sour.
If you should end up in court with family members, it is good advice to have an attorney. I tried to represent myself in court against distant, out-of-state relatives represented by an attorney. Of course I did not prevail and regard the result as a miscarriage of justice given the merits of my claim. But as one can not cry over spilt milk, I have forgiven those who have transgressed and trespassed against me, and have moved on to more important concerns, like how to help establish harmony and peace, not only in the family, but in the world.
I believe that the war on terrorism is effecting everyone. It comes into each person's life, effecting them psychologically. It can turn loving family members into traitors who do not trust each other. It can turn husbands and wives into hurtful and hateful abusers. It can make eveyone who uses computers and surf the Internet paranoid. Therefore it is necessary to take a step back, to put the events of 9/11, the war in Afghanistan, the suicide bombers in Isreals and around the world in perspective.
We are living in an increasingly violent world. The media focus upon violence makes everyone aware of the worst aspects of humanity. Unless you turn off your televisions, do not listen to the radio, never read a newspaper and never log on to the Internet, you are going to be exposed to the violence going on in the world.
It is naive to think that the violence going on in the world around us does not effect our lives. Anytime we have to stop and think about things like planes flying into skyscrapers, snipers shooting innocent people along the Internet or suicide bombers walking into crowded nightclubs or shopping centers, then we are affected by the violence in the world around us.
Being active upon the Internet and a writer who regularly contributes editorial letters about current events to a number of newspapers, I am very aware of the fact that violence anywhere in the world affects everyone. My response is to speak out against terrorism, against violence. I believe that we must stand up against anyone who advocates violence and terrorism. That's why when I was threatened by my own family members with violence I took them to court. It would have been unconscionable to have let such threats go unanswered.
In order to win the war on terrorism we must expose the terrorists. We must let them know they are not going to be able to hide, they are not going to be able to get away with murder, with arson, with bombing, with snipping with killing or destroying persons or property. No matter what the risk to ourselves, we must let terrorist know we are willing to take the risk to expose their terrorism for what it is, an ungodly act of violence for which there is no justification!
This is my philosophy with regard to terrorist who fly planes into buildings or blow themselves up for Allah. It is my philosophy with regard to both terrorists off-line and on-line. The only way to deal with terrorism is to aggressively expose the terrorists, the traitors, the criminals, so they can not hide or get away with further acts of terrorism.
This is why I have no qualms about reporting people who send me hate e-mail. I've gotten a lot of such hate e-mail from people who are members of the KKK, League of the South, Neo-Nazi groups or other hate groups. I've been black listed by hate groups and had my on-line sites essentially bomb by an avalanche of hateful postings.
Those who think they can silence me through intimidation are put on notice that it ain't going to work. I will continue to express my opinions, to fight hatred, prejudice and violence through using my most potent weapon, a "pyrotechnic pen." But I will not limit my response to any form of terrorism, threats of violence or abuse to publications. If legal action is required in the future, then I'll go out, hire an attorney and make a claim. Winning is not important to me. What is important is to expose the violence, to expose the abuse, to expose the terrorism in all its forms! Through exposure the terrorist can be put on the run and eventually justice will catch up with them!
So this is a warning to all terrorists, to all traitors, to all criminals out prowling the Internet. I know who you are! You are being watched and investigated. I am NOT alone. I have a circle of friends and associates. Any attempt to hurt or harm me will result in your own demise. You will end up in court and behind bars if you mess with me! That is a promise!
Which brings us to the final element of homeland security: how to protect ourselves, not just on-line but off-line, out there in the real world. With terrorist about one must be ever vigilant. We must protect our home with security systems. We must carry cell phones programmed to dial 911 upon a moments notice, that law enforcement officials may be summoned with the overwhelming power of arms to fraught any home invasion or violation of personal property or privacy. We must employ home security services and build fences to keep out rapists, robbers, abductors or even psychotic relatives who have gone nuts playing violent, death wish video games, listening to killer cop rap music, living in metropolises or personalizing the everyday news which filters through their brains via the television, radio and wire service reports.
Yet this is not a solution to homeland security or even to the question of how to protect our families. The solution comes from being aware of God, of love, and teaching love. So long as people hate, so long as people want to cause hurt, so long as people want to destroy property, then their will be violence. The solution to ending this vicious cycle is to LOVE! Pure and simple that is the answer, that is the long term solution. But perhaps the short term solution, when someone climbs your fence, breaks down your doors and invades your home armed and dangerous is a double barrel shotgun!
Of course I'm not a violent person. In most cases that I can imagine the police would certainly be able to deal with any terrorist who might find their way to my doorstep. But I'm not a fool either. I am not going to sit on my derriere and wait for anyone to destroy my life. Those who have that as their wish better be watching their own back. If I can find a way the police are going to be knock, knock, knocking down your door long before you show up at my door!
Sincerely,
Terry Lynch
Date: 7 January, 2003
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