On Your Own; Your Legal Right @ Eighteen On Your Own formatted final version | Page 71

email. If you get a suspicious-looking email from a company like Amazon,
PayPal, or something similar asking you to log in to your account, you can
always go directly to the company’s website to view your account
information.
Is It Legal to Download This? Downloading copyrighted content from the
Internet is against the law. Don’t do it. It is also against the law to
download sexual content involving children under 18. If you are convicted
of possessing (or attempting to possess) child pornography, you may have
to register as a sex offender for life.
Sending Photos or Videos Online. Sending explicit or compromising photos
or videos of yourself is a bad idea. Once you create a photo or video of
yourself and send it to someone else on the Internet or over your phone,
you no longer have control over it. You don’t know where it will end up,
and you can’t ever delete it. In addition, creating or possessing explicit
photos of children under 18 is a crime, because it falls under child
pornography laws.
Technology at Work. If your job provides a computer or phone, or if you’re
connected to your employer’s network using your own computer or
phone, be aware that your employer probably has the right to monitor
your activity online. You should not expect complete privacy when using
your employer’s computer, phone, or network. If you have any questions,
check with your employer about its privacy policies.
Monitoring Your Accounts. If you are signed up for online banking or
online statements through a bank or credit card company, monitor the
activity on your accounts and look out for suspicious transactions. It’s a
good idea to opt in to any security features your bank offers that are
designed to prevent fraudulent transactions. If you suspect that your
account has been compromised, contact your financial institution
immediately. You can also monitor your credit report through the three
major credit bureaus: Experian, Equifax, and Transunion. You are entitled
to one free credit report from each of those bureaus once per year.
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