Lets face it, we look at stuff on the internet, in the privacy of our own homes that we would never look at in public. How often do you walk into your local bookstore and proudly by the latest Penthouse or Juggs? Most of us would even be a bit embarrased to subscribe to one of these magazines.

But millions of us, including myself occasionally like to look at adult material. We might even buy a couple adult toys or DVDs to spice up our marriage. But my point is, we do on the internet things we would never do in public.

However, our internet connection is an open door to what goes on in the privacy of our home. Everything we do on the internet can be seen and monitored. There are hundreds of people on the internet right now that would like nothing more to expose your web surfing habits, maybe even blackmail you.

It is no ones business what we do on the internet. Some of us wouldn't even want others in our own home to know what we are looking at on the web. Imagine if one of your children ran across that picture of the hot blonde blond with huge tits that you were looking at. Or what if your wife found out that your were having cyber-sex with some chick she didn't know about.

Ladies, how would you like it if someone, your husband, mom, or coworkers, found out that you were innocently looking at vibrators online? Or checking out an all male revue. How embarrassed would you be?

Sure, you could just become an overly paranoid freak that constantly looks over their shoulder and suspects that everyone is out to get them. But that would probably drive you insane.

-Did you know that records are kept of every website you go to?

-Did you know that files that you "delete" are never actully deleted at all? And it doesn't take very much skill or expertise to "undelete" something that you did not want someone else to see. In fact, using the traditional delete button or recyling bid is actually the worse thing that you can do if you really want to get rid of a file.

-Did you know that identity theives can upload SPYWARE onto your computer without you ever knowing? They can then see not just everything you do on the internet, but everything you do on your computer. Even if you are not connected to the web.

-Did you know that if your spouse, parents or anyone else wants to monitor what you are doing on a computer that all they have to do is download a "hidden" program that will watch your every move and record every keyboard stroke that you make?

Protecting your privacy is an individual responsibility.

In August of 1998 I had my identity stolen by someone in Nigeria. At the time, I was working and attending college full time and barely making ends meet.

The person who stole my identity somehow got a hold of a credit card transaction that I had made and used that credit card and personal information to get other credit cards in my name.

I was scheduled to graduate from college in May 1999. I began applying for jobs early in the fall semester when one of my prospective employers called me to enquire about the credit check they had performed on me. The said that I had over $3,000 in unpaid bills.

I was shocked. But after I did a credit check on myself, sure enough, it showed that I owed $3278.22 to a collection agency.

To make a long story short, my identity had been stolen. And, it over three years to clean up the mess. I still get calls from rouge collection agencies attempting to make me pay.

That began my journey to research and find the best in privacy protection. Which led me into other software applications that help me monitor the "health" of my computer and have "situational awareness" of what is going on on my computer.

My biggest shocker after doing some research was that files that I thought were deleted from my harddrive could so easily be recovered. That led me on a quest to find a true delete program.

There are many good products on the market, however there is no silver bullet that does it all. And it doesn't seem to an improvement in the future. http://www.delete4good.com

J. Barbour is a consultant for Weinman-Skaggs Consulting in Miami, FL. http://www.delete4good.com