Social Networking (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) Social networking through the use of such services as Facebook have become part of
everyday life for members of the campus community. These types of networks can be
used to find others with common interests, share personal information, and communicate
with friends. While cyber communities can be used in positive ways, it is important
to use common sense and keep several key thoughts in mind:
The information you place online can influence your future. Pictures that may demonstrate
behaviors that are questionable or suggestive can be viewed by anyone on the Internet,
including possible future employers. There have been instances where graduates have
had their Facebook page called up during the interview process.
Making your information private does not mean that others are unable to view the material.
Hackers have many tricks that enable them to view what is thought by you to be off
limits. You should also remember that pictures or other information posted for a short
period of time and then removed by you may have been downloaded by others and exist
in cyberspace for years to come. This includes services such as Snapchat as well as
platforms that offer a story feature such as Instagram.
Be safe. Use common sense when entering information on Web sites. There is the illusion
that your information is there for only your friends to view but realize that your
information can be passed on to others that may not have your well-being in mind.
It is strongly suggested that you do not post information such as phone numbers or
your place of residence.
Think about how you represent yourself and others. It is not only important to take
note of what you say about yourself online but equally important are the comments
you make about others. You do not want to face alleged violations that claim inappropriate
behavior on your part.
Cyber-stalking and cyber-bullying are stricktly prohibited by the Winthrop Student Coduct Code. Online activities that violate the Student Conduct Code may be reported to the Office
of the Dean of Students.
Downloading Content Knowing how to use your computer responsibly is important to protect both yourself
and the University. P2P or peer-to-peer programs have made news recently on campuses
across the nation. Lawsuits are being filed against students regarding illegal activity
such as improper music downloads. The University strongly suggests that you do not
use peer-to-peer programs.
Always respect copyright laws. This includes printed and digital material. Do not
engage in illicit music, video, or movie downloads. Please be aware that the infringement
of copyrighted music, videos, or movies can be punished by up to five years in prison
and $250,000 in fines. Repeat offenders can be imprisoned up to ten years. Individuals
also may be held civilly liable, regardless of whether the activity is for profit,
for actual damages or lost profits, or for statutory damages up to $150,000 per infringed
copyright. Please be advised that Winthrop's IT department will notify the appropriate
authorities whenever requests are made by the Recording Industry Association of America
or any other legitimate enforcement or monitoring entity. Offenders are also reported
to the Dean of Students office for disciplinary action.
Computer Crime Act Chapter 16 of the South Carolina Code of Laws addresses computer crime acts. It details
computer crime offenses and the penalties for committing such acts. For details regarding
specific computer crimes, refer to Section 16-16-20 of the following site: https://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t16c001.php#16-1-20
Digital Rights Act The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) represents the U.S. recording
industry and protects the rights of artists. The anti-piracy section of the following
Web site specifically addresses computer crimes and explains online piracy as the
illegal uploading, downloading, and streaming of sound recordings. http://www.riaa.com/
Stalking/Harassment The Winthrop University Police Department website clearly defines harassment and stalking
and provides safety tips for persons to avoid such situations that may result in these
crimes. Please refer to the following site for more information: /police/harassment.aspx
Securing Your Computer and Personal Information
Passwords Students, faculty, and staff need passwords for numerous applications, Web sites,
and even to log on to computers. Passwords help keep your data from being stolen by
others. One of the easiest ways for someone to get to your data is to figure out your
password(s). Here are some suggestions for creating a distinct password:
Make your password at least 11 characters long.
Include letters, numbers, upper and lowercase letters, and special characters such
as @ or $.
Do not use information relevant to you such as names of relatives, pets, or special
dates like birthdays and anniversaries.
Change your password every 3 to 6 months.
Do not write down your password. Memorize it.
Do not use the same password for multiple accounts.
Do not give your password to anyone. If you give your password to another person,
you may be held responsible for any actions they commit. Please refer to "section
2.3.2 Responsibility for security of accounts" under the Winthrop University Policy
on the Appropriate Use of Information Technology Resources at the following website:
/guide/appropri.html
Protecting Your Data At some point, you have probably lost a document that you really needed. It is a good
idea to make back-ups of your data from time to time in case you have the misfortune
of losing a document. There are several ways you can do this without spending much
time, effort, or money:
Backup to Removable Media You can store documents on removable media such as USB drives (also known as thumb
drives, flash drives, etc.) as a backup solution. These are good places to store your
data, and since they are portable, you can take your data with you.
Cloud Storage Students are encouraged to use their Google Drives (G Drives) for storing files/documents
in the Cloud. Faculty and Staff should take advantage of their OneDrive for Business
which comes with Office 365.
When Not In Use If you have to step away from your computer for a short period of time or if you are
finished for the day, make sure that you secure the computer. There are three ways
to do this:
Log off Logging off of your computer is especially important in public areas such as computer
labs. Logging off prevents anyone from using the computer under your username.
Lock your computer When you are leaving your computer for a short period of time, locking the computer
will keep someone else from using it. To carry out this function in MS Windows press
CTRL-ALT-DEL and click the "Lock Computer" button.
Turn off your computer Turning off the computer is the most secure way to prevent unauthorized access. If
the computer is not on, no one will be able to connect to it remotely and carry out
any malicious actions. Faculty and staff, please remember that if you are running a Winthrop owned computer
on campus, you must leave it on during the week and turn it off over the weekend.
This allows IT technicians to perform maintenance as needed during weeknights.
Protecting Your Property (Operation C.L.A.W.) In an attempt to recover your property if it is stolen, you may register your computer with the Winthrop University Police Department.
Identify Theft You should adopt sound practices when using e-mail and other forms of communication
on your computer to protect yourself from identity theft. Never give out personal
information such as your social security number, bank account numbers, or passwords.
You are strongly advised against providing other personal information such as your
home address and phone number.
Avoid Being Hacked Hacking is a major issue, and hackers use many tricks in an attempt to access your
data. There are steps you can take to help protect yourself and your data from the
most common hacking methods.
Anti-virus software (Norton, McAfee, Sophos, etc.) One of the most important steps you can take is to run an anti-virus program. All
faculty and staff computers and computer labs are protected. An anti-virus program
is required on all computers connecting to the Winthrop University network. (see items
9 and 10 of the Winthrop University Campus Network Guidelines) If cost is a concern, there are free anti-virus programs available. Refer to the
FAQ page for examples. You must make sure that you keep your anti-virus program updated by
downloading the latest virus definitions. It is important to remember that you should
only run one anti-virus program on any given computer.
SPAM Most spam will not cause harm, however the best practice is to delete e-mails from
unknown sources and those with attachments. If you reply or attempt to unsubscribe,
this will confirm to the spammer that your account is active and in use. If you are
suspicious of an e-mail, call the Help Desk to ask for assistance in evaluating the
e-mail's legitimacy.
Anti-spyware "Malware" or "spyware" are terms used to describe malicious software that can be used
to cause denial of service attacks or harvest sensitive data (credit card numbers,
etc.) from your computer. These programs can cause you to receive pop-up ads and/or
track your web surfing habits. Attachments can be harmful to your computer and can
carry malicious viruses and malware. There are tools available, such as Ad-Aware,
that scan your computer and identify malware and other harmful items. Once found,
these programs give you the option to delete the items. These programs also need to
be updated so that you have the most current versions.
Patches, security updates, etc. Virus writers and hackers will exploit holes in programs to gain access to your computer.
To keep your computer up to date with the latest security fixes and patches, be sure
to run Windows Updates on a routine basis. If are you running an Apple or Linux machine,
be sure to check routinely for updates also.
