Your group of friends decide to have some fun away from the public eye. Everything is going well until someone comes knocking at the door.

For Charlotte, 20, a communications major who asked that her last name not be used, this was a reality. Some friends were having a few drinks in the dorm of a four-year college. “My one friend tweeted about it without us knowing,” Charlotte says. “All of a sudden our RA (resident assistant) was banging on our door asking us what we were doing. My friend was confused, considering her Twitter is private, but word still somehow got out. She told us to take it off Twitter and that this was our warning.”

Charlotte says she “learned that night that nothing on the internet is private, no matter what the setting.”

Charlotte doesn’t think this is a bad thing, though. “If you’re putting it on the internet, a lot of people can and are going to see it.” It’s no secret that things like Facebook and Twitter are public.

According to internetworldstats.com as of 2000, there were over 108 million people using the internet but whether or not authorities take a watchful eye of everyone is questionable.

Cyber-crime is a new transgression to be on the lookout for as well, even on Bucks’ campus. Director of the IT Academy at Bucks, Owen Forrest, has been concerned about some strange recent complaints.

“People are getting phone calls saying they represent the college, and try to get credit card information. When people press them for questions, they hang up,” says Forrest. “Bucks will never call you for your credit card information.”

Modern employers have more freedom than ever to screen applicants. In today’s world, we face more internet scrutiny during the employment process than any other previous generation.

The internet, after all, exists to make information accessible to everyone – even if companies are using it to screen their employees.

“They’d be silly not to,” says Ed Dress, former investigative producer for CBS. “You want to get feedback about your employees.”

Dress has admitted to using the internet in the past to research people himself. “Some people are putting way too much stuff up on there. Some employers even ask for access these days, there’s no need to hide it.”

Not everything about information gathering on the internet is a bad thing.

Ryan Kloepfer, 24 year old computer science major says that web browsers now “have personalized ads, products and services that are tailored specifically for you.”

Kloepfer also recognizes the risk, “The bigger problem is government abuse. When you start accusing people of crimes before they happen, people automatically become targets,” he says.

Employers, advertisers, criminals and regular people all use the internet alike. There are a lot of things one can do to protect themselves.

“First off, try Googling yourself,” says Dress. “You’d be surprised what you see. If you put it online, be careful. There are privacy settings. Think of it like a cop on the side of the road. If you don’t make it public, it won’t be,” Dress continued.

Forrest offers some sound advice too, “An easy way to protect yourself is to follow this process: stop, think, connect.” Forrest advises to never respond to something requesting information too quickly.

Strong passwords for anything that requires a log in, mix it up with some numbers and capital letters as well as any symbols if it allows.

“Stop to think about it first, and try to think about what that message is saying. The whole thought process could save you,” Forrest added.

Bucks is working with Forrest and the Department of Homeland Security to hold an event on April 29. This event will educate students on internet security and how to protect yourself in general.

“Internet crime is very much present in our society today, and we have to be careful,” warns Forrest.

The IT Academy’s event is open for everyone. People are advised to educate themselves before it’s too late, as many students fear it may already be.