Net's a free-for-all zone for pirates of cyberspace

Published Jul 29, 2003

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I googled on "Internet bank fraud" and found "News: Man held in connection with online bank fraud - Independent Online - 11 minutes ago" right on top. This appeared on Thursday morning last week.

It seems www.google.comis "first" with the news. While this is illogical (google is a search engine, not a news provider) it does show the power of Google. Should the world's most popular search engine implement user-friendly services (e-mail, voice chat), www.yahoo.commay find it hard to compete.

Don't bank on it

As a quick search on Google or any reputable engine reveals, everything you have said and done that has been in print will most probably be available online. So it's useful to research what you have said to see if it has been said before. (Author Darrel Bristow-Bovey and exam cheats take note!)

But the biggest headache for the net-savvy last week was online banking. "Do I suspend my online banking system or not?" The Absa shocker - when it was discovered a good few of their online banking members of the public had their money electronically stolen by a hacker - proved okes like me right.

You just can't trust those funky bank ad gimmicks when they tell you to get online and earn e.bucks NOW! There are several reasons I don't bank online.

One of them pertains to cheesy faces on the bank floor who know very little, if anything, about the internet and its ability to track, record, store info, yet persist in PR speak on the joys of online banking. "Your information is encrypted, protected, blah blah blah and it's so-o-o easy."

As proved over the past few days, online banking is like an open invitation to "mug me while I draw my cash from this unguarded ATM".

Another reason I don't bank online are the stories I've heard about the internet. And I'm not referring to the urban legends.

After a colleague lost thousands of rands after a transaction with www.amazon.comthe point about the safety features of this delightful monster hit home.

If they can intercept your transaction en route to amazon.com then the internet is a free-for-all zone for the pirates of cyberspace.

When I'm convinced there's a foolproof way to bank online, I'll travel that route. For now, that spot under the mattress is just fine.

Alive 2night

We're live, running, online. Check out www.tonight.co.zaIt contains the cream of news, reviews and entertainment stories from the Cape Argus Tonight as well as sister Tonight publications in the Star in Gauteng, the Pretoria News and the Daily News in Durban.

Powered by www.iol.co.za, the relatively new site is part of iol.co.za's strategy to bring together the strongest pieces of arts journalism as well as service journalism - the user-friendly stuff - from all its Tonight titles in the country, under a single banner.

The logos of the various Tonight sections help identify the regions from which the stories come. As with iol.co.za, there's a striking "cover" pic and at a glance surfers can select the site they wish to check out. tonight.co.za also features an easy-to-use TV listings guide. The user simply chooses the channel and a pop-up window appears to afford more information.

The site may be useful for the traveller. Out-of-towners wanting to know what's going on in the Mother City, for instance, can take a quick peek at Gary van Dyk's 10 Things To Do. For some reason the creators of the site also include the previous two days' listings as well.

Once you get into a Cape-related site, this could lead to specific arts and entertainment reading from the Western Cape only.

Sections to check out include Movies, Music, TV & Radio, Food & Drink, Reading Matters, Stage, Clubbing, People, Fashion, Art, Internet, DVD & Video, Gaming, Kids' Stuff and Out and About. The stories are from Cape Argus Tonight, the Cape Times and the Top of the Times.

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