Online Safety

Internet Safety, or Online Safety, is the knowledge of maximizing the user's personal safety and security risks on private information and property associated with using the internet, and the self-protection from computer crime in general. As the number internet users continue to grow worldwide, internet safety is a growing concern for both children and adults. Common concerns regarding safety of the internet include malicious users (Spam, Phishing, Cyberbullying, Cyberstalking etc.), websites and software ( Malware, Computer Virus, etc.) and various types of obscene or offensive content. Several crimes can be committed on the Internet such as stalking, identity theft and more. Most social networking and chat sites have a page about safety. Numerous groups, and governments and organizations have expressed concerns and are dedicated to the safety of children using the Internet. Safer Internet Day is celebrated worldwide in February to raise awareness about internet safety. -- Wikipedia

Alerts

The Air Traffic Control (ATC) website will NEVER ask you for your password. Administrators on the site do not have access to your password because they are encrypted on the server. If someone attempts to pose as a staff member and is requesting your password, please contact us. Please include the users name so we can promptly ban them or file charges.

The Air Traffic Control (ATC) website will NEVER ask you for a credit card number. To avoid storing such sensitive data we have opted to use the 3rd party site "Paypal" as our payment gateway. All monetary transactions are done by Paypal.

Cybercrime

A crime committed or facilitated via the Internet is a cybercrime.

Cybercrime is any criminal activity involving computers and networks. It can range from fraud to unsolicited emails (spam). It can include the distant theft of government or corporate secrets through criminal trespass into remote systems around the globe. Cybercrime incorporates anything from downloading illegal music files to stealing millions of dollars from online bank accounts. Cybercrime also includes non-money offenses, such as creating viruses on other computers or posting confidential business information on the Internet.

Most cybercrimes cannot be placed into a single crime category, which makes statistical recording of this activity limited at best. The Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) compiles and releases annual reports on the statistics and cybercrime facts. Using statistics and facts, analysts prepare reports on cybercrime trends and growth. Knowing the facts, trends, and growth is critical to crime prevention efforts on protecting personal data in public and private sectors. This also helps in the creation of tools and strategies to combat cyber criminals.


Internet connected activities are as vulnerable to crime and can lead to victimization as effectively as common physical crimes. The types of crimes that are currently occurring have existed long before the Internet was around. By virtue of the tools being used today to commit cybercrimes, criminals are now more anonymous and provided with a virtual market of available victims. The responsibility falls on individuals to protect themselves and their families through safe online practices. “In 2011, the annual cost of identity theft alone was $37 billion dollars….Identity Theft made up only 9.8 of all cybercrime in 2010.” Stay vigilant and stay safe! -- National Crime Prevention Council