This is going to be one of those "Duh, that’s common sense" things, but it’s amazing how many people still do this.

We’ve all heard that you should use different passwords for different accounts; that much is obvious. And you can use a utility like KeePass Password Safe to do it with (which I use personally). But I also suggest the use of different user names as well.

Let’s say your email address is JohnDoe@yahoo.com. You send an email to me. From the beginning of your email address, I can easily guess that you probably use JohnDoe for other services on the internet as well.

I go to Google, and search you. Wow, look at that, you have a MySpace page. And a Flickr account. Hey, look, now I have photos of you. I know what you look like. You also have an eBay account. Now I know what you’re buying and selling. Then on one of your profiles it lists your full name, town and state. So I go to www.pipl.com or www.123people.com. It turns out your name is listed in the phone book. Now I have your address, phone number, information on other people living in your household..

I got all this information just by your Yahoo user name alone, and it only took seconds.

There’s three things you can do to avoid being snooped like this.

First, exercise the use of different user names for different accounts you use.

Second, get your number out of the phone book. Call your phone provider and make it unlisted. When next year’s edition is released, your information won’t be public.

Third, go to every single internet directory you can find (such as AnyWho) and make a request to have your information removed. They will comply and it doesn’t cost you anything except a few minutes of your time.

"But I use the same user name everywhere and I’m used to it. What can I do?"

Not a problem. Examine your public profile(s), such as profiles.yahoo.com/YOUR-YAHOO-ID. Check your public Yahoo profile. Check your public eBay profile. Check all the services that have public profiles. If there’s anything there you don’t want people seeing, simply modify and make it private.

"How do I know what’s out there about me now?"

Search for yourself on Google by the user name you most commonly use. Then search by your real full name. Also use Pipl and 123people as linked above and search for yourself that way. Examine the results, and if there’s anything about yourself you don’t want public, take appropriate measures to make it private.

"I think you’re being paranoid about this. Who cares if my address and phone is public?"

Do you like telemarketer calls? Do you like junk postal mail? Do you like spam?

Obviously not.

You don’t make your information private to necessarily avoid people like you and me, but rather to avoid corporations looking to sell you crap you don’t want or need.

Your identity can also easily be tied to the user name you most commonly use.

If you keep a keen eye on your public profiles, make use of different user names and make your personal information unpublicized, you will command much more control on how much information people – or corporations (particularly the more seedy ones) – know about you.