The double-edge sword to our online culture is on one hand we get to meet people from around the world, but on the other hand they have the opportunity to stalk us in ways that we might not be comfortable with.

We might have a blog or a myspace page or a website where we want to invite people into our little worlds, but unfortunately some of that information might inadvertently be enough for the creeps of the web to find out random things about us that we didn't know we put out there.

Here are some things that I have seen on blogs and in pictures that you might not want to put up on the web.

- Close-ups of pets: I know this sounds weird, but many many times I have seen cute pictures of people's pets being pets, but what they don't realize is they're photographing their collar that usually has a dog tag that includes the animal's name, your address and/or your phone number. Whoops.

- Concert tickets: Everyone is super happy that you are going to the Tori Amos show next week, but there are several reasons why you don't want to scan your ticket and put it on your blog. The first reason is, if someone knows where you live now they know when you wont be there. The second reason is, if someone is seriously stalking you and they don't know where you live, they might buy tickets to the show, work their way near your seat and then walk out behind you as everyone exits the show. They will watch what car you get into, they will write down your license plate number, and if you're super unlucky they might even follow you home. Creepy. Don't give them that chance. Talk about the show *after* you go.

- Pictures of your house: So many people around Christmastime take pictures of their excellent Christmas light decorations. The problem is, now we know what your house looks like, and if you did it wrong, you took a picture of the numbers on your mailbox or next to your door. That's great info for stalkers. Try to avoid such things. Take pics inside of your house, but sorta be careful of that.

- Pictures of your bulletin board: People's bulletin boards are really interesting but they're also full of information about your friends that in the wrong hands can be used against you. Let's say your bulletin board has your phone list, and lets say you're one of those people who have never figured out how to adjust your camera so that the pics aren't SUPER HUGE, all a stalker has to do is click onto your picture and then write down the phone numbers of ALL of your friends. Then the stalker just needs to call a few of those numbers and say, "Hi I'm Chris's old friend from junior high and that's how I got your number, anyway I want to surprise her and I've lost her mailing address, would you give it to me?" If your phone list is long the stalker has several chances to get your address or phone number.

Your license plate, your school, your schedule for school, where you work, are all items that you should be careful of taking pictures of if you're nervous about stalkers. And keep in mind, you might not think that it's a big deal right now, but lets say your blog gets popular over the years, Google makes it so easy to search for things that you might inadvertently screw up and provide all those key words, so don't be so freaked out, but be careful.

Now here's to do when the stalker contacts you. Let's say someone does find out your address or email addy or AOL s/n or something and starts harassing you and telling you things that you didn't expect them to say.

First deny that it's you and insist that your dad is a cop and if the stalker ever contacts you again you will get the whole police force after them.

Second, get their information. If they have left a comment on your blog, write down their IP address. If they email you, set up a new AOL IM screenname, invite them into a chat and then contact AOL immediately after the chat and report their stalking behavior and make sure to save the chat and use the timestamp.

Third, if the stalking continues call the cops. They'll know how to handle it.

Fourthly, if the stalker uses the phone and keeps calling you, get a metal gym teacher-type whistle and whisper something. The stalker will say "what?" and you should whisper some more and tell them to turn up their volume. Then when you know the stalker is listening blow the whistle as loud as you can into the phone and hang up.

Be careful though because the stalker might do the same thing to you, so after you've done that, block the number and don't pick up for any weird numbers for a few weeks or so.

Ok you probably shouldn't do that last one, but it's funny especially if you think it's someone who you work with or go to school with because the next day the dude with the earache is your stalker.