Information collected by Web sites and the companies running them, generally speaking, belongs to them.

This means that if you enter information into a Web site, like MySpace or Facebook, those companies can use that information any way they want, including in advertisements.

Other people can also access the information in your online profiles.

There are many stories about job applicants being denied because of what was contained in their blog or on a social networking site.

For this reason, you should never post something online that you would not want everyone to know about.

Some Web sites have the ability for you to post anonymously or to change your profile so that only limited information is available publicly.

Web sites also collect information without you knowing it, usually through what are known as "cookies."

Cookies are a web program that communicates between an internet server and your Web browser to store information.

These are commonly used to collect all sorts of information about the Web sites you visit or the things you search for online.

Web sites with access to this information can then tailor the Web site to match with your online activity, for example by displaying ads related to your search terms.

You can, in any Web browser, turn off cookies.

Most e-commerce sites, however, need them for their shopping cart programs and other functions.

If you choose to turn off cookies, you will likely be limited in your Web activities.

What a specific site collects and what it will do with that information is often found in that Web site’s "privacy policy."

If you are going to be submitting information which you would not want known to the general public online, you should carefully read that Web site’s privacy policy to make sure that it will be protected.

You should also be aware, however, that almost all Web sites reserve the right to make changes to their privacy policy without first obtaining your permission.

The law of internet privacy is changing quickly.

Recently a court in New Jersey decided that the government could not have access to some information collected by internet service providers.

There are also many cases about the public posting of private messages which are still ongoing.

Though many believe that the law is moving to provide greater protections to private information online, the international nature of the internet means that enforcement of these laws will not be perfect.

It is therefore important to remember when posting online that the information you submit online, unless otherwise promised, should be considered public.