Today is the 10th annual Safer Internet Day! SID is meant to remind people (especially youngins) to think about online safety and make changes to protect yourself. It's partly funded by the European Union and the Insafe network, but is celebrated in more than 100 countries world wide. Maybe this year's campaign will be extra effective since Twitter being hacked over the weekend brought people's false sense of internet security into the limelight. A lot of the tips that get promoted by participants like Google and Microsoft seem like common sense, but I guess there's no harm in trying to get people to use more of that. It's kind of like Don't Be Lazy/Gullible/Unlucky Day, but that's not as catchy. Here are the things you should know:

1. Use a password that's a pain in the ass

Yes, that means it should have number, lower case letters, symbols, and your favorite onomatopoeia. If it isn't a horrible chore to type in, it isn't good for your more important accounts.

2. Use different passwords for your different accounts

Unlike pet names for your multiple girlfriends, your passwords need to be different. Before you say it's too hard, think about how many phone numbers you knew before you started relying on your phone for everything. Ohhh, mom-style burn.

3. Avoid scams

Don't be afraid to be suspicious. No real prince or king is ever going to contact you over email. The same goes for missed connections.

4. Don't embarrass yourself

This has always been easier said than done for me, but if you have serious doubts about whether your twerk team photos are appropriate for your Facebook, don't post them. Actually, if you have serious doubts about whether your twerk team photos are appropriate for Facebook, there's no hope for you.

5. Don't be a bully

Or don't be a bully online. Seriously, the paper trail from that shit talking really blows the whole deny-til-you-die thing. If you don't have anything nice to say, make a fake Twitter account.