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Hi Lea, that's a good question. One answer is: really good security software. As with antivirus programs today, software can be configured to watch for and block certain types of data transmission. For example, a program could ensure that no set of numbers corresponding to your social security number would be allowed out.

Another, and deeper, answer is that you can decide what kinds of information get to be public. You might decide that your general emotional state is public information, but nothing else.

To be sure, leaks do happen even with good defenses. But that's just part of the territory. To get the benefits of communication you also have to accept that there will be risks and drawbacks. The fact that something might go wrong is not a good reason to avoid using a beneficial technology.

Mike