As easy as it is to explore the lifestyle using what the Internet has to offer those very same tools can be readily used to access your accounts, read your email or even redistribute your pictures on the web.

Imagine, if you will, sitting down in front of your computer to peruse some online porn. You hop from site to site, enjoying some of the sexiest images the Internet has to offer.

One image in particular, though, catches your interest - the model has a familiar-looking tattoo on her ass and you just know that you've seen that bedspread before. After silently complimenting her choice in vibrator selection for a moment or two, you realize that it is you in the picture.

How did that get there?

Uh-Oh!
The Internet has provided those in the swinger lifestyle with a multitude of ways to get in touch with like-minded couples and singles - chat rooms, email, message forums and searchable profiles offer lifestylers options they never could have had even just a decade ago.

However, that power comes at a cost: a potential loss of privacy. As easy as it is to explore the lifestyle using what the Internet has to offer those very same tools can be readily used to access your accounts, read your email or even redistribute your pictures on the web.

There is no 100% effective way to prevent this from occurring, unfortunately, but there are a few things you can do to help protect yourself.

Passwords
The first thing you can do is secure your accounts. Whether it be your email or a lifestyle site account, your first line of defense is a secure password. Names and common words won't cut it - these are easily cracked by any determined intruder. Instead, consider using a random set of letters and numbers at least eight characters in length.

Does that sound too hard to remember? It doesn't have to be! Just use the first letter of each word from a memorable sentence. For example, the phrase "I Like 1 Finger In Ass, Maybe 2" becomes "il1fiam2". Feel free to substitute numbers or words as appropriate.

Unfortunately, no matter how well you choose a password that doesn't help much if someone finds a way to obtain it from you. Be especially careful about logging into your email or a lifestyle site from someone else's computer or network as there is a chance that whatever you type could be intercepted. If you do use someone else's computer, be sure to log out when you are through and your login information is not saved.

Finally, regularly check your computer for spyware and viruses and consider switching to a web browser with a solid security track record (I highly recommend Firefox ).

“If your naughtiest pictures do get out in the wild,
though, a little plausible deniability
can go a long way in containing the damage.”

Pictures
Many lifestyle sites allow you to post pictures with which to ensnare fellow lifestylers - in essence, a spider-web comprised of boobs and booty. This will help you make new friends but opens up a few privacy issues as well. What if someone copies your photos for their own collection? Worse still, what if they decide to share that collection with the rest of the Internet-using world?

While there is no fool-proof way to prevent that from happening, you can make it more difficult. The first rule of thumb is that if someone can view your pictures without a paid membership to the site, there is no telling where your pictures will end up. Before you sign up, it pays to check the site's policies on new and unconfirmed members. Many of the better sites available will allow you to carefully limit who is able to see your photos, helping to keep the curious and malicious at bay.

If your naughtiest pictures do get out in the wild, though, a little plausible deniability can go a long way in containing the damage. By carefully cropping or editing out distinguishing features (such as your face), your nude photos may be impossible to link back to you. Be mindful of details such as clothing, rooms or furniture that may come back to haunt you. Suffice to say, if you decide to take pictures of that stellar blow job in your office you might want to keep those photos to yourself.

In the end, remember that any image displayed on the Internet can be copied and distributed. There are ways to dissuade casual copying but total prevention is impossible. If the consequences of that are too horrible to consider, you may want to even consider not posting pictures at all - and accept that this may cut into your play opportunities.

Identity
For many, the absolute nightmare scenario is being outed. Honestly, who wants their boss, ex-spouse or mother to know what they really do on those hot, steamy weekend nights?

While the chances of this are actually quite slight, the consequences can be scary to contemplate. An angry co-worker, ex-spouse or spurned play partner can easily cause a lot of trouble if you give them enough ammo.

Again, the answer is plausible deniability. Only provide details about your vanilla life to your closest of lifestyle friends. Create a special email account for lifestyle use (don't use your work email address!). Small details about someone - say, their name, address or profession - can be easily used by a malicious person to link your vanilla and lifestyle identities together and cause trouble. Try to keep things as separate as possible. If someone is unable to demonstrate a link, you can more easily lie through your teeth and say that they've fingered the wrong person.

Paranoid?
While the above is good common sense for most lifestylers, you alone are truly able to judge how careful you should be about your privacy within the lifestyle. A reasonable level of paranoia for one person may very well be overkill for another.

What would happen if you were outed? What would happen if someone were able to access your account? Does your employer have a morality clause? Do you even care if your booty pics become widespread masturbation fodder? These are the questions you should ask yourself.

Ultimately, we're all here to have fun, make sexy new friends and get laid. Most people aren't out to get you and odds are that you won't have any problems. Be careful, of course, but don't let your own fear prevent you from having a great lifestyle experience.

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