This is just going to be a brief introduction, which will have to suffice until I'm able to develop this subject further. I would say to the extent that it needs to be developed, but that is impossible for a variety of reasons, however there are many things that can be done to make your computer more secure, and to make what you do online somewhat more private.
The first thing that anyone who is online needs to understand is that there is no privacy online. Everything you do online can be, and or is monitored. This includes email, instant messenger messages, everything.
There are steps you can take to help protect your privacy though, and that will be the subject of this page.
The first step is to encrypt everything you do online that you consider no ones business but your own. I included a link to an email encryption program and an encrypted instant messenger program on the index page, and I recommend everyone get them and use them if you value your privacy.
I'll be working on more on this subject, but for now just remember there is no privacy online unless you are willing to work for it, and then it's limited.