【明報專訊】The Smarties are looking at the computer screen. Why are they so excited?

“ Dr Panda: Hey, let's join this online lucky draw! I want to get these prizes. ”

“ MoMo: Wow! I'm so excited. ”

“ Bill: How come? Who has used your personal information? ”

“ Pat: Oops! It says I've already joined the lucky draw. ”

“On line﹕Name: Pat／Phone number: 77776666／Address: Flat 1F, Clever Building, Smart City ”

“ Eason: I got your information from your social media profile and leaked it to the world. ”

“ MoMo、 Dr Panda、Pat: Identity thief! ”

■English highway﹕How come？

We use ''how come?'' to ask how or why something has happened.

e.g. So how come you didn't go to school today?

"I can't join the party." "How come?"

■Know more

The personal information and posts we share online last forever and may become public. Moreover, some websites ask for personal information more than needed. If we are not careful enough, strangers may know where we live and drain our bank accounts, etc. Identity thieves use others' information to join different activities and even sell it on the dark web. To stay safe, we should always think twice before giving any personal information. We should also control who can see our information by changing the privacy settings.

■Glossary

leak (v) 泄露

identity (n) 身分

last (v) 持續

privacy settings (n) 私隱設定

[Smarties' Power English 第256期]