Spying on you

Is it true that a lot of the people looking for an Internet trail are spying on a spouse or partner? There's a saying: Those who cheat never go to hell while those being cheated on are living in hell. I firmly believe that you should be informed, even if that information comes from spying.

What kind of trail is left behind? It can be the history files within an instant messenger program or your computer's Internet browser, or folders on your computer that store cookies, which are small pieces of information used by Web sites to track your visits. You can even see what people search for on Google.

What other kinds of trails are there? If you know the password to someone's e-mail account, you can look and see if there are gaps in the e-mail or if the e-mail has been moved to some other place on the computer.

How can you find out for sure if your partner is cheating? You can download free programs like Keylogger, which runs in the background and records what is being typed on the keyboard. You can also install a piece of hardware called a dongle that plugs into the back of your computer. It will record what someone is typing.

Can closeted gay employees cover their tracks at work? The majority of employers these days do spy in some form or fashion. I think that anyone should act as if everything you do in the computer is being watched and recorded. These are the times we live in.