Expert: Doug Woodall - 9/6/2010

Question
Hello Doug,

I am wondering if you can help me - and if not - then maybe you would know the person I need to pose this question to?

I am wondering if you are aware of a program (or something of the like) that tells someone the moment you've come onto the Internet AND when you've come online using a specific computer?
I am asking because I suspect there is someone who is doing this with me (via Twitter).  This person seems to know when I am online on my laptop and seems to come online at the same second - frequently - by tweeting.  (And I am *not* using 'messenger' or anything like that.)  Yes - strange I know.

Any ideas of such a program or what this person could be using??  I don't think they have 'tapped into' my actual computer (by the way, this person is not a hacker - it's more personal - a little stalkish, yes - and they just like to know when I'm online.)

Thank you.  

Answer
Hello Tara,
There are ways, yes to tell when your puter is active on the server that hosts you. But the chances are remote someone would be using that way to monitor you, the hoster you are using has defenses against that.
Yahoo and MSN as well as Yahoo messenger can tell others when you are online.
Are any of these if you have them, set to start as sonn as the puter boots?
And there are loggers that can be installed on your puter also thru a dnload if you do not have AntiVirus, AntiSpyware and your Firewall enabled.

Hope this helps.
Doug