ArticlesAn archive of Privacy Parent’s original content designed to help increase your privacy literacy.
An archive of Privacy Parent’s original content designed to help increase your privacy literacy.
July 22nd, 2020
Is it a good idea sign in to other websites with your Facebook or Google accounts? Some say it’s safe, some say it’s not. It’s certainly convenient. Still, is it a good idea? We say a better idea is to bolster your passwords or use a password manager.
The Good
The Sign In With Facebook/Google system saves you time and spares you the chore of creating a new…... Continue reading >
July 8th, 2020
A private Instagram account is a better Instagram account because its a safer Instagram account. It’s also really quick and easy to do. Here’s a brief how and why to get you on your way to private, better, safer Instagram.
First, the Why
If your Instagram account is public, that means anyone with access to the app can look at your posts, send you direct messages and see when you’re active…... Continue reading >
June 18th, 2020
What’s the difference between a browser and a search engine? Think of it this way: A browser is your public library: the building, the tables, the shelves, the librarians—all of it. A search engine is the card catalog. If car analogies work better for you, a browser is your Buick Roadmaster; a search engine is the map spread across the seat. We all use both of them all the time, but they’re different, and it’s important…... Continue reading >
May 28th, 2020
Many parents today became adults during the advent of social media, sharing and oversharing personal information and photos. Platforms like Facebook and Instagram are so familiar to them, they overshare photos of their children, too, without pausing to think of the dangers.
Know the Risks
There are several risks that parents should be aware of when posting images of their children or sharing anecdotes about their personal lives online. These…... Continue reading >
March 28th, 2020
With schools closed for the foreseeable future, your kids
will be spending more time online than ever, completing school assignments
remotely, playing games and staying in touch with friends. It will be largely
up to you to keep them safe. Seekadoo, a kid-friendly search engine, can help.
Install it on your kids’ device for free and know their searches won’t lead them to wildly inappropriate results. You can download Seekadoo here.
Seekadoo is…... Continue reading >
May 7th, 2020
Fitness trackers sounds like the perfect tools for living well: a lightweight devices that track of all your vital statistics plus the progress of your physical training. You no longer have to lug your phone along, estimate how far you’ve run, or press a finger on your neck or your wrist to check your pulse.
Many fitness trackers also now provide other features such as your historical data; comparing your performance against other…... Continue reading >
April 7th, 2020
Editor’s note: Zoom has just released a package of security enhancements, part of an initiative the company’s calling Zoom 5.0. Read more about it here.
The antidote to self-isolation and social-distancing? Zoom. Virtually unheard of in mainstream America a month ago, Zoom, a video conference app, is suddenly everywhere, allowing coworkers to collaborate from home and kids to show off their latest paintings to amazed grandparents. But why Zoom? And, with reports of…... Continue reading >
March 25th, 2020
In the digital world, free isn’t free. It may appear to be. You probably didn’t pay anyone for your email address. The invitation you sent to a dozen friends didn’t cost you a dime. Those terrifying rogue-wave videos you watched when you couldn’t sleep? The open Wifi signal at the coffee shop? No fees, but not without a price.
Just about every service you engage online comes at…... Continue reading >
March 13th, 2020
Following are seven simple steps you can take to improve your digital security. Protecting yourself can seem impossibly complicated. It doesn’t have to be. These are steps you can take today to defend your privacy and improve your security. They’re simple and effective. Let’s go.
1) Get off social media. The less you “share,” the more secure you’ll be. Even private accounts aren’t really private: What’s stopping a follower from taking a screen shot…... Continue reading >
March 3rd, 2020
In an analog world, the personal address book was gold. They were curated, edited and sprinkled with exclusive numbers that weren’t widely available. Contacts who gave you their unlisted numbers gave you, by extension, their trust. Close your address book and put it away, and no one could read it.
That was then. A digital address book doesn’t reside safely in a desk drawer. It’s in your phone, labeled “Contacts” and as vulnerable to…... Continue reading >