Privacy Tips
November 25th, 2022
It can be wild out there, with a galaxy of websites competing for your dollars and data. Here are seven quick tips to make your Black Friday and Cyber Monday safe(r).
Be skeptical. If a deal looks too good, it probably is. Move on. Use a VPN. If you’re visiting more sites than usual, you’re also leaving more footprints than usual, scattering your personal all over the internet. A VPN will help…... Continue reading >
October 14th, 2022
Here’s one smart and easy move to bolster your privacy that you can make right now. On your phone, go into your settings and look for Privacy. On iPhones, you’ll find a Tracking button. Tap it. And then you’ll find a toggle and the phrase “Allow Apps to Request to Track.” Switch that toggle to the off position. As in “No.” Tracking doesn’t benefit you. On Android phones, you should find the option to “Delete advertising…... Continue reading >
September 8th, 2022
We’re always on the lookout for a list that helps us stay safe online. To that end, this piece in the Washington Post is a winner. Easy-to-follow steps anyone can take to protect their privacy, boost their security, and avoid scams. Big takeaways: Be vigilant, be skeptical, and be aware. And switch your social media accounts to private. Good stuff and worth a look.
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September 6th, 2022
Keep this in mind: They can track your texts, too. Texting may feel private—just a little typed out conversation between you and a friend for your and their eyes only. Would that it were so. Your text chains contain mountains of information about you and your habits and preferences. It’s valuable, which means someone out there wants it. At times, they get it.
Ever visit a website to browse some products only to then…... Continue reading >
August 26th, 2022
TikTok, it was recently revealed, can track your keystrokes. Sounds sketchy, right? It is. If you or your kids use TikTok, here’s what you need to know.
First, a reminder of a universal rule: Free isn’t free. Apps that don’t cost money to download may appear free, but they’re not. There is plenty of value to harvest from data generated by your use of the app. Some of that data is innocuous, some…... Continue reading >
August 21st, 2022
TikTok can track your every click and keystroke, including passwords and other personal information. As if anyone needed another reason to be wary of the rapidly growing social media platform, here’s another. When users click a link within the app, TikTok’s browser inserts code that allows it to record how users interact with whatever site they’re on. Taps on the keyboard, clicks, scrolls, TikTok can track it all. In a word: Sketchy. Be careful.
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August 4th, 2022
It isn’t your kid’s job to influence anyone but you. So think twice before making your kid the star of your social media feeds. This recent CNET piece points out the perils of turning your kid into an influencer. It sacrifices their privacy and it puts them at risk. “Sharents,” parents who regularly share information and images about their kids, need to be aware of those risks. As one expert cited in the piece put it, “When…... Continue reading >
July 8th, 2022
An interesting piece from Wired about the increasing importance of end-to-end encryption. The article uses recent Supreme Court rulings as a jumping-off point, but goes on to highlight the widespread benefits of incorporating the technology into daily life. The piece cites studies that refer to end-to-end encryption as a “human rights issue in the digital age.”
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June 8th, 2022
You already know that your iPhone isn’t really off when its screen is dark. It wouldn’t be able to buzz when someone calls you if it were. But did you know that “powering down” doesn’t really do the trick, either? Bluetooth and other features continue operating in low-power mode. Researchers now warn that can leave you open to hackers.
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May 16th, 2022
It’s not as if we lost our privacy all at once. We’ve given away little bits of it here and there, exchanging personal information for the conveniences and genuine solutions our increasingly tech-ified world provides. But your privacy matters. Your personal data is yours. It’s worth protecting. Here are 10 baby steps you can take to protect your privacy.
Turn off Location Services. Not too deep in your phone’s privacy settings you’ll find “Location…... Continue reading >