August 27th, 2020
Every minute of every day, predictive analytics are changing our lives. Your social media feed is calibrated to present posts that you’re most likely to care about. Online ads appear because an algorithm has decided you’ll want to see them. Every song you listen to informs your streaming service about which song it should choose to play next. It’s efficient and effective. It’s also dangerously manipulative.
Why Predictive Analytics Matter
In… Continue reading >
August 6th, 2020
Protect your phone number and protect yourself. If a form on a website asks for it, think twice before typing it in. The more widely distributed your phone number is, the easier it is for companies to track your behavior online and serve up ads to you. And because your phone number is so closely tied to your identity, it’s a prize for hackers, too. Keep it close and protect yourself. If your kids have phones,… Continue reading >
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 >
April 24th, 2020
As governments, health experts and tech companies collaborate in the fight against COVID-19, privacy advocates worry the response will weaken our already loose grip on our personal data. Foreign Policy, among other, are publishing pieces looking into how digital tracking tools must be carefully regulated to preserve our privacy rights.
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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 >