apps
November 5th, 2020
Apps are listening, watching and recording you. Don’t let them. Block their access to your phone’s camera and microphone. Most apps — regardless of their intended function — collect personal data and use it for their own benefit. One of the ways that apps get crafty about collecting that data is by accessing your phone’s camera or microphone. Deny that access, and you’ll be safer.
You would be surprised to know that most apps…... Continue reading >
October 29th, 2020
Apps should earn their place on your phone. If there are unused apps on your phone—apps you haven’t opened in the last month—delete them. You’ll boost your privacy, bolster your security, and de-clutter your phone in one move. Even when apps are “off,” they are still soaking up information about you, feeding the tracking industry at no benefit to you. Fight off the zombies. Delete unused apps.
The Threat of Zombie Apps
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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 >
October 16th, 2019
Kids are always one step ahead of their parents when it comes to technology, and they’ve come up with some clever ways—like the secret calculator—to disguise their online activity. For instance, they’re using apps to mask what they’re doing. Some of these apps are so effective, most parents are completely fooled by what they see when they look at their kids’ phones. A trained eye, though, might notice that something’s amiss.
Swapping apps
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January 5th, 2019
Picture this: your darling child is spending hours staring at their phone day after day, snapping pictures with their tongue out, or their friends. Sure, this is fascinating videography, but why on earth are your children spending their allotted screen time in this crazy way? If you ask them, you may receive a quickly growled “I’m keeping up my Snapchat streaks, geesh” — usually accompanied by an eye roll. What is this social media phenomenon that’s…... Continue reading >
October 6th, 2018
As parents, we take the time to teach our children the lifetime skill of brushing their teeth. Often there are tears, even tantrums, but we persevere because we know that good dental hygiene is really important. Excellent dental habits lead to healthy teeth, can help you save money, and will even allow you to smile more. Believe it or not, teaching your child about the importance of diligent online privacy habits is equally important, because being careless…
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September 6th, 2018
They say that a vampire can’t come into your home until you let him in. It is the same with the vampires behind the free WiFi who you allow into your devices. To many people those two words are music to their ears, but they often aren’t aware of what is really at stake. What does “free” mean exactly, especially in this context? What are the privacy implications that come with it? The truth is, the…
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September 6th, 2018
Is there a vulnerability hidden in your smartphone or laptop mics and cameras? Is someone truly listening through your active listening devices such as your Alexa or Google Home? Are you being watched? Parents, are your kids being watched?
The reality is that nothing—including hardware—is truly safe from hackers. There are ways to protect your smartphones, computer webcams and even your baby…
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September 6th, 2018
You’re waiting on an oil change at the car dealer, and it’s easy and “free” to connect your tablet to the public WiFi so your child can play an online game. Once you click “Accept & Agree,” you’ve gained access to the free WiFi and digitally told the business that you agree to their terms for using this service. Unfortunately, there are hidden costs of using that free public WiFi.
The term “free” is something…
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September 6th, 2018
Whether you call it information harvesting or data mining, the outcome is the same. Companies and big corporations gather data you provide and use it to identify trends, to improve targeted marketing methods, and to discover relationships between people and the products and services they use. Maybe you don’t mind giving out this information knowingly, but when it’s being amassed without your knowledge, and your children are contributing, the stakes go up.
There’s a lot…
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