Better Control, Better Facebook

Privacy issues have been hurled against Facebook in the past years. Users have complained about several features that take away their control over their own privacy. While the features’ purpose was to improve users’ experiences, problems have arisen, especially in the area of content sharing. In response, the company has made changes to its privacy features that hope to allow users to control their privacy. Some of these changes were successful, but others have invited even more complaints.

Just recently, Facebook announced that it is giving its millions of users more enhanced privacy control. These changes will be rolled out in the coming days, and users will be given a chance to try them when they become available. The new privacy features will generally make it easier for users to understand what people online will see about them and their posts.

With just a few clicks, users can quickly know who can see all that they post. They can also choose to block unwanted photos and those items that are tagged by others from their profile page. Facebook expects that users will have less confusion by changing such terms like “everyone” to “public”. Most users used to think that “everyone” meant everyone on the social networking site. The term actually meant all people on the internet.

Some analysts commented about Facebook’s move towards enhancing customer satisfaction. According to them, social networking buffs have long been asking for features that would allow them to clearly see what content is posted. Analysts said that Google+ was successful at avoiding Facebook’s privacy pitfalls. It gives users easier control when comes to content sharing. Facebook denied that its similar improvement was triggered by Google’s success in providing more acceptable privacy features.

According to another policy analyst, there is a brewing competition in the area of privacy. Ultimately, this trend will move towards empowering users to gain more control over information sharing. Other observers commented that policies should be clear in order to avoid backfiring. If controls are very complicated for users to understand and use, more problems can be expected. Facebook has taken the first few right steps, and now it has to take a lot more towards privacy protection.

Image courtesy of:
Image: Master isolated images / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Up... Up... and... Supercookies!

Users are conscious that every time they go online, someone is watching them. Regardless of size, companies use updated technology just to be able to keep track of users’ online behavior. Users also realize that companies have one purpose in doing this, and that is for marketing. Trackers keep an eye on which sites are visited by a user, how long the user stays on each site, and what pages he or she visits before leaving. They are also concerned with the users’ interests, as revealed in the categories of posts that users read, and by comments that they leave.

Tracking is made possible mainly with the use of HTTP cookies. These are packets of information that are used to store the user’s preferences. Cookies were originally intended to be used to improve a user’s browsing experience. Because of cookies, users do not have to enter their basic information, like user name or password, every time they visit the same site.

The strategy of using cookies to store private information has previously stirred privacy concerns. Browsers responded by providing options for users to decide whether they want cookies to be stored or not. A user can easily delete cookies when he or she finds that they are not needed anymore. Because of this, it can be assumed that users have complete control over their private data.

Times seemed to have changed, and control is slipping away from the user. A privacy researcher revealed that today, users can be tracked even when cookie storage is disabled or when the user browses in privacy mode. The new tracking technology uses “supercookies”, which cannot be deleted. It is able to “revive” cookies after they were deleted. It can also bring together a user’s browsing history across two or more different browsers.

The supercookie uses a matchless identifier known as ETag. Researchers at Stanford University and UC Berkeley discovered that some companies are already using supercookies. The researchers identified one supercookie that is able to look back at web-browsing history. They observed that it can dig deep into the sites that the user has visited; as many as 1,500 of those. They supposed that this new kind of cookie is interested in what products the user is thinking of buying. It is very much the same as the older cookies, but this one is more intimidating because of its “immortality”.

Image courtesy of:
Image: Paul / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Parents Need Not Be One-Sided

It is not unusual to hear parents talk about the downside of the internet. This is especially true when they can no longer control their children, which makes it difficult to see the good side of this technology. But when children are properly guided, the internet can help in improving their performance at school. Nowadays, schools are maximizing the use of this technology to enhance learning in many ways. That is why parents are not being fair when they talk ill of the internet without considering the benefits that it can give to their children.

From a wider view, parents need to engage themselves in the internet activities of their children. There are lots of strategies that parents can try on their own in handling this issue. The most essential is for them to learn more about the internet. It might even be better if they learn about it from their children. This activity leads to bonding, particularly with teenagers who are starting to search for “freedom” from parental control. When parents are sincere enough about it, this experience is a good shot to the child’s self esteem.

This may take some time, but it will surely build trust. When the right signal comes, parents can shift the topic to talking about internet safety rules. The time may come sooner, or later, depending on the age level of the child. It is clear that parents should know when this could occur because of their experiences with other areas that need parental control. They should take extra care that the trust built between them and their children is neither broken nor compromised.

Parents should be alert to signs of too much indulgence, especially in social networking. When children are already “addicted”, it becomes difficult for them to stop. Younger children could easily get captivated by online games. This is the time for parents to encourage their children to develop self-discipline. It will require one’s consistency and authority to make it work, but after a while, children will learn how to balance online and face-to-face time.

An indispensable part of this parenting is that children will build stronger self confidence and higher self-esteem. To achieve this, parents must keep the lines of communication open between them and their children. There is no better way for parents to protect their children than by seeing how they surf online. To keep themselves updated, they need to preserve the trust that sustains their children’s openness to them.

Image courtesy of:
Image: arztsamui / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Don't Push Your Children Away

There are parents who push their children away from the internet because they say that digital technology contains so much information that it makes it hard to control. Others reason that the internet takes up so much family time and builds an invisible wall among the family members. Still others assert that children could become exposed to online predators who pretend to be friends.

No matter how much we try to suppress or refuse it, technology is always a part of our lives, including that of the children. Information is deposited into this virtual world that holds limitless potential for good. In fact, it is more harmful to deprive children the chance of using the technology rather than guiding them on how to use it. Aside from not benefiting from it, they become dangerously curious, which usually leads to misuse.

With proper control and guidance from parents, children’s online experiences can be as rewarding as any offline activity. The internet is a threat to children’s privacy only in the absence of well-defined rules that both parents and children have agreed upon. It can also be added that many parents need to teach themselves more about the internet.

Yes, parents need to know more about the internet than just the basics of online browsing. They should also use such online stuff like email, online purchasing and, of course, social networking. Parents will have less fear and be in a better position to do what is right when they are well-informed. They can teach their children how to maintain their privacy while keeping in touch with their friends in the social network.

Parents who know how to use the internet will have access to websites that are potentially dangerous to children. There are websites that can lure children into providing some personal information about the family just so they can obtain an online freebie. In its simplest sense, the internet is a widely commercialized medium. Children do not have the maturity to appropriately handle these targeted advertising tools. They can only be safe with their parents as their first line of defense.

Not all children are on the same level of development. Parents cannot give a one-shot solution to online safety. They need to adapt internet safety rules according to the level of the child. It is not good for parents to threaten or to bribe their children. Above all, parents have no reason to deny their children the benefits of the internet simply because they are uninformed about technology.

Image courtesy of:
Image: jscreationzs / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Should Schools Educate the Parents Too?

The worsening behavioral problems of a number of children have alarmed middle and high school authorities. Some officials believe that some of these are expressions of how these children behave online. Schools are looking for help from professionals who know the anatomy of the problem. They see that it cannot be solved if the school works alone. The home must work collaboratively with the school because parents play a crucial role in correcting the problem. It is good that many schools are working with private organizations who can educate parents about safety and literacy in the digital world.

What used to be limited to online behavior among children is no longer true as realized now, by many schools. There is no longer a difference between how children behave online and their behavior with peers in the real world. For sure, harassment against other students that is done online will surely extend offline, most probably on the school campus. This adds to the list of problems of the school administration. This kind of problem could have been averted if parents lived up to their obligations. Through their parents, children should get their first education on internet literacy and safety. Sad to say, very few parents today are capable of doing this.

Parents seem to be incapable of educating their children about the internet. They leave their children alone without rules. If ever there are rules, they are both unrealistic and inconsistent. They believe that teachers are the ones who should instruct children about the internet and its dangers. The usual reason they give for believing this is their fear of the technology involved. Parents think it is enough for them to know that their children are using Facebook, but they are uninformed on how their children use it. Some of the problems that schools encounter today have their roots in this way of thinking.

Some schools took the initiative to begin a school-parents partnership. Educating the parents on internet safety and media literacy is the first step. They should know how their children’s behavior online can also manifest to the actual world. They should speak with their children and together set age-appropriate rules. If the home does not reinforce school efforts, the problem cannot be solved. Hence, there is a need for a partnership that is based on a common understanding and purpose.

Patience is needed to see results, and time is of the essence. This will be difficult for children, especially for those who already got used to not having rules set. The length of waiting for results depends on the child’s motivation and cooperation. But, the good news is that it has already started. Parents and children just need to be open with one another and supported by an appropriate school program.

Image courtesy of:
Image: nuttakit / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

When Children Know More Than Their Parents

Technology has considerably widened the communication gap between children and parents. Parents are very busy with their jobs, and children are becoming more entangled with their online adventures. Children are left alone, without limitations, to explore the digital world. It generally ends up that it is too late when parents realize that their children’s conduct is already compromised. Without proper direction and parental control, these children remain ignorant about the basics of internet safety and media literacy. It is expected that their parents are the ones to educate them on these issues. The situation, however, is reversed because many children know more than their parents about the internet.

Recognizing this reality, a private non-profit organization is now partnering with schools to provide workshops for parents. This organization would help schools educate parents about internet safety and media literacy during PTA and parent group meetings. Organization representatives would bring with them the actual gadgets like an Xbox, PS3 and Windows or Mac machines. They would demonstrate to parents how they can set up internet parental controls. The group believes that distributing manuals to parents would not help at all. Most parents are not comfortable with technology, so it would be a lot easier if they are taught the actual process by demonstration. This gives the parents first-hand experience and sets aside the fear that most of them have with gadgets.

Reports show that many middle and high schools are now challenged by issues of online safety. Among others, cyber bullying and “sexting” are the most common. Even though these are expected to occur online only, these have spread out offline. This means that its effects are being displayed by children on the school campus, and are fast becoming a “school culture”. School authorities consider this an urgent concern, so they have enlisted the help of organizations that can educate these children and their parents.

They start with meeting and educating the parents. Many parents would show that they do not care, and this is a hint that they are not aware of the dangers of abuse of the internet. More than the need to recognize how their children are using it, they should also realize the culture within. It is not enough for parents to know that there is such a thing as Facebook and that their children are using it. They also have to learn how their children connect with thousands of “friends” in a very different manner. Learning this would enable them to know the benefits and dangers. Only then can they work collectively to make the right move and bring about what needs to be changed.

Image courtesy of:

Image: photostock / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Deleting Personal Information

It used to be that social network users did not waste a second when it came to uploading their personal information just to open an account. Then they would tell their friends to do the same so that their circle of friends became bigger. After that, “friends” of their “friends” replicated the process. As soon as they opened an account, they added more personal data to their profiles, and as if that was not enough, they would share all of their photos. This same process is done by millions of other users - with a wide range of ages. Huge amounts of information are uploaded and shared online 24/7.

Then, privacy concerns due to data breaches appeared out of nowhere. At first, this was not a big issue, but as more users’ privacy was violated, privacy advocates did what they deemed right. They tried to ask the help of government to update privacy laws. They also requested that internet companies review and enhance their privacy policies. Debates regarding government control and privacy violations are still going on. There are several privacy laws of which implementation is still pending. Private companies update their privacy policies, but these updates do not keep pace with the nature of privacy problems.

Just recently, users are becoming more concerned about the presence of their data on the internet. As excited as they were to upload their data before, they cannot wait to delete it now. This is because they have learned that the data can be used against them. Users discovered that there is so much information on the internet about them that marketers can use this data for different purposes; some of which users do not even know about.

The problem is that it is not so easy to delete users’ information. Ironically, additional data would be needed in order to delete the information that was previously supplied. This means that a user cannot simply request that his or her records be deleted. Companies that have the technology to do so need to be sure that they are deleting the information about the correct person.

Furthermore, deleting information on some websites does not guarantee that no more data about the person will show up elsewhere. This is because most users upload information to numerous websites. Users could avoid a lot of trouble if they use self-regulation. Whether it is with online shopping, gaming or social networking, users should always be careful when providing personal information to online companies.

Image courtesy of:

Image: renjith krishnan / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Thanks to Private Proxy

I am thankful that I was given the opportunity to benefit from using Private Proxy. Although I am not well versed about its technicalities, the fact that it is available is already worth it. I have just started using a Private Proxy server, but its benefits are numerous. On the internet, I came to know at least four of its benefits that I personally enjoy right now. With Private Proxy, I threw away my worries about being blocked from accessing important websites.

I used to just leave my “footprints” anywhere before I knew about this technology. This possibly made me a target of some people who meant to cause damage, or wanted to “play” with me. With the use of Private Proxy, they can no longer identify where and who I am. I learned that other proxy servers cannot totally cover you from snooping eyes. Dishonest people can simply use an IP tracking software that can bypass a proxy server. But with Private Proxy, my computer becomes untraceable because my IP address becomes hidden from them.

With Private Proxy, I experience faster speed whenever I go online. I do not have to waste valuable time waiting for the page to load. I can maximize the use of my time getting on with my job. There was a significant increase in speed, especially when attaching large files to emails. I used to get annoyed when suddenly my connection got terminated. I put in so much effort to recover lost data, but there was no way to regain lost time. With Private Proxy to the rescue, I am assured of a fast and reliable connection.

My short experience with Private Proxy gave me the feeling of confidence and security that I wanted. Up to now I haven’t had any encounter with hacking or eavesdropping. I am sure that others can also get the same feeling of security that many users nowadays are lacking. People should learn how to guard themselves against online threats, and Private Proxy can surely give them the protection that they need.

Image courtesy of:

Image: jscreationzs / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

The Value of Private Proxy

When I became a blog writer was the time I realized the value of Private Proxy. I got familiar with the internet some five or six years ago. My first activities were mostly browsing different sites without any specific reason. As a teacher, I discovered the benefits of the internet as an unlimited resource center. After some time, I used email as my major means of contact with my relatives and friends in other countries.

Some years back, social networking became the trend in online activities. Out of curiosity, I opened an account with each of the three major social networking sites. By that time, I already had an idea about privacy issues, but I was not concerned. As required, I provided some personal information to these sites. The social media thing was a different experience. It was really thrilling, connecting to everyone from virtually anywhere. I was not conscious that I was already providing too much data about me on the internet.

Sometime last year, I got the chance to do a part-time online job. I started writing eight blogs every week about internet privacy issues. I have to submit these to four identified sites, two blogs to each site. Through this job, I learned more about internet privacy issues. I came to know about online safety, identity theft, data breaches, online fraud, hacking, internet privacy, protecting personal information, and much more. But still, I did not give any importance to my own privacy.

My attitude was changed by an unusual incident. One night, I could not open any of the four sites to which I had to upload my blogs. I suspected that something was wrong, so I contacted the blog site owner. He advised me to open other sites that I frequently visit. I was able to do so with all except these four. There was no doubt that I was intentionally blocked from accessing the sites.

To solve the problem, he advised me to use Private Proxy. I thought it was complicated, but he guaranteed that I could do it easily. His instruction was to download the software, which took me a few minutes to complete. Then, I needed to follow the simple instructions that were embedded within the software interface. Sure enough, I was able to open the sites again!

I could not believe that somebody would take interest in my privacy. Why should those websites be blocked to me? What do I have that would warrant such interest? For one, I do not have an online business, credit cards, or big sums of money in bank accounts. What does a blog writer have? However, I realized that I do not have to be “somebody” to become a victim, and I started to appreciate the value of using a proxy server. From that time on, I use Private Proxy every time I go online. These and other benefits are offered by a private proxy. There will be more about the rest of the benefits next time.

Image courtesy of:

Image: sheelamohan / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Regaining Privacy - How Difficult!

With the increasing number of data breaches, more users are realizing that they, themselves, are to blame. They give too much information online without thinking about the consequences. Many users are surprised when there is so much information about them when they do a simple search. They wondered how this was possible, but then remembered that they shared that information on one website or another. Now, users want to regain their privacy, but it is not a simple thing to do.

Users have just realized that every time they are online, there are many interested third parties that watch their online behavior. These could be marketers, game developers and search engines, with each one having its own purpose. However, they have one common goal: they are trying to collect as much information as they can from each user. These companies are sure that someday they can make a lot of money from whatever information they collect.

One user tells about how amazed he was that he found so much information about himself when he just did a simple search. He never imagined that a search would reveal one site that had a collection of his information including his address, number and names of his household members, food preferences, and even a picture of his house! Yes, many users want to win back total control over their own identities. One thing that they want to do is to remove their information from the internet.

Now this “removal” thing is not as easy as sharing the information on different sites. Another user who wanted to remove her information from a particular site was asked to provide a long list of personal information. Although she wanted to regain privacy, she did not want to go through this tedious process. She asked the company if there was a faster way to grant her removal request. The company spokesperson said that detailed information is needed so that it could delete the data of the correct person.

Users are advised to find out how much information about them there is on the internet. To do this, a user must do an inventory of the information that they have shared online. For sure, many would be shocked to know that that innocent information they shared many years ago is now threatening their privacy. The lesson is that users must not give away personal information so easily. Once privacy is threatened, it is very difficult to regain control.

Image courtesy of:

Image: jannoon028 / FreeDigitalPhotos.net