Can Your GPS Lead a Stranger to Your Door?

Nowadays, almost everyone has a GPS.  As you drive down the highways and back roads, just about every car you see has one attached to the windshield.  Some newer models of cars come with the GPS as either a standard feature or an option.  A GPS doesn’t only tell you how to get where you’re going; it also tells you when you should be arriving.   If one of the roads you need is closed, or if traffic is unusually heavy, the GPS will tell you which detour to take.  For these reasons, I’m addicted to my GPS, just like millions of other people.

Yes, the GPS is a huge part of our lives, but do we ever think about how we can be risking our safety by using it?  Think of all the information about you that a criminal can get just by looking through your GPS’s “Favorite Places”.   Below is a scenario that is played over and over all over the country:

You just got a promotion at your job.  Along with this came a very large raise, so, to celebrate, you and your husband go out for a night on the town.  Your first stop is that new nightclub that opened a few weeks ago because a band that you both love is playing there.   You know the address, but aren’t sure how to get there, so you program it into your GPS.  You get to the club and hand your car over to the valet so you don’t have to walk unfamiliar streets to find it later.  If you have an in-dash GPS, it’s all but forgotten, but if you have a portable GPS, you stash it in the glove box so it’s out of sight.

Maybe your husband comments about the band and how long it’s been since you’ve both been to one of their concerts.  You tell him that you can’t wait and will savor every minute until the club closes and you are forced to leave.  During this conversation, the valet has heard every word.  He also noticed where you put your portable GPS, or that you didn’t turn off your in-dash GPS.  Who is this person that you just handed your car to?  Does he have a criminal background?  Well, whoever this person is, he now knows your plans for the entire evening.

The valet is doing a quick scan of your keys as you are walking into the club.  He notices that you are like thousands of others who keep their house keys on the same key ring as your car key.  He then takes your car and parks it.  He reaches for your GPS and scans your list of “Favorite Places”.  He hits the jackpot when he sees an entry listed as “Home”.

Which Would You Choose: Privacy or Security?

Carnegie Mellon University’s Pedo-Biometrics Lab in Pittsburgh, PA has a joint project with a Canadian company, Autonomous ID.  The project is a security scanner that is built into the in-soles of shoes.  These in-soles will be used at high security companies, power plants and military bases to screen employees attempting to gain access to high risk areas.

The idea for this type of device came to Todd Gray, President of Autonomous ID, when he visited his daughter right after she gave birth.  Gray noticed that the walls of the maternity ward were decorated with the footprints of all the babies who were born there.  When he saw this, he realized that each person’s footprints were as unique as their fingerprints.  To start the project, Gray paid $1.5 million to Pedo-Biometrics Lab.  

Security or privacy?  The choice is yours.

These special in-soles will have sensors that measure the amount of pressure each step places on specific areas.   Height, weight and gait are all factors used to make these measurements.   When an employee is fitted with these in-soles, he or she will walk around so his or her data can be stored in a master file located in microcomputers.  From this master file, security clearance level will be confirmed.  If confirmed, access to the area will be granted; a silent alarm will be triggered if the employee does not have clearance.   

Preliminary tests that were run on in-sole samples demonstrated that there is an accuracy rate of 99% after only three steps.  Further tests are taking place that will take such factors as dieting, athleticism and nationality into account.  Tests will also be done on fraternal and identical twins.  Mr. Gray is of the opinion that there is less of a privacy risk to these in-soles as opposed to eye scans. 

Attorney Lee Tien of the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) doesn’t fully agree with that opinion.    “Every biometric capture device is a potential tracking device, just like every iPhone is a potential tracking device.  That’s just the way things are.” is the statement made by Mr. Tien.  He did, however, feel that the in-soles “might make a person feel a little bit better” about their security.  Another positive point Tien made was that the identification accuracy rate of 99% after merely three steps is “pretty impressive”.

Can you be tracked without consent?

There was a negative side that Tien saw:  these in-soles could be inserted into an employee’s shoes without his knowledge or consent.  In this respect, they could be considered a “spy tool”.

Thinking about all the pros and cons, I can’t imagine allowing my employer to know everywhere I go, even on my time off from work.  I would simply feel like I was being stalked.  I’m not willing to give up my privacy like that.

Privacy is our greatest asset and we should not be willing to risk it.  Learn how to protect yourself both on line and off by taking a few minutes to download the free Internet Privacy Guide at the top of this page.  Isn’t it worth a few minutes to learn how to keep your privacy safe?

Will You Sign Up For Facedeals?

Facedeals will offer you "specials" by facial recognition

My morning ritual begins with turning on my TV to catch the news.  One story this morning really grabbed my attention in a very disturbing way.  It was about a new technology called “Facedeals”, which could be one of the more frightening apps to come our way.

RedPepper Labs, a development group headquartered in Nashville, TN has just announced its latest entry into the world of digital technology.  They call it Facedeals, and the testing has begun.  As I was listening to this story, I started to be concerned about how this could put everyone’s privacy at risk.  Facedeals will be connected to your Facebook account and will use facial recognition to pinpoint your location whenever you enter your favorite shops and restaurants.

Unlike FourSquare, where you physically have to enter your location, the only action you need to complete with Facedeals is to walk in the door.  As you approach the door, a camera placed outside the shop will scan your face and link it to Facebook’s application program interface (or API) and associate it with your “Likes” so that shop will be able to offer you discounts and other deals accordingly.

Before this app can scan you, you must approve it through your Facebook settings, which at least gives you some control.  If you choose to approve Facedeals, you will be asked to scan one of the newest photos you have of yourself.  After that, each time you enter a business that has a Facedeals camera at the door, that business will know you are there, will know the Facebook “Likes” you have that are relevant to that business, and you will be sent special offers to your cell phone within seconds.

Since installation of these cameras doesn’t require anything more than a wall outlet and WiFi connection, they can be place anywhere.  For now, the test area is limited to Nashville, Tennessee, but RedPepper is hoping to soon expand the area.

It’s too soon to tell how quickly Facedeals will be accepted by the public.  Personally, I can’t imagine that a large amount of people would be willing to be “followed” around like this.  I know that I would feel as if I were being stalked, so I will not be approving this app.  My privacy is too important to me to have strangers know my “Likes” when it comes to everything from fashion sense to favorite meals.

Privacy is such a valuable asset.  Learn how to avoid risk by downloading the free Internet Privacy Guide at the top of the page.  After all, keeping your privacy safe is well worth the few minutes it takes to download the Guide.

So, You Think You Can’t Be Hacked?

I’m a Customer Service Representative at Private Proxy.  Every day, I speak with people about Internet privacy issues.  Most of the people I speak with feel that they cannot be hacked because they are careful.  They know all about identity theft, but are sure that it won’t happen to them.  That’s when I ask them if they ever use the free, public WiFi in hotspots like Starbucks and Panera.  I then tell them how they can be jeopardizing their Internet privacy by giving them this example:

You are in a store making a small purchase and your credit card is denied.  You don’t think anything of it, and swipe another card.  That one, too, is denied.  Now you start to wonder what’s up, so you call the credit card companies.   When you speak to Customer Service, you are told that your cards are maxed out.  These cards aren’t used that much and you always pay your bills in full as soon as they’re due, so how could you be maxed out?  You ask for copies of your transaction reports so you can see where the problem is.

You get your reports and, sure enough, not only are the cards maxed out, they are each over the credit limit!  Big problem!  As you look at the transactions, you see purchases made in stores you never heard of.  These purchases include gaming systems, computers and flat-screen TVs.  There was even a vacation at a Tahitian resort on there.  None of these purchases were made by you, so you call the card companies again and cancel those two cards.  Just to be on the safe side, you also cancel your other credit cards and bank card.

For the life of you, you can’t understand how this could be happening.  After wracking your brain trying to think of when you last used these credit cards, you remember that a couple of weeks before, you used both cards shopping on-line while you were taking your lunch hour at Panera.  Since this is a free public hotspot, everyone can use it.  Because it’s for the public to use, the data stream isn’t encrypted, so anyone with computer knowledge and the right software can intercept your data stream and get hold of your username, password and credit card information.   Mystery solved, but how do you stop it from happening again?

Well, for starters, you should download our Internet Privacy Guide.  When you read this, you will learn how your identity can and will be stolen.  When you learn of all that could go wrong, it would help you tremendously to take part in our FREE trial of Private Proxy.  It’s very easy to understand how the product works and it’s also easy to use.  You will have a choice of many servers, all using encryption to keep your data safe from cyber-crooks.

Protect Your Internet Identity!

Today’s Tech-Savvy Youth

Children today are becoming more and more tech savvy.  Everywhere you go, you see toddlers holding toy cell phones, or “working” on toy computers that are loaded with learning games.  Parents bring portable DVD players on car trips or to restaurants in order to keep the kids entertained.   These devices, marketed for young children, are seen more and more.  It seems that technology is taking over not only our lives, but the lives of our kids.

Classes on basic computer operations are being held in pre-schools.   When children reach elementary school age, they should not only know how to operate a computer, but they should also know how to access the Internet and conduct web searches.  The rising cost of textbooks has made it impossible for schools to purchase a book for every class for each child.   Now, to save costs, they are having the students download e-textbooks from the schools’ websites.   Each school’s website also doubles as an on-line community where students can “speak” to each other.   Teachers volunteer to tutor after hours on the website, so if students are having difficulties with a homework assignment or a particular subject in general, they can get help. 

At the beginning of the new school year, or at the end of the old school year, the schools will send memos to the parents on which computers or laptops to purchase.   This is to insure that the students have the equipment that meets the system requirements for downloads, etc.  The schools will also advise the parents of where these computers can be purchased at the best possible price.  Some may even offer coupons for a limited time.

Microsoft Announces Change To “Do Not Track”

Internet Explorer Version 10 will soon be available and when it is, it comes with an update to the “Do Not Track” feature.  Microsoft just announced that when this new version is released, “Do Not Track” will no longer have to be manually enabled by the user; it will be a default setting.   In earlier versions, a user would have to go into their settings to enable “Do Not Track”, now, it will be done automatically.  However, even when “Do Not Track” is enabled, any advertisements on the Microsoft ad network ignore the signals.  What this means to users is that they won’t be tracked by ads on networks OTHER than Microsoft.  It’s interesting that this default “Do Not Track” works to Microsoft’s advantage.

Many groups do not agree with Microsoft making “Do Not Track” a default setting.  They feel that since Microsoft was involved in the development of the “Do Not Track” principles, they should understand that this should be a user preference, not a default setting.  The advertisers who do not agree with Microsoft will probably choose to ignore any “Do Not Track” signals.

For a long time, Microsoft has been trying to compete with Google’s success in online advertising.  At one point, Microsoft even attempted to buy Yahoo in order to boost their success.  Now that “Do Not Track” will become a default setting, there are some in the online advertising industry who claim that this is yet another ploy by Microsoft to damage Google’s status.

The World Wide Web Consortium’s Tracking Protection Group was one that was stunned by Microsoft’s decision.  “Do Not Track” policies are being formed by the Tracking Protection Group.   However, according to Aleecia M. McDonald, Co-Chair of the TPG, they had no idea what Microsoft was planning until the announcement was made.  

Not only is Ms. McDonald the Co-Chair of the TPG, she is also working for Mozilla, part-time, as a privacy researcher.  She feels that the Microsoft announcement is forcing an immediate action on the “Do Not Track” issue.  Mozilla’s Privacy and Public Lead Person, Alex Fowler, is yet another person who rejects Microsoft’s plan.  In his rejection, he references the World Wide Web Consortium’s report that states that in order for “Do Not Track” to work effectively, it must be based on user preference.  In a blog, Mr. Fowler stated:  “If DNT is on by default, it’s not a conversation.  For DNT to be effective, it must actually represent the user’s voice.”   By making “Do Not Track” a default setting, the user would lose control.

However, the concept of “Do Not Track” as a default setting was not rejected by all.  There are some lawmakers and policy-makers who agree that this is a good idea.

Cookies? What are They? Can I Avoid Them?

 We’ve all heard about “cookies”, but not everyone knows what they are.  Sometimes, they’re called “HTTP cookies”, “browser cookies” or “web cookies”.  Sometimes, they’re just “cookies”.  It doesn’t matter what name you call them; cookies are what websites use to store and identify actions performed by people on their browsers.  Each time a person uses their computer to read a news article, log into a website, shop online, or even if that person simply clicks the “Like” button on Facebook, that person’s information is stored on those sites for an indefinite amount of time.  This is why, when you log into your favorite sites, you no longer have to input your personal information.  The visits are “remembered” by the browser, so your “username”, and even your password, automatically pop up.  You can delete these cookies, but sometimes, even deleting them won’t ensure your safety on the internet.

Websites using “tracking cookies” and “third-party tracking cookies” caused significant privacy concerns, prompting lawmakers in the US and Europe to take a stand against the use of cookies.  Cookies do not carry “viruses”, nor do they install malicious software (or malware) on computers, but they DO store the browsing and purchasing histories of internet users for many, many years.  According to privacy advocates, this is not acceptable.

There are many different kinds of cookies.  They all perform particular tasks, but they all center on storing sensitive information.  Examples of cookies are as follows:

• Session Cookies stay on the computer only as long as the user is on a certain website.  Normally, the browser deletes these cookies as soon as the session is finished.

• Third-Party Cookies are used by advertisers to gather information in order to build a detailed profile on a specific user.  For example:  if a user signs into a site that was targeted by an advertisement, then signs into another site which has the same targeted advertisement, both visits are tracked by the advertiser. 

• Authentication Cookies are said to be the most important kind of cookie.  These cookies are used by servers to identify if a user is logged on.  These cookies can also identify which specific account the computer is logged onto.  With this device, the website recognizes if it is safe to transmit personal information.  If the user cannot be identified by the cookie, a “You Must Log In” message is shown.  If a website or browser does not have a high security level, it’s possible that the user’s information could be captured by hackers.  In other words, authentication cookies are only as safe as the user’s browser and website being logged into. 

Bullying VS Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying should not be equated to bullying. In the past, the schoolyards or the streets were the most common venues of bullying. It was there that they become either victims or act as bullies, depending on some characteristics.

Today, cyberbullying is becoming more common among them. What this means is that the venues are not just the schoolyards or the streets, but cyberspace as well!

What raises some privacy concerns are the results of researches conducted on “real life” bullying and cyberbullying among the youth. It started when it was observed that some schools were under the assumption that existing anti-bullying programs can also deal with cyberbullying. Contrary to this, students aged 10 to 18 that were involved in the research do not share that same belief. They say that aggressions that happen online cannot be dealt with by existing anti-bullying rules.

Studies on bullying in schools showed three characteristics. These characteristics are: power differential between the bully and the victim, a planned targeting of a victim, and ongoing aggression. These characteristics are not necessarily involved in cyberbullying. In fact, some of the findings suggest that these kids play multiple roles in cyberbullying. They can be the bullies, the victims, or the witnesses. At any time, a teenager can take the role of any one or two of these online.  In school, the above three characteristics will give an individual his or her enduring role in the bullying circle.

Another disturbing finding is that 95% of the kids asked about this issue say that cyberbullying, since only done online, is just a joke. They do not realize the level of harm that is associated with these actions. Cyberbullying can be damaging to the victim’s mental health and developmental well-being. If the victim is a student, his or her academic achievements can be negatively affected. The worst case scenario can be a suicide attempt, which can end up in an unjustifiable death. It is high time that specific laws on cyberbullying should be crafted and implemented.

Image: Grant Cochrane / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Tighter Online Privacy Rules - A Must

There are high expectations that consumers will enjoy the benefits of tighter online privacy rules by the end of 2012. Many companies have signified their willingness to adopt the final recommendations set forth as best practices in privacy protection. By backing tighter online privacy laws, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is confident that consumers’ data will not be abused. It is anticipated that consumers will be able to benefit from new services without sacrificing their privacy.

For a start, companies are already working to include privacy protection into every project that they have. Attention is being given on how people’s data is kept safe and in controlling how much information is collected. Consumers are being put in control by giving them the option to decide what information about them is to be shared. This can be achieved if there is a “Do Not Track” system that can be used by consumers in order to control the tracking of their activities.

How can tighter online privacy rules help internet consumers? The beginning of all these privacy issues is due to the large number of privacy violations. Consumers are not aware that their online activities are being tracked. They also do not know what happens after their personal data is collected. It is either used directly, or sold to other companies. Most important of all, they do not know that there are ways of protecting their privacy.

This is why U.S. regulators are insisting that an easy-to-use tool that really works for consumer protection is put in place on internet companies. Some companies responded positively and promised to cooperate. The rest are still holding on to their belief that too much control will kill innovation and eventually, the business. There is a possibility that a favorable, final agreement will be reached among internet companies.

The government wants the data miners to give more respect to consumer privacy. Innovation should not only continue, but should also be encouraged because it promotes creativity and boosts the economy. However, it is not right to compromise privacy rights just because consumers do not have the tools to protect themselves. It must be remembered that tighter online privacy rules are meant to protect both consumers and internet businesses.
Image: digitalart / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

US IP Address - How To Get One

When living outside of the United States there are a couple of reasons why you should use an anonymous proxy to surf the Internet.

1. If you need to access US-based websites, they might be blocked because of your IP address.
2. If the country you are in censors the Internet, by using a private proxy you can bypass their filters and gain unrestricted access to any website.

Here's an example of using anonymous proxy from China.

If you need to change your IP address to be a US IP address, Sign up for a free trial of Private Proxy at www.privateproxysoftware.com.

Does Online Advertising Hurt Privacy?

Revenues of internet companies are derived mainly from advertisements. It is a well-known fact that without advertisements, a company could never thrive on its own. Online advertising is a billion-dollar industry that keeps the internet going. This powerful marketing tool gives an estimated 96 percent of Google’s and 85 percent of Facebook’s revenues.

Because of privacy issues, the government is keeping a close eye on advertising companies these days. Online advertisers are under observation because the government wants to give internet users better control over their personal information. This business now runs under self-regulation, and this is the strategy that most companies support. By this, each advertising company would sustain its own parameters as to the collection and use of personal data uploaded by consumers.

Last year’s discovery that two of the largest companies were engaged in deceptive privacy practices have received unfavorable reactions. Still, the issue is about the unauthorized collection and trade of user information to advertisers. This has in some way badly harmed the argument for self-regulation.

According to internet companies, heavy regulation does not promote innovation and stifles the growth of the internet. The so called “privacy bill of rights” and the “do not track” system debates are now ongoing, and have aggravated the situation. The bill is the government’s framework to define how consumers can defend their personal information. The do not track system is the industry’s suggestion to give users the option of whether or not their personal information can be collected.

With the blunders that were experienced in the past, online advertisers should by this time have learned a valuable lesson. The policy on self regulation can continue if the companies can act accordingly. It does not really matter if sooner or later the privacy bill of rights will be approved and implemented. Still, they have to consider the privacy of internet users. On their own, they have to take measures in order to address the lack of control over the collection and trading of data to advertisers. Because users’ online activities and real-life identities are revealed, such actions expose internet users to dangers.

Image: digitalart / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Mobile Apps and Privacy Concerns

Are you aware that more new privacy concerns are raised as more mobile apps are available on the market? It seems very effortless for many smartphone users to click on any application and download it without any concern. However, they do not pay attention to the app’s terms and conditions; they simply accept all of what the fine print contains. The thing is that they do not know about the privacy implications that go along with the products that they “buy”.

Mostly written by lawyers, service terms and security policies make little or no sense at all to the lay person. Many may have tried to read that fine print but end up abandoning the idea because of the lengthy litanies of legal terms. The explanation for this is simple - because they are too extreme for the lay man to understand. Eventually, more privacy concerns emerge as more users ignore the importance of understanding those terms and conditions.

Reading and understanding the terms and conditions, however, do not guarantee privacy. A user has to agree on giving up some of his or her personal information in exchange for the product. The bottom line would be how much information the user is willing to give up. The user’s willingness would also depend on how open the data mining company is about how the data will be used. Sad to say, there are users who care less about privacy just to have the benefits and convenience of an application.

The number of mobile apps is growing fast, reaching beyond the almost 600,000 sold by Apple alone. Think about the privacy implications generated by each of these apps. There have been bad reports in the past about personal data being downloaded by gaming apps without the user’s knowledge. Users get to know about this when they are being haunted by targeted ads and other aggravating tricks.

Because of their usefulness, popularity and attractiveness, it would be impractical to stop the flood of new apps. Users are expected to be interested in, be curious about and eventually use them. Except for the very few, most users would dive into the sea of apps without any hint of the repercussions. However, the availability of these products adds to the force that pushes users to download them.

Those less informed users are now trying to be reached by several privacy groups. They are being educated on how they could preserve their privacy. One of the efforts that the groups are undertaking is how to make users aware of the information that they share. They are trying to find easier ways for users to know what information is being gathered about them. At present, less than 50% of the apps have their privacy policies posted, which makes the job difficult to do. Nonetheless, the issue of privacy concerns raised by mobile apps needs to be resolved quickly.

Image: Idea go / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Glassmap Suggests Privacy Dialog

A new real-time location sharing service called Glassmap is now available. Its founders have made their company’s stand when comes to privacy very clear. Observers claim that many online users are becoming more involved with software services and applications. Some of them admitted that their day would not be complete if they could not share pictures, post comments, or add friends. This may be due to a force that links a user to a certain software service or application.

Glassmap had the “Post to Facebook” option in its registration process, which solicited unfavorable comments. This has been criticized for alleged user privacy violations. If the user leaves this option checked, his or her Facebook Timeline would show an invitation to join Glassmap. Critics say that this exposes users to more privacy risks even if they might be benefited from it. This option is no longer available because Facebook told the company to eliminate this “feature”.

The founders are pushing for a real dialog about online privacy rather than wasting creative minds and technology on insignificant controversies. Instead, those concerned should start an investigation on important areas that need to be given real attention. There are four of these areas: real-time adaptability, transparency, the right amount of privacy, and user-service symmetry.

As often as the user changes his or her location, privacy thresholds continuously change. There are social networking companies like Facebook that offer their users the option to choose privacy thresholds. But this is still far from real-time adaptability. If this is to happen, users must be enabled to adjust privacy thresholds without difficulty as he or she moves from place to place. This kind of feature is yet to be experienced.

Other social networking sites are also shown disapproval due to lack of transparency. The definition of being transparent is that users clearly see their actual privacy settings. Users have to see not only which part of their information is shared but also with whom they share it with. There is a need to fine tune sharing someone’s information with “friends of friends”. It might seem alright to share with “friends”, but not with “friends of friends”.

Users deserve the right amount of privacy in order for it to be better privacy. This right amount is found in-between sharing everything and sharing nothing. The two extremes cannot give the right amount of privacy. Ideally, this can be found somewhere between these two. While this must be sought, transparency and control should still be preserved.

Different sectors are focusing their efforts at improving user-to-user relationships. But many privacy issues will clear up by enhancing user-to-service relationships. To realize this, service companies must present back to users the information that they gather. This is necessary because users must know what information is being collected from them. Finally, since service companies act as user-to-user proxies, they have to be more open to them.

Image: Stuart Miles / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

It's Time to Increase Online Privacy of Children

It is still uncertain as to what will happen to the “Consumer Privacy Bill of Rights” that was proposed by the White House. Discussions and debates persist despite the urgency of the need to provide better online protection. Many children on the internet share data which could be turned around and used against them. This was the topic that music and TV personality Nick Cannon brought out when he appeared on Capitol Hill.

Working with some legislators, Cannon endorsed the Do Not Track Kids Act. The older Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 will be amended by this one. The new bill’s main aim is to increase online privacy for children. This defines the extent of the ability of websites, advertising agencies and cellular providers to use the personal information of children. The law will no longer allow them to use targeted ads for children and prohibit them from tracking minors.

Online devices such as smartphones and other gadgets that store information on young consumers can now be easily accessed. Without their parents giving consent, these children are in danger of those who are capable of taking advantage of them. They can be simply tracked on the internet and their whereabouts can be monitored without difficulty.

Unknowingly, all online activities of children leave digital footprints - their emails, the topics they search, or pictures they post. These are then gathered by big corporations and data marketers, to be used right away or years later. No parents would be happy if their son is denied a job because of an offending picture of himself that he posted on the net when he was still minor.

There are critics who say that the bill is very broad in scope, which makes it unenforceable. They added that it might be technically impossible and very costly for companies to comply with it. It would also damage the internet because some services would not continue because of liability issues.

As to giving more protection to children online, it is still not clear even now. There always seems to be a battle between those who advocate privacy and those who defend the lifeblood of the internet. The “Consumer Privacy Bill of Rights” is more “favored” because it offers wider user protection regardless of age. But the final result can only be seen when the two camps can come to a “win-win” situation.

Image: Ambro / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Do You Still Resist Facebook?

Looking at the staggering number of 800 million Facebook users, one can readily say that this social networking site is really becoming a household name. This is a cross-section of many kinds of users – according to age, profession, online preferences, or even purposes in joining. This internet giant has totally reshaped the lives of these users. Many of them could not let a day pass without sharing pictures, posting comments, visiting digital links, and much more.

This trend of having the social networking experience everywhere puts pressure on those who still refuse to join. Whether they are simply technophobes or privacy advocates, they are not spared from the attraction to conform to what others are doing. Finally, there were those who, for many years would not give up, but are now excited to be making “friends”. They say that they should have discovered the benefits of having a social network account years ago.

There are several reasons why some people reject Facebook. There are those who say that it is just a waste of time. Others reason that there are so many social networking sites out there and they are overwhelmed. They could not choose which one would give the best experience, so, the best thing to do then, according to them, is to ignore them all.

Of course, privacy is another reason why some would not join Facebook. With the ongoing issues about giving users better online protection through legislation, many would opt to stay “safe”. The reality is that there is an abundant presence of online predators and scammers. Others feel that being on Facebook strips off their privacy, giving the chance for online criminals to make them victims.

It was found that among the fastest growing number of Facebook users are older Americans. Further research revealed that most of them use Facebook to stay in touch with their children. However, there are also a large number of older Americans who are not comfortable with joining the social network. Considering that they did not grow up in the information age, they have biases against taking the advantages of the new communication medium.

Image: adamr / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

The Obama Privacy Plan Unveiled

The privacy plan of the Obama Administration has stirred issues among consumers and the public in general. This has also dragged the White House into the center of the debates. After the announcement of the plan last week, controversies over online privacy have once again heated up.

The said proposal aims to gather together different entities that are related to online activities in order to have them unite. It would start by calling on those internet companies, law enforcement agencies, privacy groups, and state attorney generals. To start, they are encouraged to set aside their personal interests and to collaborate. They will work for a common purpose – to come up with voluntary standards that would defend consumer data to the highest degree.

Some groups are afraid that the Obama privacy plan could intimidate the internet. According to privacy advocates, they are hoping that the plan will be a good one. Others are hopeful that the United States will soon have a privacy law; one that supports innovation and gives more user protection.

The framework of the proposed law consists of four parts. These are: the Consumer Privacy Bill of Rights, a multi-stakeholder process, an adequate enforcement model, and a commitment to strengthen interoperability.

The Bill of Rights framework also contains seven specific provisions. These are: individual control, transparency, respect for context, security, access and accuracy, focused collection, and accountability. With these, consumers can expect to have better control over data that they share online. The provisions of the multi-stakeholder process look into how companies can benefit from the privacy law. With the interoperability provisions included, other countries could possibly recognize and enforce the same law.

Expecting the possible consequences of the law, a researcher at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University has expressed his concern. The first problem that he foresees is the hurt that it could inflict among companies. For a long time, behavioral advertising has proven to be one of the most effective methods of gaining profits. Part of the revenue derived from behavioral tracking and data aggregation is used to offer free internet services such as web-based email and social networking. For ordinary internet users, these are the services that they use every day. The probable effect of regulation is that these services would no longer be free.

Being more responsible over what they do online is what consumers should learn more about. Many privacy issues could be solved if consumers would clean their own footprints on the internet. In this part, the Obama administration should put more weight on defending consumers by first educating them. The government should not overlook this in its efforts to protect consumers.

Image: Stuart Miles / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Internet Users Become More Aware of their Privacy

The picture of internet users is changing as they become more concerned about their privacy. To see how it is, researches and studies are being conducted by different entities. Once this is done, there will be a profile of how users view or feel about their social networking activities. Pew Internet & American Life Project participated in this endeavor and reported its findings. Among others, it said that social networking sites users are becoming more careful when accepting a friend. Unlike before, they are taking more time to find out which contents must be deleted on their pages.

Pew also discovered that two out of three of all internet users have active social networking accounts. In 2009, the figures revealed that more individuals decided to delete some “friends” from their lists. When compared by gender, more women than men did so. By age, more young people tend to do the same than older ones. These findings were gathered in a span of one year.

An Associated Press insider said that users have shifted from being passive to being more conscious about other people’s comments. There are an increasing number of users who deleted comments on their profiles. Pew also mentioned that a large number of users “untagged” themselves from photos that they find “unsafe”. This tends to show that they want to stay on the “safe” side, not like in the past.

The profile options of whether to make it “public” or “private” are also useful to users. Only twenty percent have set their profiles to public, while fifty-eight percent set theirs to private. With this, more users want their profiles to be viewed only by friends. It is expected that the percentage of users who find it difficult to manage their privacy will decrease. At present, 49% said that they can manage their privacy without any trouble. This means that more social networking users are placing stricter limits on their privacy.

For the Obama administration, improved and stronger privacy protection for users of social networking sites is needed. Considering that technology for tracking users is becoming more sophisticated, there is a need for control and regulation. If this is not done, this technology is a threat to the privacy concern of users.

Image: digitalart / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Before Google’s New Privacy Policy Goes Into Effect, Learn How To Remove Your Search History

Google will be implementing a new privacy policy  on March 1, 2012.  This is a unified policy that will affect all of your Google accounts, and any information collected on you before March 1^st.  It will also include any information Google collects on you in the future.

Currently, all of your Google searches and visited sites (Google Web History) was kept separate from all other Google services.  Your Web History tells a story about you that you may not want others to know.  This story can include your location, gender, sexual orientation, age, health issues, spiritual beliefs and so much more.  

In order to stop Google from merging your Web History with any information gathered about you from Google + or YouTube, you should remove everything from your Web History.  Not only that, but you should also have the detailing of your Web History stopped from the present into the future. 

The steps you need to take in order to do this are as follows:

First, sign into your Google account.

Second, go to https://www.google.com/history

Next, click on “Remove all web history” button.

 Finally, click “OK”.

Notice that by removing your Web History, you are also pausing it.  The Web History will stay off until you decide to re-enable.

When your Web History is enabled, Google will keep your records indefinitely.  However, it you disable your Web History, your records will be partially cleared in 18 months.  Also, some customized search results that would normally be sent to you will be barred.   Following the advice in the Electronic Frontier Foundation’s Six Tips to Protect Your Search Privacy will help you to lessen the amount of records Google will keep on you.

Keep in mind that you will need to follow these steps for each Google account that you have.  It is also important to note that Google will still be able to store your  information to use internally.  Disabling Web History will not prohibit Google from sending any information stored to any law enforcement agency, if requested.

Facebook’s Timeline Causes Privacy Concerns

Facebook’s newest version is on its way to your computer.  Timeline hasn’t even made a widespread appearance yet, and it’s already causing people to bring up some privacy concerns.  As with all things Facebook, this newest version has its good points and its bad points.  However, if you read the Privacy Policy and take the time to set your privacy controls, you should be able to continue on with your love of Facebook without too much worry.

Most of the issues raised about Timeline involve the new feature, “Maps”.  This feature takes all of the information you ever posted to Facebook…events, locations, jobs, pictures…and uses it to “map” your Facebook life.  All of your friends will be able to see where you’ve been, what you’ve done and who you’ve been with.   All of this information is posted on your wall along with the dates that each particular thing happened.  This is one feature that you cannot opt out of.

According to Facebook’s Privacy Policy:  “We receive data from the computer, mobile phone or other device you use to access Facebook.  This may include your IP address, location, the type of browser you use, or the pages you visit.”  When you agree to the Terms and Conditions, you are letting Facebook know that you have read, and understood everything in their policies.  You should know and understand that there is information gathered about you and that information will be shared with others in the Facebook community.

Each time you or a friend uploads a picture to Facebook from a GPS enabled phone, you are tagged to the location and the information goes on your “map”.  Whenever you update your profile to show a new home town, or new job, that information will also have a place on your “map”.  Even if you don’t update often, your map will show past updates, pictures and posts regarding your life events.

Even your choice of music will be public knowledge if you listen using Spotify.  When Spotify first became available, you had no say in the posting of what you were listening to.  Due to an outcry from users, you are now offered an option called “Private Listening”.  There is a slight problem with this though:  if you restart the application for whatever reason, or you don’t use it often, you have to remember to reset the “Private Listening” option.

 Now, think of all the times you posted an RSVP on Facebook by clicking on “Will Attend” to an event.  Also, how often do you click on the “Like” button for a particular product, cause or service?  Each time you do this, the people on your friends list will be asked to either attend or “like” because you are “attending” or that you “Like” them.

Another thing you need to be aware of is that if you use an app to read an article on line, and that app asks for permission to “Allow” your information to be used, you are not just allowing for that one particular time.   You are “allowing” that app to get your information every single time you read something.   Each time you read an article, that information will be posted on your Facebook wall.  If you don’t want people to know what you’re reading, don’t click on “Allow” unless you think very carefully about what this would mean at a later date.

Yes, this is a lot for you to have to think about, but isn’t your privacy worth taking a little bit of time and effort?  Read and fully understand all of Facebook’s policies, then once your account is switched over to Timeline, carefully select the privacy preferences you feel most comfortable with.  And, please remember that clicking on “Attending” or “Like” isn’t as harmless as you would have thought when it comes to your privacy.