Blog Archives
Google’s Privacy Policy. What You Can Do.
It’s the topic du jour, Google is updating it’s Privacy Policy and need I forget to mention Google is NOT allowing users to opt-out. That’s right. All Google users must opt-in to the new Policy. That fact alone doesn’t sit well with me! It’s not so much the changes taking place (although those changes are important and concerning), but the fact that Google is “forcing” it’s users to opt-in and accept…no questions asked.
You may recall in Part One of Be Smart, Secure and Safe. A Guide to Managing Your Online Privacy, I advised of the functionality to opt-out of targeted ads if you have a Gmail account. You’ll now want to consider clearing our web history. This post will be an extension of Part One and represent Part Five as you’ll gain an understanding of how to clear your web history in Google.
Nutshell explanation of Google’s Privacy Policy Update*
If you’re a Google product user: Gmail, YouTube, Blogger, Google+ etc. Prior to March 1, 2012 Google would keep your personal information separate from each product. Each product had it’s own standalone Privacy Policy. For example, your behavior and information on YouTube wasn’t stored in the same way as your behavior and information on Google+.
Moving forward Google will combine your personal information and your behavior in each of it’s products into a “global profile” (sounds weird, right? “global profile”) so that it can roll-out more targeted advertising and more relevant search results. Google doesn’t state this, but many believe it’s in an effort to boost advertising dollars by presenting advertisers with more robust database of personal data. Gross.
One of the ways Google is tracking your behavior is through your web history. Challenge Google on this and clear your web history as frequently as you can.
Here is a helpful video I found on CNET.
* Click here for a broader explanation of Google’s Privacy Policy update.
How to Protect Yourself in Online Banking. Thanks FDIC! (@FDICgov)
Would it be safe to assume you’re banking online? Whether it’s for personal, small business, trading and investments. In fact, over 60 million Americans are doing it. And why not?! It’s simple, efficient and easy access to statements and investment needs. The customer service is not hard to come by with online chat options too.
Even though a majority of us are banking online, how do we know if we’re being safe? Or how safe the bank’s website is? With that, I give you part four of “Be Smart, Secure and Safe. A Guide to Managing Your Online Privacy.”
Rather than providing original content as learnings for you on this one, I believe it’s best to provide you with the right tools you need to ensure you’re being safe in online banking. Please use this post as a resource to find the tools you need and pass it on to others!
The FDIC (Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation) has an excellent and robust brochure on tips to maintain your privacy and security while banking online. A great read, I suggest you check it out! Click here.
It’s important to be informed of your bank’s current privacy policy so that you’re aware of how the bank is using your personal information. You can find your bank’s privacy policy below. Please let me know if your bank isn’t listed so I can add it! Thanks.
Banco Popular North America
Bank of America
Capital One
Charles Schwab
Chase
Citibank
E*Trade Savings Bank
ING Direct
John Hancock
JPMorgan Chase & Co.
SunTrust Bank
US Bank
Wells Fargo
If you’ve been a victim (and I have) of ID theft and/or fraud, you know it’s a pain to get things back in order. Thanks to the FDIC, here are resources to help prevent being a victim and ways to help fix the situation.
Using Public Wi-Fi. How to Protect Yourself.
Welcome to part three of “Be Smart, Secure and Safe. A Guide to Managing Your Online Privacy.”
As bloggers, entrepreneurs, social media and online marketers it’s often we connect to public Wi-Fi to get work done, catch-up on Twitter and other things. Free Wi-Fi hotspots are more common these days. Coffee shops large and small are offering customers the opportunity to connect, more and more airports are setting-up complimentary Wi-Fi; same with hotels. I can’t help but find it so convenient that I can connect at 35,000 feet above sea level (Thank you, Gogo!)
The New York Times reported last year about the increasing use of hacking tools, one such as Firesheep. Even the most un-savvy software users can benefit from such software and obtain our personal information. You can read about it here. It’s important to keep in mind the suggestions for safe Wi-Fi use to ensure we’re not unintentionally sending out personal information when we connect on Wi-Fi publicly.
You may recall my post last year offering tips for using public Wi-Fi. I wanted to expand on this a bit and share some good reads I’ve come across this past year. I think you’ll find these helpful. I know I did!
4 Safety Tips for Using Wi-Fi by Microsoft
6 Ways to Use Public Wi-Fi Hotspots Safely by CNET
Three Tips for Using Public Wi-Fi Safely by Entrepreneur.com
How often are you connecting to Wi-Fi publicly? Are there suggestions you can share that aren’t mentioned above?
