Internet privacy refers to the fact that once something appears on line, it is difficult or impossible to get rid of it. Sometimes we are unaware of what is public and what is private. As a result, it is important to be extremely careful when using technology, the internet and social media.

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Anthem Breach: 7 Tips to Protect Yourself Amidst Attacks

Whether directly impacted or not, there are things we must all learn from the Anthem breach. The sensitive information that was accessed has provided criminals with the ability to create new lines of credit and to steal the identities of…
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“Waze” free navigation app comes at high cost

On a rainy day with multiple accidents and horrible traffic, my friend activated Waze on her iPhone and we navigated flawlessly to the end of our 29 mile journey without traffic and in great time. I was very impressed with Waze, a free, community-based…
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Private Lives

Tammy Minn's article below is printed in the October 2014 print issue of Inland Empire Magazine. I am honored and proud to share the article/interview here and hope that you will get a good tip or two out of it yourself!           Until…
Privacy Settings
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Facebook’s New Privacy Checkup – Thumbs Up!

When an alligator cartoon offering a Facebook Privacy Checkup popped up while I was using Facebook, I assumed it was fraudulent. Facebook hadn’t seemed concerned about making their privacy settings transparent before and with the unfamiliar…
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Keeping personal information off the Internet

Before I'm hired to remove personal information from the Internet, clients understandably want to know if it will stay off permanently. The reality is that multiple factors can cause personal information to come back. The purpose of this…

What You Need To Know About Spam Emails

Spam is an annoying online problem that can be found in emails, social media posts, group discussions, help forums and article comments. This article pertains to email spam only. Email spam ranges from pleas for financial assistance to seemingly…
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A teen’s take on virtual popularity

I can’t help but analyze the sometimes-dysfunctional way that people in my age group act online and on social media. Take a commonly used photo-sharing app like Instagram where one can follow a person and “like” their pictures. Just…
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Impact of European Privacy Policy on the United States

Recently there was a groundbreaking case in The European Union about the right of an individual to be “forgotten” on the Internet. As anyone who has ever had an embarrassing photo shared on the internet can attest to, nothing is ever really…
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The Right To Know vs. The Right To Be Forgotten

Edward Snowden’s 2013 NSA surveillance revelations brought privacy concerns into the consciousness of more people than ever before and then last month’s European Union ruling against Google raised privacy awareness to an even higher level.…
Opt out of peoplesmart
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How to opt out of peoplesmart

Opting out of directories can feel like fighting a losing battle, but I recommend doing it to make it harder for others to locate your personal information. I recently tested a couple of services that claim to remove…
cybersafety and cybersecurity tips
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Why adults must understand technology and social media

“I’m not computer savvy!" "My kids know more than me!" "That’s why I don’t use social media!” I cringe when I hear this because I consider these to be excuses. Like it or not, technology and social media are here to stay. We have…
Facebook apps
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How apps sneakily steal your privacy

This is a very quick article (with lots of easy illustrations) to remind you that free apps often come with a tradeoff of privacy. Today I clicked on the video below because I figured it must be very good if over 15 million people had viewed…