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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Products and Services that Protect Children Online

Recent cyberbullying-related suicides led to several powerful online discussions about effective ways to protect children and teens. (see one introduction below) We discussed ways to teach children to be respectful, responsible and compassionate…
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How to Protect your Child on Social Networks

Protecting our children’s privacy on social networks is an ongoing challenge that begins at a young age and continues after they leave home for college or work. Let’s face it, many kids know more about social networks and technology than…
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Do you know when apps are posting or tweeting as if they’re you?

A friend asked me if I could explain how a Facebook post in his name appeared in his wife’s news feed when he had no recollection of typing it. My guess was that he likely gave an app permission to post on his behalf and either forgot about…
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How to easily see who is tracking you

As we surf the Web, our browsing habits and personal data are tracked by third parties, often without our knowledge or our permission. As consumers, we want it all.  We want products and services that meet our needs and solve our problems,…
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The email I wish I had never sent

Condominium hotline discussions can result in loads of emails and I had to laugh when I got batches about dog poop in common areas of our condominium complex. But what was funny at first soon became annoying as email after email cluttered up…
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You’ve set up a Google Alert on yourself, right?

Google Alerts provide an easy way to monitor the web for content that is of interest to us. These alerts can tell us what information is appearing on the Internet about our business, ourselves, our children, our family members and even our competition.…
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What do people see when they view your Facebook profile?

A reader's question on my last article, Who Sees Your Personal Facebook Posts, made me realize I'd left out a simple tip.  Her question was, "When someone is looking for my personal page they can see all of my cover page pictures. How…
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Who Sees Your Personal Facebook Posts?

I recently learned that Facebook makes changes to its code every Tuesday and even though many changes may not be obvious, let me tell you why that matters. A few weeks ago, I smiled at a handsome man in the car next to me while waiting at…
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How to Keep Hackers Out of Your Website or Blog

I was uncomfortable and unhappy after I watched someone hack into a site in less than 5 minutes. It was so easy to do! So, I followed “the hacker’s” advice to reduce this from happening to me and then cried (just a bit) when I completely…
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Self-destructing photos and videos: Fact or Fiction?

I asked my son why he was so cranky a few days ago and he explained he had just fallen asleep after studying for final exams when he was woken up by an annoying long distance text.   A good friend had downloaded Snapchat, an app that sends…
Opt Out of Spokeo.com
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Remove Personal Information from the Internet (Spokeo)

I typed names into Spokeo today and to put it mildly, I freaked out when I retrieved all sorts of personal information from the Internet! Our lives have become publicly open books but what upset me most was finding the personal information of…
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Social Media Privacy and Security Tips – Part II

Social Media enriches our lives and connects us instantly and inexpensively with the world, but it simultaneously makes it challenging to maintain privacy. Virtues of Social Media include the ability to express ourselves and to share information…