Tag Archives: online privacy

Websites Can Now Track You Online Across Multiple Web Browsers

You might be aware of websites, banks, retailers, and advertisers tracking your online activities using different Web “fingerprinting” techniques even in incognito/private mode, but now sites can track you anywhere online — even if you switch browsers.

A team of researchers has recently developed a cross-browser fingerprinting technique — the first reliable technique to accurately track users

New Privacy Rules require ISPs to must Ask you before Sharing your Sensitive Data

Good News for privacy concerned people! Now, your online data will not be marketed for business; at least by your Internet Service Providers (ISPs).

Yes, it’s time for your ISPs to ask your permission in order to share your sensitive data for marketing or advertisement purposes, the FCC rules.

On Thursday, the United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has imposed new privacy

FBI Director — You Should Cover Your Webcam With Tape

Should you put a tape or a sticker over the lens of your laptop’s webcam?

Yes, even Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and FBI Director James Comey do that.

Covering your laptop’s webcam might be a hell cheap and good idea to guard against hackers and intruders who might want to watch your private life and environment through your devices.
<!– adsense –>
In fact, Comey recently came out

Dutch Police Seize Two VPN Servers, But Without Explaining… Why?

Recently, two European countries, France and Germany, have declared war against encryption with an objective to force major technology companies to built encryption backdoors in their secure messaging services.

However, another neighborhood country, Netherlands, is proactively taking down cyber criminals, but do you know how?

Dutch Police has seized two servers belonging to Virtual Private

Omegle, the Popular 'Chat with Strangers' Service Leaks Your Dirty Chats and Personal Info

Ever since the creation of online chat rooms and then social networking, people have changed the way they interact with their friends and associates.

However, when it comes to anonymous chatting services, you don’t even know what kinds of individuals you are dealing with.

Sharing identifiable information about yourself with them could put you at risk of becoming a victim of stalking,

Pokémon GO — 6 Important Things You Should Know Before Playing this Game

Pokémon GO launched just two weeks ago, and people have been getting crazy to catch ’em all.

Users, on an average, are spending more time engaged with the new Pokémon GO app than any other apps like Snapchat.

But, before downloading and playing Nintendo’s new location-based augmented reality game, users are required to keep the following points in their minds:

1. Unofficial Pokémon GO app

Photo reveals even Zuckerberg tapes his Webcam and Microphone for Privacy

What do you do to protect your ‘Privacy’ and keep yourself safe from potential hackers?

Well, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg just need a bit of tape to cover his laptop webcam and mic jack in order to protect his privacy.

Yes, Zuck also does the same as the FBI Director James Comey.
<!– adsense –>
Zuckerberg posted a photo on Tuesday to celebrate Instagram’s 500 Million monthly user

Facebook Sued for illegally Scanning Users' Private Messages

Facebook is in trouble once again regarding its users’ privacy.

Facebook is facing a class-action lawsuit in Northern California over allegations that the company systematically scans its users’ private messages on the social network without their consent and makes the profit by sharing the data with advertisers and marketers.
<!– adsense –>
According to the lawsuit filing, Facebook might

Cleaning Up Your Online Identity

Spring is here! Out with the old and in with the new – a new opportunity to put winter clothes away .Why not clean up your digital life as well?

In my previous blog, I talked about cleaning up your cell phone.  How about cleaning up your online identity?  It’s an important piece of your digital life.  Here are 5 steps to scrubbing your online identity:

  • Google Yourself – You are your own personal brand image. So what are people saying about you and what have you said that might be public? Google yourself to find out where you’re mentioned and what images have been tagged with your name.  Then you can work to clean up what you find.
  • Delete old email accounts – Are your friends receiving weird emails from you? Sometimes the source is that old email address you used a dozen years ago and never check now.  Your contacts are still in the account and vulnerable to hackers and the password you used back then is probably not as strong as it should be. Deleting old email accounts stops hackers from abusing your identity to attack your friends and family.
  • Review old social media posts – Determine if what you posted when you were 18 is still appropriate for you today and consider what an employer or even your kids might think when they see them. And it’s not just about you, if there are pictures of friends that may have been funny at the time, consider taking them offline as well.
  • Strengthen passwords – Use secure passwords to guard yourself against hackers and other vulnerabilities. There are free tools like Dashlane that help you manage your passwords and guide you to make them stronger.  Use different passwords on sites as you never know when your favorite e-retailer could get compromised and you don’t want your password making your whole digital life vulnerable.  For an added layer of protection, you should also turn on two –factor authentication so your smartphone can identify you with your fingerprint or with face recognition.
  • Scrub your history – your surfing history that is. Safeguard your personal information and your location online with a VPN (virtual private network).  VPN protects your data from snooping by encrypting it and it also stops snoopers on public WiFi networks from grabbing your data. A VPN will also hide your location preventing websites you visit from targeting with unwanted ads.  You can download a free one from HMA! here.
  • Check privacy settings – Now that the past is cleaned up, make sure your future posts are in check by managing the privacy settings across your social media platforms and online accounts. There may have been changes to the settings and privacy policies in recent product updates, so ensure you have the level of privacy protection that matches the level of your online activity.  Go and review the settings today.

Even though your online identity is squeaky clean, don’t wait until next spring to do a digital clean up.

To learn more about me and receive the latest news from AVG:

Follow me on Twitter @TonyatAVG

Follow AVG on Twitter @AVGFree