Privacy: Online and Off

Think you know which web browser will keep you and your data safe online? The real answer may surprise you. It turns out that ranking web browser security isn’t all that cut and dried. There are a lot of factors that go into safe browsing online, and when you take them all into account, perhaps […]

We all have our secrets. From minor indiscretions and bizarre fears, to serious sins and outright crime, every person on this planet has something they’d rather keep others in the dark about. Even if you think you have nothing to hide, you probably still appreciate your right to privacy. After all, even someone with no […]

Facebook’s still growing in popularity every year. In fact, it now has almost as many users as there are people living in China! You’d think such a popular program would be well-loved, but it still has quite the reputation problem, mostly stemming from its apparent lack of respect for individual privacy. It makes sense: Their […]

Your password has expired again! Time to come up with a new one. Be sure to use at least one capital letter, lower-case letter, a symbol, and a number. And don’t use anything that can be easily guessed, like the name of your street, child, or pet. Random strings of letters, symbols, and numbers are the […]

Thanks to the Silk Road’s notoriety, Tor has quite the sinister reputation. The online black market is famous for facilitating the sale of anything from illegal drugs to murderers for hire. But there’s much more to Tor than just a black market: The real purpose of the Tor network is to keep your browsing habits anonymous […]

How often do you use your smartphone? If you’re like nearly 80% of smartphone users, you have your phone with you nearly 24/7. Many of us can’t sleep without them by our sides, and they’re the first thing we check when we get up in the morning. Almost a third of us can’t imagine living […]

With all the news about NSA and other government organizations around the world, it seems like everything we do, whether physical or virtual, is being watched by somebody. We now know that our phone calls, texts, emails, and online activities are all being recorded and monitored, and who knows what else? Some may say that if […]

How easy a target are you making yourself for hackers? You may think you’re being careful with your online data. You take all the recommended precautions and carefully configure your privacy settings on Facebook, go by a pseudonym on Twitter, and only connect with people you’ve actually met in person on LinkedIn. You may think […]

How much do you trust the Internet? If you’re like the majority of Internet users, you’re trusting the Internet with your life. Think about it: So many tasks are much more convenient thanks to the Internet. You can now manage your bank accounts without ever setting foot in a local branch, pay your utility bills […]

We all know the Internet is forever. That’s why you’re careful about what you tweet, picky about the photos you share on Instagram, and vigilant about your Facebook privacy settings. You’ve made absolutely sure you won’t be embarrassed by what shows up when your name is googled… Until someone else posts an embarrassing photo of you. […]

You know that when you browse the web, you’re not doing so anonymously. But do you know just how much personal data you’re giving away? Most people don’t know the extent of information that it’s possible to gather from your Internet browsing. With just a bit of code, websites can easily determine your computer specifications, including your […]

Facial recognition software has come a long way in the past few years. While early face recognition software needed human input at every step, it’s advanced enough today that it can compare a single face against millions of faces on record in just a few seconds. Thanks to facial recognition software like Face Unlock, the private date on your […]

Internet privacy has been all over the news lately, with the NSA in the spotlight for overstepping its bounds in surveillance. For decades, they’ve been infecting computers with monitoring software to track citizens and compile data on their every click. And it’s not just criminals and terrorists that are being monitored: 90% of the people the NSA […]

With more and more of us shifting everyday tasks—banking, education, social interaction, even shopping for groceries—to the virtual world, securing our personal information has become more important than ever. One of the simplest ways to help protect our financial and other info from prying eyes and would-be identity thieves is to use a strong password. […]

Despite advances in technology, modern life is often as full of mystery as it was for our offline ancestors. Whatever happened to that old college buddy? Is that cute guy or gal flirting with you on Facebook really who they say they are? Why would a Nigerian prince need your help to move a small […]