Protecting your privacy is easier than you think
Business Technology | April 25, 2013
Smartphones, tablets and laptops are fantastic tools: They allow us to search the Internet, answer e-mail messages and watch video whether we’re sitting on the train or waiting for our flight at the airport. Yet these devices can certainly be harmful, too. Should they fall into the wrong hands, your personal information, everything from your online banks accounts to your e-mail messages to your Facebook pages, can fall victim to cyber thieves. And there’s little limit to the problems they can create. Luckily for us, there are steps that you can use to safeguard your privacy even in today’s age of mobile computing, and as Forbes says, these steps are incredibly easy.
Protect Yourself With Passwords
We all rely on a host of gadgets today, from smartphones to laptop computers to tablets. What if you lose one of these devices? What if they’re stolen? How much information could the wrong people access, and just what damage might they do with it? Thankfully, you can protect yourself by requiring users enter a password to open your device. That way, if someone steals your tablet, that individual may not be able to break into your online bank account.
Google Alerts
Google Alerts are a great tool. Just tell Google what interests you, and every time that thing is mentioned online, Google sends you an alert. You can even tell Google to alert you when your name is thrown about online. This is a great way to keep an eye on what others are saying about you in the online world. By doing this, you’ll know immediately if your privacy is being violated online.
Signing Out
Finally, Forbes reminds you to sign out of your accounts each time you’re done with your online banking, Facebook updates or e-mail retrievals. After all, you don’t want another person to stumble upon your computer and snoop around your personal sites simply because you forgot to sign out. And if you’re using a public computer such as one at your local library or bookstore? Signing out is an more important step.
Smartphones, tablets and laptops are fantastic tools: They allow us to search the Internet, answer e-mail messages and watch video whether we’re sitting on the train or waiting for our flight at the airport. Yet these devices can certainly be harmful, too. Should they fall into the wrong hands, your personal information, everything from your online banks accounts to your e-mail messages to your Facebook pages, can fall victim to cyber thieves. And there’s little limit to the problems they can create. Luckily for us, there are steps that you can use to safeguard your privacy even in today’s age of mobile computing, and as Forbes says, these steps are incredibly easy.
Protect Yourself With Passwords
We all rely on a host of gadgets today, from smartphones to laptop computers to tablets. What if you lose one of these devices? What if they’re stolen? How much information could the wrong people access, and just what damage might they do with it? Thankfully, you can protect yourself by requiring users enter a password to open your device. That way, if someone steals your tablet, that individual may not be able to break into your online bank account.
Google Alerts
Google Alerts are a great tool. Just tell Google what interests you, and every time that thing is mentioned online, Google sends you an alert. You can even tell Google to alert you when your name is thrown about online. This is a great way to keep an eye on what others are saying about you in the online world. By doing this, you’ll know immediately if your privacy is being violated online.
Signing Out
Finally, Forbes reminds you to sign out of your accounts each time you’re done with your online banking, Facebook updates or e-mail retrievals. After all, you don’t want another person to stumble upon your computer and snoop around your personal sites simply because you forgot to sign out. And if you’re using a public computer such as one at your local library or bookstore? Signing out is an more important step.