The Private WiFi Blog Blog

privacy

Ask the Expert: What Are Supercookies? Do They Affect My Online Privacy?

Do you know what a cookie is? No, not the sweet kind we like to eat with a big glass of milk. A cookie (at least the kind found on the Web) is a short line of text that a website puts on your computer’s hard drive when you visit it. And new “supercookie” filess can store more information than a normal cookie and are scattered in multiple locations, which makes them harder to identify and remove. Check out our latest Ask the Expert to learn everything you ever wanted to know about cookies but were afraid to ask.

Tax Season and Online Security: The Social Media Privacy Report

Tax season is here and the deadline to file your taxes, April 18, is rapidly approaching. This time of year normally brings some added pressure, as taxpayers must organize their financial paperwork and sit down for the dreaded conversation with their accountant. But with the new world of social media in the mix, things get even more complicated as invasions of privacy and online scams make tax time even more difficult.

children

Internet Safety: Social Networking Sites for Children

It is a time-honored tradition that children want to do exactly what their older counterparts are doing. A trip into the makeup drawer or a game of paintball may not prove to be troublesome, but the new area that kids are exploring is social networking. Unfortunately, Facebook, MySpace and Twitter are often not the safest places for children. Sensing a new marketing opportunity, many companies have developed social networking sites designed just for children. These new sites have applications for parental controls and age-appropriate games. And the best of these sites are Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) compliant

tablet

CTIA Wireless Recap: Tablets, Trinkets, and Technology

Back from the recent CTIA Wireless conference, CEO Kent Lawson tackles the trends and technologies shaping our future. He says things such as cloud computing are moving so quickly that “we will soon be accustomed to very large-scale capabilities which we will be carrying around in our pockets or purses.”

online safety

Keeping Your Kids Safe Online

Keeping kids safe has always been a difficult task, but with the advances in technology moving so quickly it has become even more difficult. Not only is the age-old issue of children wanting their independence and privacy present, but sometimes it seems like kids are speaking another language when they talk about the latest innovation in social networking. Parents do not need to have a degree in Computer Science to keep their children away from most danger on the internet. Keeping kids safe while online is a huge priority for most people and there are many ways parents can take advantage of pre-existing settings and tested methods to keep their young ones away from danger.

VPN

Ask the Expert: What Exactly Is a VPN?

You’ve heard VPN used several times, but do you REALLY know how it works? In this latest “Ask the Expert” series, Private WiFi’s CEO Kent Lawson explains what a virtual private network really does to ensure your computer safety, particularly at your most vulnerable moments — using the Internet in WiFi hotspots such as a coffee shop, hotel room, or airport lounge.

Children, Teens and Social Networks: The Social Media Privacy Report

As concerns with internet privacy continue to loom, minors are joining social networks at a rapid speed. What are children and teens doing or saying on these sites? Parents need to protect the online security of their children. In this edition of The Social Media Privacy Report, we lay out some suggestions to keep kids safe as they use social networks.

college student

College Students and Identity Theft: Ways to Help Protect Yourself

College is supposed to be fun. It is a time many look back upon with smiles and fond memories. Of course, final exams and uppity professors can put a temporary cramp in an otherwise extended party. The last thing a college student wants to worry about is their identity being stolen. However, with 24% of all identity theft complaints being in the 18-29 year old age bracket, it is a reality college students need to be prepared for. Read on to learn about simple protective measures that can make a significant difference in protecting your teen’s belongings and personal identifying information.

hacker

Mules, Hackers, and Cyberpunks, Oh My: A Step-by-Step Look At How the Dark Side Works

CEO Kent Lawson explores “the dark side” of hackers — a scary reality that many of us choose to ignore. He says many people ask, “Why would any hacker want to steal information from me? I don’t have anything that interesting to steal. I’m sure I’m safe.” Unfortunately, usually the first indication we get that we are a victim of identity theft is when we get our bank statement. Read on for a step-by-step look at how victims — maybe YOU one day — are targeted, as well as security steps to implement NOW!

baby

Child Identity Theft: My Three Year Old Bought a Car?

Child identity theft occurs when a minor’s identity is used by another person for personal gain. The perpetrator may be a family member or someone known by the family. It could also be a complete stranger who purposely targets children. Because of the lengthy time between the theft of the information and the discovery of the crime, children are a primary target for identity thieves. The period between malicious use of the identity and discovery of that use can be many years, usually happening when the child reaches 18 and starts to establish their own credit file.