A new series we are adding to the newsletter is providing a useful tip that you can use in your everyday life. The tip this time is how to improve your internet safety. This information was obtained from LLI 104 Internet Safety class this current semester.
How many times have you downloaded a new app, etc., and you needed to accept their terms and conditions? The question is how may times have you actually read what you are accepting? Sadly, the answer is usually NEVER. The reason is that these are usually 20-80 pages of small legal print.
Why this is important:
- Are they selling your personal information? Who are the buyers?
- Are they tracking your internet searches? Selling this information to others?
- Are they tracking your location? Only when the app is in use or 100% of the time?
- Using your camera. When is this being done, and what are you doing with the information?
There is a simple way of getting this information. If you develop a few simple phrases: personal information, location tracking, etc. Then go to the search box on top of the Terms & Conditions and type in your terms individually. The result is you will only get back the portion of the Terms and Conditions that explain your simple phrases. It only takes a few minutes and you have the details of what you are accepting. If you do NOT like the results, do not download the app. There are apps that are selling your information on the dark web to the highest bidder.
Please read your LLI newsletter in the future to get more “Ideas You Can Use.” Future ideas will cover a broad range of topics, including internet safety. The next idea will be how to keep your children/grandchildren protected from having their credit information stolen.
Author: Gary Lewins
Editor: Julia Wallace