Digital Safety

These cold winter months when you are stuck inside more often with your technology is a good time to think about starting some new habits that will help simplify the tech in your life. Creating individual passwords is one thing to think about, and password managing apps can make it easy. Doing some device maintenance, like getting rid of those apps you never use and backing up your photos, can put your mind at ease and keep your devices running smoothly. For more ideas check out Brian Chen’s article Five Resolutions to Simplify Your Tech Life in The New York Times Personal Tech section.

If your kids are asking for a virtual reality headset this holiday season, you might be interested in this guide from Common Sense Media. It covers everything from Google's inexpensive Cardboard VR viewer to Sony's new PlayStation VR. The guide mentions the headsets have minimum age requirements set by the manufacturers that you should check before you buy – generally ages 12 and up. This is important to keep in mind because, as many are pointing out, there is little research about the effect virtual reality has on very young children. Concerns include psychological development, effects on the eyes, and problems distinguishing reality from fiction or fantasy, which young children already have difficulty doing and is exaggerated even more in virtual reality.

If your kids are asking for a virtual reality headset this holiday season, you might be interested in this guide from Common Sense Media. It covers everything from Google's inexpensive Cardboard VR viewer to Sony's new PlayStation VR. The guide mentions the headsets have minimum age requirements set by the manufacturers that you should check before you buy – generally ages 12 and up. This is important to keep in mind because, as many are pointing out, there is little research about the effect virtual reality has on very young children. Concerns include psychological development, effects on the eyes, and problems distinguishing reality from fiction or fantasy, which young children already have difficulty doing and is exaggerated even more in virtual reality.

The “Ugly List” scam is making its way around again.  How does it work? You get an Instagram notification saying you've been tagged in a post. The catch? The post is called "Ugly List 2016," and it was a friend who tagged you. How mean! 

In the notification, there's a link to see the full post. You click on it, and it leads to a page that appears to be the Instagram log in. You need to enter your username and password before you can see the "Ugly List," but don't fall for it! The form is fake. It is a way for scammers to steal usernames and passwords. Once scammers have your account info, they will hack your Instagram and tag your followers in new "Ugly List" posts, perpetuating the con and stealing more information.

The “Ugly List” scam is making its way around again.  How does it work? You get an Instagram notification saying you've been tagged in a post. The catch? The post is called "Ugly List 2016," and it was a friend who tagged you. How mean! 

In the notification, there's a link to see the full post. You click on it, and it leads to a page that appears to be the Instagram log in. You need to enter your username and password before you can see the "Ugly List," but don't fall for it! The form is fake. It is a way for scammers to steal usernames and passwords. Once scammers have your account info, they will hack your Instagram and tag your followers in new "Ugly List" posts, perpetuating the con and stealing more information.

The company formerly known as Snapchat surprised the world recently by unveiling Spectacles, its first hardware product. The sunglasses, which record videos in 30-second increments, are expected to be available for sale sometime soon. Snap Inc., as the company is now called, says it will be producing the glasses in small quantities. Spectacles are wirelessly connected and record video snippets that get saved to a Snapchat Memories account. The camera, which looks like a circular logo on the front of the sunglass lens, has a 115-degree viewing radius meant to more accurately reflect how humans see. The glasses will cost $130, come in one size, and be available in three colors: black, teal, and coral. Images are transferred to a smartphone via WiFi. While the device is likely to intrigue children and other Snapchat users, it also brings some privacy concerns, as filming someone secretly– for good or bad – will just get that much easier.

The company formerly known as Snapchat surprised the world recently by unveiling Spectacles, its first hardware product. The sunglasses, which record videos in 30-second increments, are expected to be available for sale sometime soon. Snap Inc., as the company is now called, says it will be producing the glasses in small quantities. Spectacles are wirelessly connected and record video snippets that get saved to a Snapchat Memories account. The camera, which looks like a circular logo on the front of the sunglass lens, has a 115-degree viewing radius meant to more accurately reflect how humans see. The glasses will cost $130, come in one size, and be available in three colors: black, teal, and coral. Images are transferred to a smartphone via WiFi. While the device is likely to intrigue children and other Snapchat users, it also brings some privacy concerns, as filming someone secretly– for good or bad – will just get that much easier.

With the unfolding of both a contentious political season and a new school year, a recent article on the BBC reminds us that we need to be careful what we post. It is always important to consider who can read your social media posts, especially if you are thinking about sharing controversial opinions, discussing politics, or venting about work or school situations. The article reminds readers that social media posts can also have an effect on job searches, since potential employers are likely to take a look at your accounts before hiring you.

With the unfolding of both a contentious political season and a new school year, a recent article on the BBC reminds us that we need to be careful what we post. It is always important to consider who can read your social media posts, especially if you are thinking about sharing controversial opinions, discussing politics, or venting about work or school situations. The article reminds readers that social media posts can also have an effect on job searches, since potential employers are likely to take a look at your accounts before hiring you.

Researchers have found that the TV Parental Guidelines that were put in place in the 90’s are not accurate for most programs on television today. According to a new study published in the journal Pediatrics, violence is prevalent across shows, regardless of rating. TV-Y7 rated shows, intended for kids age 7 and older, had similar levels of violence as TV-MA shows – shows that are rated for mature audiences only. Most people don’t realize that the networks or media divisions of companies like Netflix put the ratings on their own shows. Some suggestions from experts for parents include watching media with their kids and talking about risk behaviors they see in media such as alcohol use, smoking, sex and violence.