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Posts published in “Privacy”

Year in Review 2020

Kathleen Hyde 0

I thought I’d do an A to Z look at 2020, but honestly, like most of you, I’m tired and just want 2021 to get here. I don’t need fanfare. No glass of wine. No cocktail franks or cheesecake. No countdown to the ball dropping because, after all, what fun is…

Happy Holidays—Secure Your New Devices!

Kathleen Hyde 0

Have you already shredded the paper and ripped off the plastic? Or are you beyond doing that…even if you are overjoyed whenever you get a new electronic tool from someone or somewhere?   Tool does sound so much better than gadget, doesn’t it? And yes, “somewhere” was intentional. I know many of us buy…

Webcams: Pros and Cons

Kathleen Hyde 0
Earlier this year, when many of us began working remotely 100 percent of the time and Zoom became a household word that could be used as a noun and a verb, I found out the hard way just how much some people don't like the fact I don't - as a rule - use a webcam when I attend virtual meetings. It's not that I don't have access to one or more webcams, I do. I just don't have them on certain devices that I use daily. That's by design, just like how I have webcam covers on the integrated cameras on my laptops, and how my preference is to opt out of apps that want access to the cameras on my smartphones even when it's unnecessary, meaning that access isn't tied to app functionality. In short, I use webcams when I must but I'm not a big fan. [caption id="attachment_960" align="aligncenter" width="300"]Turn on video and turn off video flat vector icons for apps and websites. Image licensed through Adobe Stock. On or off? Read on to find out pros and cons of both. Image licensed through Adobe Stock.[/caption]

Tis the Season for Online Shopping – Stay Safe

Kathleen Hyde 0
A person is talking on the phone while holding their credit card and using a laptop. Their glasses are in the foreground, and they are dressed for cold weather and there are holiday decorations around them. Online shopping this holiday? Image standard license from Adobe Stock.[/caption] The day after Thanksgiving, also known as Black Friday, used to signal the official start of the holiday shopping season. Retailers traditionally saved their "best deals" for those brave enough to battle the crowds, turkey fatigue, and sometimes the weather to shop till they dropped. Last year, 84.2 million people shopped in stores on Black Friday, according to the National Retail Federation (NRF). Another 93.2 million shopped online, surpassing Cyber Monday's 83.3 million shoppers.  This year is different. The pandemic has changed how and where we shop. Adobe is predicting record gains for e-commerce, with online holiday spending projected to reach $189 billion and buy online, pick up in-store (BOPIS) expected to reach 40 percent Year-over-Year growth.   Are you planning to shop online this holiday season? If you are, stay safe with these suggestions. 

Social Media: When a Little is Too Much

Kathleen Hyde 0

Originally, I planned today’s blog title would be “Social Media: Should We Stay or Should We Go?” When I sat down to write the post, however, I decided that to answer that question would require an in-depth examination and analysis of how we use social media and it’s changed our…

Scammers are Building Trust to Create Victims

Kathleen Hyde 0

We’ve all heard the warnings about telephone calls from Apple or Microsoft support. We know that both companies won’t call individual end users as a courtesy to let them know their PCs are infected or that their software subscriptions are about to expire AND their computers will be turned off.…

Can I Shred This?

Kathleen Hyde 0

Did you shudder when you first heard the experts pronounce we’d be a paperless society one day? Do you laugh now when you hear someone make the same announcement, mainly because based on experience, you know that it’s probably not true…or at least it won’t be for quite some time?…

#CyberAware – Today’s Tip (Privacy)

Kathleen Hyde 0

When was the last time you took a selfie and posted it to Instagram? If you’re like me, you never have and the likelihood you will, unless forced to for promotional purposes, is pretty slim. Why? Because you like or you value your privacy. Maybe your answer is a little…