Entry bubble Your Online Privacy

By: Joanne | March 17, 2009 | Category: General

South by Southwest Interactive Festival

I’m at the South by Southwest Interactive festival and a few days ago, I went to an interesting session about privacy, specifically online privacy. It’s something that concerns us all when we use social networking sites, or shop online, or even do a simple search on a commercial search engine. I hear it all the time and heard it in the session too: people are especially concerned about their privacy on government websites. The good news is that there are lots of laws and regulations related to privacy and government websites, and I think that in many ways that’s a good thing. We should be free to browse and interact on government websites without the fear that our personal information is gathered and aggregated and used for some unknown purpose.

At the same time there are a lot of really good reasons why government websites may want to gather personal information. If we could do it, we could deliver information and services in a more personal and effective way. I imagine a world where I could visit a government website, sign in with a username and password and then have a dashboard that would tell me useful things relevant to my life. Maybe I would see my property tax bill and be able to click a button to pay it, or renew my driver’s license when it expires, or see an estimate of my future social security benefits.

It sounds pretty easy, doesn’t it? I love the idea of integrating local, state and federal information in one location. I mean, why not? Wouldn’t this be a real convenience? Isn’t it silly and outdated that my property tax bill and driver’s license renewal and social security estimate are all paper that comes to me in the mail?

The hurdles are more than just technology, and there are a few key things that have to happen to get us there. First, government on every level will have to update existing laws and regulations to allow this sharing of information and, to protect its usage, citizens should be able to opt in, so they can chose to participate, or not. Lastly, websites that collect information have to be completely clear and honest about how the information will be used, not used, shared and not shared. What else needs to happen to make the public comfortable with this?

| View Comments [0] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: identity   internet   joanne   online   privacy  

 

Entry bubble Scareware Scams

By: Colleen | December 17, 2008 | Category: Money

online scamIf you're anything like me, you've been doing your best to avoid any retail places during the holiday season. I'd love to shake the hand of whoever invented online shopping!

As always though, "buyer beware!" Scams and frauds are all over the internet, particularly during the "most wonderful time of the year."

The latest one preys on people actually trying to protect their computers. This "scareware" scheme comes in the form of a pop-up that appears on your screen while you have a web browser open. It might say something like, "Beware! Your computer has been infected!" Or, "Malicious software has been detected!" When you click on the pop-up, you will get an offer to buy software like "Winfixer" or "ErrorSafe" that claims to protect your computer from viruses. These different softwares will cost you around $30-40 and are totally bogus. They will tell you your problems have been fixed, when in reality, there was nothing to fix in the first place. But your wallet will be a tad lighter.

Over a million people have been duped by this type of fraud. The FTC has pushed for a court order to be signed to try and halt the broad-reaching scheme.

To best protect your computer:

  • Make sure you have legitimate anti-virus, anti-spyware, and firewall software.
  • If you get one of these pop-ups claiming you have a virus, close the whole browser. Do not click the link, or even the "x" box at the top.
  • Use the control/alt/delete function if your browser won't respond to your exit.

If you've been scammed by "spyware" you can report it at www.ftc.gov, or by calling 1-877-FTC-HELP. For information on dealing with other types of scams and frauds, check out the Pueblo scam site.

| View Comments [5] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: colleen   fraud   internet   online   scam   scareware  

 

Entry bubble Buying Prescription Drugs Online

By: Nicole | July 11, 2008 | Category: Health

Prescription medicine pillsA recent study found that 85% of websites that sold prescription drugs directly to consumers didn’t require a doctor’s prescription. That’s an alarming statistic, especially when one considers the danger of prescription drug abuse and fake medication.

It’s no secret that the price of prescription drugs in this country continues to rise at an incredible rate. For many people, especially those who take maintenance prescriptions, these rising costs can have a serious impact.

Some consumers have discovered that they can fill their prescriptions cheaper and easier online. In fact, some insurance companies require policy holders to do so.

One way online pharmacies reduce costs is by automatically using generic drugs unless prohibited by your physician’s order. Whether or not you buy online, you can usually save some cash by opting for generic drugs.

If you find yourself about to plunge into the sea of online pharmacies, keep these tips in mind:

  • National Association of Boards of Pharmacy logoUse the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy to research a website before using it.
  • Don't buy from sites that sell prescription drugs without a prescription or that sell drugs not approved by the FDA.
  • Only use sites that have a pharmacist available to answer your questions.
  • Only buy from sites based in the U.S. It’s against the law to buy prescription drugs from other countries. It could also be unsafe.
  • Talk to your doctor or clinic before using any medicine for the first time.

When you receive your medication, you might want to verify that it’s the right pill by searching for its image in the Drug Digest database.

Have you used an online pharmacy to buy meds? Were you happy with the experience?

| View Comments [4] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: buy   doctor   drugs   generic   internet   medications   meds   nicole   online   online_pharmacies   pharmacist   pills   prescriptions   purchase   sales  

 

Entry bubble Online Privacy: Is it actually possible?

By: Sommer | November 16, 2007 | Category: General

About two weeks ago, I attended a Federal Trade Commission Town Hall meeting about online privacy issues. This meeting really sparked the consumer advocate in me and I immediately wanted to step into action and single handedly change the world to protect the consumer interest!

After sitting through the meeting, however, I began wondering if there's even potential for online privacy. Or, are we so far past the possibility that there’s no going back. With spyware, cookies, tracking cookies, online ads and privacy policies on almost every site you visit; data losses every time we turn around, and a multitude of log-in IDs and passwords to remember every day, having privacy online seems completely impossible to me.

At the meeting, I learned about some new tools and research that might help make the marketplace a little more transparent though we’ve got a LONG way to go:

  • OnGuard Online provides practical tips from the federal government and the technology industry to teach you about Internet fraud, to secure your computer, and protect your personal information.
  • PrivacyFinder.org: This site, developed by Carnegie Mellon University, allows you to search the web just like any other search engine but it lets you choose an information sharing level you’re comfortable with.  It then uses your preference and compares it to data from the search results' valid P3P privacy policies to help you make a more informed decision about whether you want to do business with that particular company or organization.
  • News.com’s recent article shows how each major search engine uses personal search data complete with a chart that tells you which ones retain, delete, or anonymize your search records, and more.
  • Network Advertising Initiative created a tool to help consumers opt out of online advertising.  It’s definitely not a perfect tool, but, hey it’s a start!
  • World Privacy Forum serves as an information resource for all things privacy.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on some issues related to online privacy. If you’re willing, I welcome you to leave a comment. I’m very curious about the opinions others have on this topic.

  1. What are your expectations for online privacy from companies and search engines?
  2. What’s the appropriate use of your information online: Examples: offer notice before sharing your info vs. offering choice by allowing you to opt in or out of third party information sharing
  3. When it comes to online privacy, what do you care about most? Examples: privacy of financial data, personalized advertising as a result of tracking you on the web, information sharing among third party companies

| View Comments [5] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: cookies   internet   online   policies   privacy   sommer   spam  

 

Entry bubble Choosing the Right Cable & Internet

By: Jake | October 22, 2007 | Category: Money

Preparations for the move are going well. I am borrowing a friend's truck the first Saturday in November (if I used a mover I would have used the Protect Your Move Guide).

Now I can focus on utility adjustments. Trash, water and gas are included in the rent at both apartments, but my cable and internet bill have been getting a little high and I've been looking to save some money.

Utility rates like water, electricity and gas are regulated by state utility commissions, but cable and internet are different beasts. Local franchising authorities (LFA) regulate cable prices for the basic services tier (includes most local broadcast stations, as well as the public, educational, and governmental channels) when there is a lack of “effective competition.” The LFA does not regulate what cable companies charge for other cable programming. Internet Service Providers have no government regulating body.

When it comes to cable and internet (like everything else), it's up to the consumer to find the best deal. There are many things to consider when choosing cable and internet. Many cable companies also provide internet service and offer bundle packages with savings on each. With cable you need to decide if you want analog or digital. For my cable service I like having a digital video recorder and I need digital cable to get it. As far as internet goes, I prefer basic broadband internet service with a wireless router.

I spent a week weighing the different options. When all was said and done I stayed with my current provider. Why? Before I switched my service I checked with them to see if they have any moving specials and they actually did.

| View Comments [1] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: apartments   cable   internet   moving   utilities