Unless you have been living in the far reaches of the Amazon jungle, out of touch with society, I'm sure you all are aware of the recent Federal organizations in the news. Specifically, I'm referring to the IRS and the NSA (National Security Agency). These news events have caused all of us to consider the far-reaching ramifications and effect it will have on each of us. My concern is more focused on the IRS than the NSA.
We all know now that the NSA can monitor basically everything. They can read all of your emails, monitor your social media interactions such as with Twitter, Facebook, and Google+. I would be more concerned with your online posture in these social media networks and how it relates with your political affiliations with certain organizations and possible targeting by the IRS.
I'm sure as time goes on we will be hearing more details about these organizations and how far their powers will actually affect each of us. As far as privacy is concerned, there are web sites that maximize your online privacy and minimize intrusion into your life.
Sites That Maximize Your Online Privacy
- SelectOut - If you want to surf the Web unnoticed, you can opt out of ad tracking. See more at: http://www.selectout.org/
- Glassboard - a more private way to share with family and friends. See more at: http://www.glassboard.com/
- Ixquick is a search engine that doesn't record any of your private information when you search. This includes your IP address, browser information or search history. See more at: https://www.ixquick.com
- How Secure Is My Password – Test your password strength. https://howsecureismypassword.net
- Pwned List - How to tell if your online accounts have been hacked. Check https://pwnedlist.com
- Privnote - read and self-destruct emails https://privnote.com
Another thing you can do with your web browser is adjust your cookie settings. Deleting them would be unrealistic, but you can control the cookies that track you by blocking Third Party cookies. It's easily done by going into your browser settings.
Obviously, some of us have a stronger privacy concern than others. Please feel free to check out the above web sites and find something you feel comfortable with. I believe this list is a helpful alternative that will enable many of you to feel somewhat more comfortable about your future online experiences with the various social media. The issue is where to draw the line with your privacy concerns. Obviously millions of people use the Internet daily, and many of them need it for their work. Defining a workable privacy policy is one that allows you to continue to function online while incorporating a workable security posture.
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