May Meetings 2020
May 7, 2020 - Blocking Calls, Protect Your Eyes, Chrome Web Store Purges Bad Extensions
Don't Mess with Coronavirus and DON'T Mess with Unknown Links
Club Questions
Don't Mess with Coronavirus and DON'T Mess with Unknown Links
Club Questions
Blocking Calls
For those of you who have ever wondered what happens when you block someone from calling or texting you, this article from CNET goes over all the details. iPhone users will find this helpful in terms of how to set up your phone to block people and what those people will see when you block them.
For those of you who have ever wondered what happens when you block someone from calling or texting you, this article from CNET goes over all the details. iPhone users will find this helpful in terms of how to set up your phone to block people and what those people will see when you block them.
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Protect Your Eyes
These days most of us are spending way more time looking at screens from home. This video goes over some proven ways to protect your eyesight, and please forgive the rather robotic narration, he said. |
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Google Browser Extensions
We've talked about browser extensions before, about how they can help you streamline simple tasks, remember things for you when you return to a favourite website and even how they can protect your privacy while online. We've also talked about how some of those extensions are less than noble and some are downright dangerous. Google has finally taken notice and is initiating a massive purge of its Chrome Web Store, taking down many offending extensions. To learn more about this, please take a look at this article.
We've talked about browser extensions before, about how they can help you streamline simple tasks, remember things for you when you return to a favourite website and even how they can protect your privacy while online. We've also talked about how some of those extensions are less than noble and some are downright dangerous. Google has finally taken notice and is initiating a massive purge of its Chrome Web Store, taking down many offending extensions. To learn more about this, please take a look at this article.
May 14, 2020 - WeChat is Watching, Working from Home, Secure your Video Chats
If you see an Unknown Link wearing a face mask, you still can't trust it!
Club Questions
If you see an Unknown Link wearing a face mask, you still can't trust it!
Club Questions
We Chat
WeChat is one of the most popular texting/chatting apps available in China, but if you're using it you may be being surveilled by the Chinese government. China is known for its strict social media guidelines, but that is usually saved for the local residents. To read more about how they may be watching you here in the USA, take a look at this article.
WeChat is one of the most popular texting/chatting apps available in China, but if you're using it you may be being surveilled by the Chinese government. China is known for its strict social media guidelines, but that is usually saved for the local residents. To read more about how they may be watching you here in the USA, take a look at this article.
Working From Home
During the time of Coronavirus many employees have begun working from home, teleconferencing has become a regular thing as well as many, many jobs being lost. We'd all like to get back to normal work in our offices, shops and centers, but that might not be what some of the big companies are seeing for our future. To read more about what some companies (Google, Facebook, Zillow, etc) are planing for their workers in the coming year (or two). Take a look at this article for more info.
During the time of Coronavirus many employees have begun working from home, teleconferencing has become a regular thing as well as many, many jobs being lost. We'd all like to get back to normal work in our offices, shops and centers, but that might not be what some of the big companies are seeing for our future. To read more about what some companies (Google, Facebook, Zillow, etc) are planing for their workers in the coming year (or two). Take a look at this article for more info.
Secure your Video Chats
It seems that a new video chat service or app comes out almost weekly these days, and as fun and helpful as they can be, there are some security issues (of course, it is the internet after all) that you might want to look at. Whether you use Google (Meet, Duo and Hangout), Microsoft (Teams and Skype) or Cisco (WebEx) there are things you can do to make yourself more secure online. Take a look at this article from LifeHacker for more info.
It seems that a new video chat service or app comes out almost weekly these days, and as fun and helpful as they can be, there are some security issues (of course, it is the internet after all) that you might want to look at. Whether you use Google (Meet, Duo and Hangout), Microsoft (Teams and Skype) or Cisco (WebEx) there are things you can do to make yourself more secure online. Take a look at this article from LifeHacker for more info.
May 21, 2020 - Avoiding Online Coronavirus Scams, Trouble Finding a Mask? Tips for Maintaining an older Android Phone, Stop Touching Your Face So Much!
This week is all about scams, Don't Click on Unknown Links.
Club Questions
This week is all about scams, Don't Click on Unknown Links.
Club Questions
Coronavirus Scams Online
Since the start of our current pandemic, the internet scammers have found more and more ways to fool you into giving them what they want (your info/money). Google has some good tips on how to identify Coronavirus scams and what you can do about them. Read more about them below.
Since the start of our current pandemic, the internet scammers have found more and more ways to fool you into giving them what they want (your info/money). Google has some good tips on how to identify Coronavirus scams and what you can do about them. Read more about them below.
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1. Falsely representing health organizations - Scammers posing as health authorities, such as the WHO or CDC, may offer cures, tests or other COVID‑19 information.
2. Websites selling fraudulent products - Sites might offer hand sanitizer, face masks or other in-demand products that never arrive. 3. Posing as government sources - Some scams claim to issue updates and payments on behalf of the IRS or local government tax authority. 4. Fraudulent financial offers - Scammers may pose as banks, investors or debt collectors, with offers designed to steal financial information. 5. Fake nonprofit donation requests - Requests for COVID‑19 donations to nonprofits, hospitals or other organizations should be checked carefully. |
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Scammers are now taking advantage of the increase in COVID‑19 communications by disguising their scams as legitimate messages about the virus. Alongside emails, scammers may also use text messages, automated calls and malicious websites to reach you. But there are ways to avoid these common scams. Keep reading below...
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1. Visit authoritative websites directly - Scammers often pose as well-known, trusted and authoritative sources. Directly visit sources like WHO.int or CDC.gov to get the latest factual information about COVID‑19, or use any of the links on our Coronavirus page here. Don't use links sent to you from unknown sources.
2. Be cautious of requests for personal or financial information - If you receive an unsolicited request for personal or financial information, take extra time to evaluate the message. Scammers will often ask you to input login information, or share bank details and addresses with them. They may also request payment via bank transfer or virtual currency. 3. Donate directly through nonprofit organizations - Some scams take advantage of goodwill, requesting donations for COVID‑19 relief efforts. Do some research to make sure the nonprofit is legitimate ─ like checking if they are registered with Charity Navigator. Scammers also pose as legitimate nonprofits. To be more confident your money will reach a nonprofit, you can donate directly through their website ─ rather than clicking a link sent to you. 4. Double check links and email addresses before clicking - Fake links often imitate established websites by adding extra words or letters. If it says something like "click here," hover over the link or long press the text to check the URL for mistakes ─ being careful not to click it. Misspelled words or random letters and numbers in the URL or email address may also indicate a scam. 5. Search to see if it’s been reported - If somebody has sent you a fraudulent message, it’s likely they’ve sent it to other people as well. Copy and paste the email address, phone number, or most suspicious portion of the message into a search engine to check if it’s been reported by others. 6. Add an extra layer of security to your account - For extra protection online, add two-factor authentication — also known as 2-step verification — to your accounts. This provides another layer of security by requiring two steps to gain access to your account: for example, something you know (your password) and something you physically have on hand (like your phone or a security key). |
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Trouble Finding a Mask?
If you're one of the people who can't sew (or don't want to) and you're having a hard time finding a mask that will protect others from you (we're not talking about N-95 masks here) when you go into public, then take a look at this article from CNET. Forget the Chinese companies on Amazon that can't deliver for months, there are lots of American made masks available now.
If you're one of the people who can't sew (or don't want to) and you're having a hard time finding a mask that will protect others from you (we're not talking about N-95 masks here) when you go into public, then take a look at this article from CNET. Forget the Chinese companies on Amazon that can't deliver for months, there are lots of American made masks available now.
Android Users Only
For those of you Android phone users, especially those of you using an older phone, you need to consider the security risks of running an out of date Operating System. Here is a good article from CNET on how to make sure your old phone is still usable. And for those of you with a phone that just a little too full of stuff, here's an article from LifeHacker that helps you free up space on an old phone (or a new one with a small amount of storage).
For those of you Android phone users, especially those of you using an older phone, you need to consider the security risks of running an out of date Operating System. Here is a good article from CNET on how to make sure your old phone is still usable. And for those of you with a phone that just a little too full of stuff, here's an article from LifeHacker that helps you free up space on an old phone (or a new one with a small amount of storage).
Stop Touching Your Face!
That's what all the medical professionals have been telling us from the start of this Pandemic, but it's not that easy to do. Most people touch their faces a couple dozen times every hour, and most of the time they don't even realize it. Doctors say that by touching our faces (eyes, nose, mouth) we greatly increase the chance of spreading the virus from our hands to our bodies. It might seem like an impossible task, not to touch our faces, but there are things we can do, take a look at this article from CNET that goes over some possible solutions.
That's what all the medical professionals have been telling us from the start of this Pandemic, but it's not that easy to do. Most people touch their faces a couple dozen times every hour, and most of the time they don't even realize it. Doctors say that by touching our faces (eyes, nose, mouth) we greatly increase the chance of spreading the virus from our hands to our bodies. It might seem like an impossible task, not to touch our faces, but there are things we can do, take a look at this article from CNET that goes over some possible solutions.
May 28, 2020 - Online Security when Shopping, iPhone Update 13.5, Social Distancing,
This week Scams are found to be, Unknown Links! Ah-ha.
Club Questions
This week Scams are found to be, Unknown Links! Ah-ha.
Club Questions
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Online Security
Online shopping is common now, but how many of us know what to look for regarding security? This video goes over some of the universal basics every internet user should know when shopping online or any other time you might give out your information. |
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iOS 13.5 Update
For those of you iPhone users, Apple released a new update yesterday, it is iOS 13.5 and like most updates, I am going to wait for the bugs to be vanquished before updating my devices and I recommend the same for everyone else. One of the major bugs in iOS 13.5 is that it can stop allowing you to use some of your apps, something to do with a 'certificate' issue, but no fixes from Apple yet. To read more about the latest batch of bugs in iOS 13.5 take a look at this article. This most recent update from Apple also includes the tech necessary for contact tracing, to read more about that update, take a look here.
For those of you iPhone users, Apple released a new update yesterday, it is iOS 13.5 and like most updates, I am going to wait for the bugs to be vanquished before updating my devices and I recommend the same for everyone else. One of the major bugs in iOS 13.5 is that it can stop allowing you to use some of your apps, something to do with a 'certificate' issue, but no fixes from Apple yet. To read more about the latest batch of bugs in iOS 13.5 take a look at this article. This most recent update from Apple also includes the tech necessary for contact tracing, to read more about that update, take a look here.
Strict Hygiene and Social Distancing
If you're thinking that wearing a mask or washing your hands isn't important any more, think again. A new blacklight study shows that Coronavirus can slip thru the best PPE when not using the correct protocol. Read more about the study and how strict hygiene and social distancing are Still Very Important.
If you're thinking that wearing a mask or washing your hands isn't important any more, think again. A new blacklight study shows that Coronavirus can slip thru the best PPE when not using the correct protocol. Read more about the study and how strict hygiene and social distancing are Still Very Important.
