Alexa, Quit Recording Me
Do you have one of the "smart" speakers in your house? The ones that you can ask questions of, and make your life "easier".
I don't. I don't want one. I don't have one. And although I say, never say never, I have no plans to ever have those in my house.
Perhaps I am paranoid, but I don't like my personal space being invaded. I am not afraid of computer technology, video phones, and the like, but I want them to only be listening (i.e. recording) or watching (i.e. video recording or transmitting images), when I say it's ok. That's one of the reasons I WhiteCoat Risk Management has video shutters available for our computer cameras. No software can bypass a piece of plastic over the lens of the camera.
Back to Alexa.
Yes, those smart speakers creep me out. I don't like the idea of being "listened to" all the time. And these are everywhere. So you need to be diligent in shutting off those...
Happy New Year! Now Delete These Phone Apps!
Your smart phone.
It's become "your life". It can do everything ... store your calendar, send messages, manage your email, map out your trips, entertain you, manage your pictures and videos, feed you news ... and on and on.
There is SO much of your life on your phone. Both public ... and private.
Smartphones and privacy
You wouldn't give people your diary. Or your calendar. Or your travel plans. Or finances. Or passwords. But you might be giving others access to these if you keep these items on your smartphone.
So Happy New Year! It's time to put an end to some of the worst offenders that hijack, steal, monitor or just look at your public and private information on your smartphone.
In this article, they provide you with some of the greatest offenders when it comes to your privacy. And it's a great invitation to delete these from your smartphone and kick them out of your life.
