Tag: security

Life, privacy, technologyLeave a comment

Microsoft TO-DO Privacy

Mark Cathcart

I have to admit I really like the new Microsoft To-DO app for Windows and Android. You can create lists of to-do’s, it has a My Day function and lots of useful detail. Once I’d created my first set of serious to-do’s I suddenly realized how much sensitive data there was in my to-do’s. While I’m ok with Microsoft collecting and analyzing usage data, how many times I use the app, what platforms, where was I when I used them etc. I’m totally against them reading, copying or sharing the to-do’s with anyone that I have not explicitly authorized. I … Continue reading Microsoft TO-DO Privacy

culture, Life, privacy, technology

Your infrequent reminder, Facebook is evil

Mark Cathcart

They figured out how do you tweak people’s vanities and their passions and their susceptibilities and their desires in order to keep them on the site. Source: The Central Question Behind Facebook: ‘What Does Mark Zuckerberg Believe In?’ : NPR If you have not heard it, the above NPR Fresh Air interview by Dave Davies with Evan Osnos, a New Yorker Staff writer is well worth the listen. Since that interview, we’ve had two more announcements of significance from Facebook. October 11th, the evil empire announced that they’d disabled some 66 accounts or what Facebook described as: dozens of accounts … Continue reading Your infrequent reminder, Facebook is evil

Life, privacy, technology

Delete your Google+ profile

Mark Cathcart

Google+ is what happens when you try to take on an incumbent, don’t communicate your vision, and then leave the rotting carcass to fester and be eaten by the maggots. In this case the maggots were a security vulnerability that exposed the private data of up to 500,000 users It turns out Google knew about the vulnerability back in March 2018, but decided not to disclose it as, as far they know, it hadn’t been exploited. If your data was upto date and complete, there was enough there to perform a rudimentary phishing attack. In my case, my phone number, … Continue reading Delete your Google+ profile

Life, privacy, technology

Why You Shouldn’t Use Facebook to Log In to Other Sites – The New York Times

Mark Cathcart

This is a good explanation of why it is way past time to stop using your Facebook ID to login to other sites. Personally while I still occasionally wish I could login to facebook to check on relatives, otherwise I don’t miss it at all. No matter what facebook do, there will continue to be security and privacy breaches like this. Facebook wanted to become “the web” and along with that aspiration, they also became a focal point for all the hackers, scammers, and those wishing to game the system. #deletefacebook   Source: Why You Shouldn’t Use Facebook to Log … Continue reading Why You Shouldn’t Use Facebook to Log In to Other Sites – The New York Times

Life, politicsLeave a comment

The Data Linkedin has

Mark Cathcart

While I’m at it, I thought I’d take a look at what data linkedin.com has on me. It’s likely to be much less, since I rarely use the service and it’s been getting less and less as their emails with anything useful, plus new contacts, connect requests etc. always take me to the Google Play app store to install the linkedin app. That’s not happening, and I mostly just delete the emails and make a mental note to login via the website. If you are interested in your linkedin data, you can get it via the linkedin.com Settings and then … Continue reading The Data Linkedin has

Life, Politics, politics, privacyLeave a comment

Facebook has a lot of questions to answer

Mark Cathcart

I teetered on the brink of deleting my facebook account last year. I removed the main app from my phone and a Windows tablet, and have never installed messenger. When it came down to it I balked at the final step. I did ulike pretty much all businesses and pages, as well as unfriended anyone not a real contact/friend etc. The utility of facebook is still too great to remove myself completely. Although frankly I’ve had better results contacting businesses through Twitter and getting things done. Given it’s reach, facebook still remains useful. Delete the apps Facebook, Facebook Messenger, Instagram … Continue reading Facebook has a lot of questions to answer

politics, privacy, technologyLeave a comment

Someone knocking at the door

Mark Cathcart

We had a spirited discussion over coffee today about the whole NSA data collection fuss  and sparked by the continuing refusal of the UK Government to accept there is a case to be concerned,  even if you have “nothing to hide”. Think of it this way.  You are sat at home,  there is a knock at the door.  You answer  it’s that nice man from the NSA,  he says “excuse me,  we’d like a few minutes of your time,  can you just write down every phone call you’ve made in the last 3-months, what time of day you made the … Continue reading Someone knocking at the door