Articles List

A virus can come from files, e-mails, web pages, or even devices you plug in (like thumbdrives or printers) and destroy your files or your computer once they get in. An anti-virus is software designed to detect and prevent that from happening.

Learn how to detect and remove spyware and adware using a free scanning tool.

Learn what a firewall is and why you want one on your computer.

Make sure to keep your operating system up-to-date with security patches or else none of the rest of your security software will be able to protect you.

Learn how to protect your important files on your computer or when transmitting them with free tools for file encryption.

There are many browser choices out there. Read why I think Firefox is one of the best.

Maybe you've done everything right and you're computer is sufficiently fortress-like, but then you or someone in your family falls for a simple scam that tricks them into directly installing the bad guy's virus! Learn how to spot and ignore fakes!

Citizens Against Government Waste - CAGW

Consumers Against Supermarket Privacy Invasion And Numbering - CASPIAN

The Electronic Frontier Foundation (a.k.a. the EFF) - a nonprofit group of passionate people — lawyers, technologists, volunteers, and visionaries — working to protect your digital rights.

The American Civil Liberties Union - ACLU

Public Citizen - A group of non-profit lawyers specializing in freedom of speech and other basic American rights.

The Electronic Privacy Information Center - EPIC

Credit card fraud isn't ID Theft, but is closely relatedare often used fraudulently so do what you can to prevent it.

Social security numbers have become the gateway to all kinds of identity abuses so the less people you give it to, the better.

Learn to protect your personal information the way Scrooge did his money.

Just because there are things out there about you that are out of your control and are unflattering or worse, doesn't mean you're powerless.

What is DRM and why is it such a bad thing?

There are many reasons why we don't support the people who own copyrighted works even if we support copyright.

The great lie told about movie downloads and why it's wrong.

Learn how music companies lie to make you believe it's wrong to download or copy music when, in many cases, it really just isn't.

Software vendors are making it harder and harder to play your own games! And for what? Nothing it seems.

Spam is annoying and worthless, but you still see it every single day. Here are some tips for preventing and reducing spam.

Make sure that viruses don't sneak onto your computer through your e-mails. Read some simple tips to prevent that from happening.

By far the most dangerous thing you'll find in e-mails is a lie. Sending a bogus e-mail to someone is generally called phishing, but can also be referred to as a Nigerian scam (depending on the goal of the e-mail). Learn to recognize and deal with phishing before it's too late.

Many people have lost thousands and even hundreds of thousands of dollars to the classic Nigerian Scam. Don't fall for it!

Don't violate people's privacy and invite spam into their accounts by CC'ing all your contacts. Learn the proper way to send mass e-mails first.

It's easy to embarass yourself or harm your career when you don't know how to use Reply-All appropriately.

Don't forward e-mails carelessly or you risk looking foolish as best and violating the privacy of all your contacts at worst.

Follow this simple rule of e-mail etiquette to help prevent your friends and family from falling for phishing scams.

It can be hard to find a good name to use in an e-mail account that hasn't been used and doesn't give away too much information about you.

Your e-mail account is the most important online account you have. Remember to treat it as such!.

Why it's very important to use a buffer e-mail account to shield your main account from people and companies that you don't trust.

Don't fall for the trap of using the free e-mail account provided to you by your Internet service!

Learn to make groups for different friends so that you don't have to let everyone see everything on your Facebook page the same way.

Learn to selectively manage who can see which photos on your site.

Learn how to control how other see you on Facebook

Here's a quick tip to make sure that when you log into Facebook, you're not broadcasting your name and password all over the net unprotected.

See just how easy it is to find people's private data with Openbook.

It's never too late to start controlling your data. You may never have full control again, but that doesn't mean it's pointless to try.

If you've already experienced ID theft, here are some tips of what to do next.

Setting a credit report freeze is the fastest and most effective way to actually block and reduce your risk of ID Theft. And it's free.

The best defense against non-credit ID Theft and a variety of other risks is to adopt a mindset of protection: Data Defense. Learn how to protect your information with simple and sometimes free countermeasures all based on a simple philosophy that the less people who have your information, the safer you are.

There are bogus websites out there hoping you'll hit them by accident or using phishing to trick you into coming to them. Learn my simple trick to avoid these sites!

Concerned about online addiction? You should be. Learn the types, the signs, and the preventions.

It's fun to post online. What you think, what you feel. But words typed and posted on the Internet can come back to bite you more than anything you could say with your mouth.

Just because you won't willing give up data doesn't mean that I can't trick you out of it. Don't fall for these well known tricks!

When you create an account with an online site, you should know a few things first.

One of the newest threats we face is the risk of someone getting control of your online account and using it against you and the people you know. Do everything you can to prevent that from happening!

Making online accounts is useful and fun, but doesn't mean much if someone can capture your login information and use it against you. Make sure to use this simple trick to prevent that from happening.

To understand what makes good passwords, first check out some of the worst passwords out there and what makes them so bad.

It's impossible to expect someone to make good passwords by just giving them some rules. There are tricks that make your passwords secure and easy for you all at the same time.

It's really a skill to come up with secure passwords that you can remember. Once you've learned how, remember that it doesn't matter how good you are if you don't protect your password properly.

A disturbing new practice among websites and services is where they ask you for your user name and password to other sites. I call this "Password Mugging"

Extended warranties are a ripoff some say, but there are times when it can be a very good idea to use them. Read all about warranties and how to use them to your advantage.

Learn why rebates are a bad thing and some tips for making sure you get your money.

Gift cards are marketed as a great way to get a gift for someone when you don't know quite what to give them. But in many cases, all you're giving them is headache.

Store, online or off, are not known for being fair and helpful unless it benefits them to be so. Good deals exist, but many are bad deals in disguise. It's not in your best interests to be too trusting with any of them.

Concerned about online addiction? You should be. Learn the types, the signs, and the preventions.

It's fun to post online. What you think, what you feel. But words typed and posted on the Internet can come back to bite you more than anything you could say with your mouth.

You can reveal far more than you intended when you post a photo online. Don't make a critical mistake and check your photos before they're online.

Just because you won't willing give up data doesn't mean that I can't trick you out of it. Don't fall for these well known tricks!

One of the newest threats we face is the risk of someone getting control of your online account and using it against you and the people you know. Do everything you can to prevent that from happening!

Store, online or off, are not known for being fair and helpful unless it benefits them to be so. Good deals exist, but many are bad deals in disguise. It's not in your best interests to be too trusting with any of them.

It can be hard to know who to trust and who to not trust online, but there are things you can do to verify who the good guys and bad guys are before it's too late.

One of the best things about shopping online is the ability to research information online.

Ever been nervous about paying online for something. Just take a second to learn about the various options and put your mind at ease.

Products you purchase in the store almost always have warranties already. Depending on how good it is, you could be completely wasting your money buying an extended one when the default one will do.

What is an extended warranty and how do you know when you see one?

If you're going to spend your money on a warranty, first consider all the factors.

Learn what important aspects of a warranty you need to look for to make sure you're getting a good deal.

Once it's time to use your warranty, make sure you know how to navigate the system.

Read some examples of how I've personally used warranties in my favor over the years.

In the end, how do you decide whether to buy the warranty or not?

Learn how to detect and remove spyware and adware using a free scanning tool.

Learn what a firewall is and why you want one on your computer.

Make sure to keep your operating system up-to-date with security patches or else none of the rest of your security software will be able to protect you.

Learn how to protect your important files on your computer or when transmitting them with free tools for file encryption.

There are many browser choices out there. Read why I think Firefox is one of the best.

A virus can come from files, e-mails, web pages, or even devices you plug in (like thumbdrives or printers) and destroy your files or your computer once they get in. An anti-virus is software designed to detect and prevent that from happening.

Learn how to detect and remove spyware and adware using a free scanning tool.

Learn what a firewall is and why you want one on your computer.

Make sure to keep your operating system up-to-date with security patches or else none of the rest of your security software will be able to protect you.

Learn how to protect your important files on your computer or when transmitting them with free tools for file encryption.

There are many browser choices out there. Read why I think Firefox is one of the best.

Maybe you've done everything right and you're computer is sufficiently fortress-like, but then you or someone in your family falls for a simple scam that tricks them into directly installing the bad guy's virus! Learn how to spot and ignore fakes!

Citizens Against Government Waste - CAGW

Consumers Against Supermarket Privacy Invasion And Numbering - CASPIAN

The Electronic Frontier Foundation (a.k.a. the EFF) - a nonprofit group of passionate people — lawyers, technologists, volunteers, and visionaries — working to protect your digital rights.

The American Civil Liberties Union - ACLU

Public Citizen - A group of non-profit lawyers specializing in freedom of speech and other basic American rights.

The Electronic Privacy Information Center - EPIC

Credit card fraud isn't ID Theft, but is closely relatedare often used fraudulently so do what you can to prevent it.

Social security numbers have become the gateway to all kinds of identity abuses so the less people you give it to, the better.

Learn to protect your personal information the way Scrooge did his money.

Just because there are things out there about you that are out of your control and are unflattering or worse, doesn't mean you're powerless.

What is DRM and why is it such a bad thing?

There are many reasons why we don't support the people who own copyrighted works even if we support copyright.

The great lie told about movie downloads and why it's wrong.

Learn how music companies lie to make you believe it's wrong to download or copy music when, in many cases, it really just isn't.

Software vendors are making it harder and harder to play your own games! And for what? Nothing it seems.

Spam is annoying and worthless, but you still see it every single day. Here are some tips for preventing and reducing spam.

Make sure that viruses don't sneak onto your computer through your e-mails. Read some simple tips to prevent that from happening.

By far the most dangerous thing you'll find in e-mails is a lie. Sending a bogus e-mail to someone is generally called phishing, but can also be referred to as a Nigerian scam (depending on the goal of the e-mail). Learn to recognize and deal with phishing before it's too late.

Many people have lost thousands and even hundreds of thousands of dollars to the classic Nigerian Scam. Don't fall for it!

Don't violate people's privacy and invite spam into their accounts by CC'ing all your contacts. Learn the proper way to send mass e-mails first.

It's easy to embarass yourself or harm your career when you don't know how to use Reply-All appropriately.

Don't forward e-mails carelessly or you risk looking foolish as best and violating the privacy of all your contacts at worst.

Follow this simple rule of e-mail etiquette to help prevent your friends and family from falling for phishing scams.

It can be hard to find a good name to use in an e-mail account that hasn't been used and doesn't give away too much information about you.

Your e-mail account is the most important online account you have. Remember to treat it as such!.

Why it's very important to use a buffer e-mail account to shield your main account from people and companies that you don't trust.

Don't fall for the trap of using the free e-mail account provided to you by your Internet service!

Learn to make groups for different friends so that you don't have to let everyone see everything on your Facebook page the same way.

Learn to selectively manage who can see which photos on your site.

Learn how to control how other see you on Facebook

Here's a quick tip to make sure that when you log into Facebook, you're not broadcasting your name and password all over the net unprotected.

See just how easy it is to find people's private data with Openbook.

It's never too late to start controlling your data. You may never have full control again, but that doesn't mean it's pointless to try.

If you've already experienced ID theft, here are some tips of what to do next.

Setting a credit report freeze is the fastest and most effective way to actually block and reduce your risk of ID Theft. And it's free.

The best defense against non-credit ID Theft and a variety of other risks is to adopt a mindset of protection: Data Defense. Learn how to protect your information with simple and sometimes free countermeasures all based on a simple philosophy that the less people who have your information, the safer you are.

There are bogus websites out there hoping you'll hit them by accident or using phishing to trick you into coming to them. Learn my simple trick to avoid these sites!

Concerned about online addiction? You should be. Learn the types, the signs, and the preventions.

It's fun to post online. What you think, what you feel. But words typed and posted on the Internet can come back to bite you more than anything you could say with your mouth.

Just because you won't willing give up data doesn't mean that I can't trick you out of it. Don't fall for these well known tricks!

When you create an account with an online site, you should know a few things first.

One of the newest threats we face is the risk of someone getting control of your online account and using it against you and the people you know. Do everything you can to prevent that from happening!

Making online accounts is useful and fun, but doesn't mean much if someone can capture your login information and use it against you. Make sure to use this simple trick to prevent that from happening.

To understand what makes good passwords, first check out some of the worst passwords out there and what makes them so bad.

It's impossible to expect someone to make good passwords by just giving them some rules. There are tricks that make your passwords secure and easy for you all at the same time.

It's really a skill to come up with secure passwords that you can remember. Once you've learned how, remember that it doesn't matter how good you are if you don't protect your password properly.

A disturbing new practice among websites and services is where they ask you for your user name and password to other sites. I call this "Password Mugging"

Extended warranties are a ripoff some say, but there are times when it can be a very good idea to use them. Read all about warranties and how to use them to your advantage.

Learn why rebates are a bad thing and some tips for making sure you get your money.

Gift cards are marketed as a great way to get a gift for someone when you don't know quite what to give them. But in many cases, all you're giving them is headache.

Store, online or off, are not known for being fair and helpful unless it benefits them to be so. Good deals exist, but many are bad deals in disguise. It's not in your best interests to be too trusting with any of them.

Concerned about online addiction? You should be. Learn the types, the signs, and the preventions.

It's fun to post online. What you think, what you feel. But words typed and posted on the Internet can come back to bite you more than anything you could say with your mouth.

You can reveal far more than you intended when you post a photo online. Don't make a critical mistake and check your photos before they're online.

Just because you won't willing give up data doesn't mean that I can't trick you out of it. Don't fall for these well known tricks!

One of the newest threats we face is the risk of someone getting control of your online account and using it against you and the people you know. Do everything you can to prevent that from happening!

Store, online or off, are not known for being fair and helpful unless it benefits them to be so. Good deals exist, but many are bad deals in disguise. It's not in your best interests to be too trusting with any of them.

It can be hard to know who to trust and who to not trust online, but there are things you can do to verify who the good guys and bad guys are before it's too late.

One of the best things about shopping online is the ability to research information online.

Ever been nervous about paying online for something. Just take a second to learn about the various options and put your mind at ease.

Products you purchase in the store almost always have warranties already. Depending on how good it is, you could be completely wasting your money buying an extended one when the default one will do.

What is an extended warranty and how do you know when you see one?

If you're going to spend your money on a warranty, first consider all the factors.

Learn what important aspects of a warranty you need to look for to make sure you're getting a good deal.

Once it's time to use your warranty, make sure you know how to navigate the system.

Read some examples of how I've personally used warranties in my favor over the years.

In the end, how do you decide whether to buy the warranty or not?

Learn how to detect and remove spyware and adware using a free scanning tool.

Learn what a firewall is and why you want one on your computer.

Make sure to keep your operating system up-to-date with security patches or else none of the rest of your security software will be able to protect you.

Learn how to protect your important files on your computer or when transmitting them with free tools for file encryption.

There are many browser choices out there. Read why I think Firefox is one of the best.

If you've already experienced ID theft, here are some tips of what to do next.

Setting a credit report freeze is the fastest and most effective way to actually block and reduce your risk of ID Theft. And it's free.

The best defense against non-credit ID Theft and a variety of other risks is to adopt a mindset of protection: Data Defense. Learn how to protect your information with simple and sometimes free countermeasures all based on a simple philosophy that the less people who have your information, the safer you are.