As of April 2010, Facebook added a new application of Instant Personalization Pilot Program. This allows other companies to personalize their websites using your Facebook information. To shut this off, go to ACCOUNT, PRIVACY SETTINGS, APPLICATIONS & WEBSITES, INSTANT PERSONALIZATION PILOT PROGRAM, EDIT. Uncheck the box allowing them to send your information to other websites. Right now they only have a few Select Partners, but who knows how this will explode and you are already putting enough information out there.
Another question asked of me this week is how to block all of the game moves, etc. on your News Feed. All you need to do while in the news feed is to hover over the item and HIDE should appear to the right. Click HIDE and it should ask you if you want to hide the person, the application or cancel. I suggest you hide the application only. That way your friends can play their games all day long and you don't have to be bothered with it. Also if you get invitations to games that you don't want to participate in, just hit BLOCK APPLICATION when the request comes in. That way you won't get any more requests.
Facebook is a great application and fun to share information. Just be watching it and every month or so take a look at your Privacy options to make sure you are only sharing what you think you are.
Happy Facebooking!
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Monday, April 12, 2010
Password, Password, Who's got the Password?
I have been reading so much lately about password hackings that I thought I should share some of the tips that have been brought to my attention.
Too many people are using the same password and/or user ID for their banking, important data sites, social networking, and the just-for-fun sites. DON'T!!! If one is hacked, they are all vulnerable. So, what do you do about it? Have at least 4 sets of user IDs/Password combinations:
1) For your email - this should be unique user ID and password that doesn't get reused anywhere. Think about it, all of these sites require an email address. Don't point them to your email account that uses the exact same signons.
2) Banking - have a special ID that is a combination of letters and numbers (not your Date of Birth nor your PIN number). For each banking site I suggest you change your password to be at least one character different for each bank. Such as add the first number of your bank account to the end of your password or the first letter of the bank name - something like that so each bank has a little different password.
3) Data sites that should be secured - Many of these sites require you to change your password often. I suggest that you end your password with a date such as 0110 (for January 2010) or Ja10. It will help you remember your core password and it usually gives you 3 tries before locking you out so if you just change the end to the most recent months and year, you have a chance of getting in before getting locked out.
4) Shopping or just-for-fun sites - I suggest you have a fun ID and a phrase password here using letters, numbers and symbols if you can. Such as $4KgzGr8 (the phrase reads "4 carat gold is great").
Some do's and don'ts:
DO
Too many people are using the same password and/or user ID for their banking, important data sites, social networking, and the just-for-fun sites. DON'T!!! If one is hacked, they are all vulnerable. So, what do you do about it? Have at least 4 sets of user IDs/Password combinations:
1) For your email - this should be unique user ID and password that doesn't get reused anywhere. Think about it, all of these sites require an email address. Don't point them to your email account that uses the exact same signons.
2) Banking - have a special ID that is a combination of letters and numbers (not your Date of Birth nor your PIN number). For each banking site I suggest you change your password to be at least one character different for each bank. Such as add the first number of your bank account to the end of your password or the first letter of the bank name - something like that so each bank has a little different password.
3) Data sites that should be secured - Many of these sites require you to change your password often. I suggest that you end your password with a date such as 0110 (for January 2010) or Ja10. It will help you remember your core password and it usually gives you 3 tries before locking you out so if you just change the end to the most recent months and year, you have a chance of getting in before getting locked out.
4) Shopping or just-for-fun sites - I suggest you have a fun ID and a phrase password here using letters, numbers and symbols if you can. Such as $4KgzGr8 (the phrase reads "4 carat gold is great").
Some do's and don'ts:
DO
- Make unique passwords that have meaning to you
- Utilize password management software to help you remember passwords and allow you to copy/paste them (those tracking your keystrokes will only get a paste instead of the actual characters)
- Password protect your PDA's, laptops and any other portable devise that can be found
DON'T
- Use your pet or your children's names for passwords
- Use your banking PIN numbers, Date of Birth, Current Phone Number or Address Number
- Leave your data unprotected
Following a few simple rules will make life a lot more difficult for hackers and a lot more protected for you. I know it is a hassle to be changing passwords and utilizing multiple passwords and user ID's; however, think of the flip side of your bank account being attacked, your client data being compromised or your children in danger because you didn't want to be bothered with creating secure IDs and passwords. There is a lot at stake here and we can put one more layer of brick up on our protective walls by following these simple rules. Be creative and have fun!
Monday, April 5, 2010
Focus, Focus, Focus
In photography you spend a lot of time making sure your shot is in focus. If the picture is fuzzy, we delete or discard it as "not good". However, sometimes the fuzzy pictures make for an artistic statement. I think the same is true in life: the majority of the time we want what we are doing to be in focus though we leave room for fuzziness.
The fuzzies can allow us to think outside the box, get out of the norm, consider other possibilities. We need to realize that this is a brainstorming session that we can draw from. Once we have those ideas out in front of us it is then time to grab hold of one or more of them and pursue. Pursue with a vengeance with as clear of a focus as we can muster. The clearer our focus of the goal, the more likely we are to attain it.
At the 4 Dynamic Women March event, we all talked about being goal focused. Vitalia took that a step further and instead of using the statement, "I would like to attain that goal." She said to change that statement to, "I will attain that goal." You see, "would like to" leaves room for fuzziness where as "I will" draws back the arrow and has it aimed directly at the target. The more committed you are to your goals, the more goals you will attain.
The fuzzies can allow us to think outside the box, get out of the norm, consider other possibilities. We need to realize that this is a brainstorming session that we can draw from. Once we have those ideas out in front of us it is then time to grab hold of one or more of them and pursue. Pursue with a vengeance with as clear of a focus as we can muster. The clearer our focus of the goal, the more likely we are to attain it.
At the 4 Dynamic Women March event, we all talked about being goal focused. Vitalia took that a step further and instead of using the statement, "I would like to attain that goal." She said to change that statement to, "I will attain that goal." You see, "would like to" leaves room for fuzziness where as "I will" draws back the arrow and has it aimed directly at the target. The more committed you are to your goals, the more goals you will attain.
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