How to Keep the Snoops at Bay
It shouldn't be news to you, but I'll repeat it anyway: The most common way to get in trouble on the Web is by clicking on a link or attachment from someone you don't know.
That's been true on the desktop for some time, and now it's true on the mobile Web. The hackers who use the spyware shown at SchmooCon can't mess with your phone if you don't take the bait.
Staying out of the clutches of advertisers or shadier types who want to know where you are via your social networking habits is a bit harder. You absolutely have to spend time figuring out Facebook privacy settings and using them correctly. I think it's ridiculous for that burden to fall on the user, but until social networking sites yield to pressure, your safety is in your own hands.
[For expert tips on Facebook's privacy settings and step-by-step instructions on how to strengthen yours, see Facebook Privacy Fix. ]
speaking of pressure, I'd suggest visiting the sites of the ACLU and the Electronic Frontier Foundation and see what they have to say about cell phones and privacy.
San Francisco journalist Bill Snyder writes frequently about business and technology. He welcomes your comments and suggestions. Reach him at bill.snyder@sbcglobal.net.
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