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Many taking too many risks on public Wi-Fi, AARP says
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Many consumers who use Wi-Fi sometimes place convenience ahead of safety on their Internet-capable devices, a report released Wednesday from the AARP Fraud Watch Network warns. - photo by Cassidy Hansen
Many consumers who use Wi-Fi sometimes place convenience ahead of safety on their Internet-capable devices, a report released Wednesday from the AARP Fraud Watch Network warns.

"The biggest concern is people checking their bank on public Wi-Fi because that could be very damaging to their accounts," said Laura Polacheck, communications director of AARP Utah.

Forty percent of survey participants did not know that it is never safe to access websites containing sensitive information while on a public Wi-Fi network. The survey also found that 27 percent of those who use free public Wi-Fi have done their banking while on this type of connection within the past three months.

"Part of it is awareness. People don't realize that there is a safety threat. They don't think about (whether) a connection is safe or secure," Polacheck said.

Only 39 percent of respondents said they access their banking via online. However, 45 percent of that group said they had not changed their online bank account passwords in the past 90 days.

"People should really be checking their bank account activity to see if there are any withdrawals and to flag suspicious activity," said Polacheck. "If they have a secure password and if they change their password every 90 days, which is recommended by experts, their information will be safe, since the bank has encrypted their information."

About 40 percent of those surveyed did not know that even if their password contains multiple letters, numbers, and symbols, they should not use the same password on multiple sites.

Another 27 percent of those who use public Wi-Fi also admitted that they have purchased a product or service online with their credit cards while on a public connection.

Forty percent of respondents also did not know that if they are not using their Internet, they should disable their wireless connection when in a place that has a public Wi-Fi network.

Also, 84 percent of respondents did not know that Wired Equivalent Privacy is not the most up-to-date security for their home Wi-Fi network and 26 percent of participants do not have passwords on their smart phones.

AARP's Fraud Watch Network has launched the "Watch Your Wi-Fi" campaign and suggests the following as "Four Things Never to Do on Public Wi-Fi."

  1. Dont fall for a fake: Con artists often set up unsecure networks with names similar to a legitimate coffee shop, hotel or other free Wi-Fi network.
  2. Mind your business: Don't access your email, online bank or credit card accounts using public Wi-Fi.
  3. Watch your settings: Don't let your mobile device automatically connect to nearby Wi-Fi.
  4. Stick to your cell: Dont surf using an unknown public network if the website requires sensitive information, like online shopping. Your cellphone network is safer.
The survey, conducted in April, yielded 800 respondents age 18 or older who accessed the Internet at least a few times per month.
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How to avoid 'sharenting' and other paparazzi parenting habits
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A recent study revealed parents often spend up to two hours staging a single photo of his or her child to post online. - photo by Amy Iverson
Before having kids, some people just dont appreciate their friends baby posts. But after having a child of their own, three fourths of new parents jump right on the parental social media bandwagon. If you have become a member of this group, there are some rules to follow for posting responsibly.

Much of a parents worry is how to teach their children to use social media responsibly. We talk with our kids about privacy, oversharing, and setting restrictions on their devices to keep them safe. But parents themselves need to look in the digital mirror once in a while. Before having children, it doesnt take as much effort to think about what to post online. Its up to us to decide what we share about our own lives. But once you become a parent, there are many questions to think about regarding what is appropriate to post about your kids on social media.

In a recent survey, kids clothing subscription company Mac and Mia surveyed 2000 new parents to find out how they are documenting their kids lives on social media, and what concerns they may have.

First of all, people without children seem to feel a bit differently about the onslaught of baby pictures online than those who are parents. 18 percent of people say before they had kids, they were annoyed by their friends baby posts. But after having children of their own, 73 percent admit they post progress pictures of their little ones every single month.

Not only are new parents letting the world know each time their baby is a month older, but they are posting about their kids every few days or so. Men and women report they post 6-7 times per month about their baby.

And while 70 percent of new parents say the benefit of using social media is how easy it is to help family and friends feel involved, there are some downsides. Here are a few tips to avoid the pitfall of becoming paparazzi parents.

Dont miss the moment

In the Mac and Mia survey, some parents admitted to spending up to two hours to get the perfect shot of their baby. That seems a little extreme. New and old parents alike should be careful about spending so much time taking pictures and videos that they dont enjoy the moment. Years ago, I decided to never live an experience through my phone. A study by Linda Henkel, a psychology professor at Fairfield University in Connecticut, found that when people took pictures of objects in an art museum, they didnt remember the objects as well as if they simply observed them.

This photo-taking impairment effect can happen to parents as well. If we are so consumed by getting the perfect photo, we can miss out on the moment all together, and our memory of it will suffer.

Dont forget about privacy

60 percent of couples say they have discussed rules and boundaries for posting their babys photos, according to the Mac and Mia survey. Even so, men are 34 percent more likely to publish baby posts on public accounts. If parents are concerned about their childrens privacy, keeping photos off of public accounts is a given.

In the Washington Post, Stacey Steinberg, a legal skills professor at the University of Florida, and Bahareh Keith, a Portland pediatrician, wrote that sharing too much information about kids online puts them at risk. They write that all that sharenting can make it easier for data thieves to target out kids for identity theft. Check that your privacy settings are where they should be and never share identifying information like full names and birth dates.

Dont be paparazzi parents

36 percent of parents say they take issue when their childs photo is posted online by someone else. Responsible social media users will always ask permission before posting a photo of another child. But parents should also think about whether their own children will take issue with their own posted photos a few years down the road.

When parents are constantly snapping pictures and throwing them on social media, it can be easy to forget to pause and make sure the post is appropriate. I always use the billboard example with my kids. I ask them to picture whatever they are posting going up on a billboard in our neighborhood. If they are okay with that, then their post is probably fine. Parents should ask themselves this same question when posting about their children. But they should also ask themselves if their child would be OK with this post on a billboard in 15 years. If it would cause embarrassment or humiliation, it might be best to keep it private.

Once children reach an appropriate age, parents should include them in the process of deciding what pictures are OK to post. Researchers at the University of Michigan surveyed 10- to 17-year-olds and found children believe their parents should ask permission more than parents think they should. The kids in the survey said sharing happy family moments, or accomplishments in sports, school and hobbies is fine. But when the post is negative (like when a child is disciplined) or embarrassing (think naked baby pictures or messy hair), kids say to keep it off social media.
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