Monthly Archives: March 2018

App Collections

Apps to Help with Seasonal Allergies

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By Tracey Dowdy

Spring is finally here! Or, as we like to call it at my house, “Pass the Kleenex and Benadryl please” season. My longing to open the windows and welcome the fresh air conflicts with my love of breathing and not clawing my eyes out.

If you battle seasonal allergies, take comfort knowing you’re not alone. In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), allergies cost Americans over $18 billion every year and are the sixth leading cause of chronic illness in the United States. Over 50 million Americans fight allergies to foods, additives, animals, medications and chemicals.

Obviously, the easiest way to avoid an allergic reaction is to avoid your triggers, but easier said than done, especially if your allergies are airborne. These apps can make it safer and easier to get a grip on your seasonal allergies.

  • More than just discerning between whether it’s a cold or scurvy, the WebMD app is a great tool for allergy sufferers. Every day you’ll get a personalized allergy and weather forecast plus doctor-approved tips you can customize to you or your family’s specific allergies. You can track symptoms, how you feel, take notes to send to your doctor and search comprehensive information on a wide range of allergies including seasonal, latex, drugs, foods and even insect bites or stings. (iOS and Android)
  • Knowing you have Spring allergies is useful but, with as strange as this past winter has been, it can be difficult to decide if it’s the flu, cold or pollen making you miserable. AllergyManager provides you with accurate and reliable information, so you can easily figure it out and then manage your allergy symptoms. Users can check five days of weather and allergy forecasts for multiple locations, as well as keep an allergy diary to record and share symptoms that you can later retrieve and print as a chart or a calendar on My Pollen.com. The app includes detailed information on common allergens like oak, ragweed, grass and goldenrod, and includes thorough descriptions and images of plants. (iOS and Android)
  • The answer to your pollen induced fever dream is The ZYRTEC® ALLERGYCAST® The app searches and analyzes weather information in your area as well as social media to discern how the weather may make you feel. You can create individual profiles for you and your family members to track symptoms, customize notifications to be alerted to high pollen counts near you, and even get updates on the impact pollen is having on other allergy sufferers in your area. You can even get a detailed hourly, 10-day weather and allergy forecast. (iOS and Android)

Tracey Dowdy is a freelance writer based just outside Washington DC. After years working for non-profits and charities, she now freelances, edits and researches on subjects ranging from family and education to history and trends in technology. Follow Tracey on Twitter.

home, Social Networking

How to Make Your Facebook Account More Private

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By Tracey Dowdy

Despite all the assurances that our privacy was protected, it’s become obvious Facebook has been sharing our private information like a flower girl scattering petals at her auntie’s wedding. Facebook has been aware of the data breach since back in 2015 when they discovered Cambridge Analytica had illicitly gathered personal data on over 50 million Facebook users. Compounding the issue, Facebook failed to do anything about it beyond asking the data be deleted and neglected to inform users about what had happened.

Over the past several days, multiple news outlets, like The Guardian, The New York Times and Channel 4, have reported that Cambridge Analytica might not have deleted all that data as they had promised. It’s a complex problem but the takeaway is simple – Facebook aggregates massive amounts of data on its users and has lost control of that information.

Facebook executives are adamant this is not a breach. “This was unequivocally not a data breach. People chose to share their data with third-party apps and if those third-party apps did not follow the data agreements with us/users it is a violation; no systems were infiltrated, no passwords or information were stolen or hacked.” Technically he’s right – users agreed to share information though Facebook and third parties given access neglected to inform users just how that information would be collated and sold to others. While it may not be a security breach, it’s definitely a breach of our trust.

In post, Facebook CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, said, “We have a responsibility to protect your data, and if we can’t, then we don’t deserve to serve you.” Later, he adds, “This was a breach of trust between Kogan, Cambridge Analytica and Facebook. But it was also a breach of trust between Facebook and the people who share their data with us and expect us to protect it. We need to fix that.” Kudos to Zuckerberg for owning his part in the breach, but it’s hard to believe this was a surprise to him or the rest of the Facebook team. Cambridge Analytica isn’t exactly subtle about what they do. Their slogan, “Data drives all we do” is front and center on their home page, followed by “Cambridge Analytica uses data to change audience behavior.”

So now what? Do we just delete Facebook and accept our fate? That, of course, is one option but since Facebook has become an integral part of so many peoples’ lives, letting go of connections to family and friends or abandoning Facebook’s many support groups may not appeal to you.

If you want to keep your profile, I recommend getting in there and cleaning house. I can almost guarantee you’ve shared far more information than you realize and likely much more than is necessary. To start, open your Facebook profile and click Edit Profile in the upper corner of your cover photo. Then, click the pen icon to the right of anything you don’t want to share. Go to Options, then Delete. Keep scrolling and deleting places you’ve checked-in, interests, and anything or everything you’ve ever liked. Going forward, ignore prompts from Facebook to “Complete your profile.”

Remember, just because you’ve removed it from your profile doesn’t mean Facebook doesn’t have the information anymore; according to their Terms and Conditions Facebook hangs on to that information until you delete your profile. These actions will, however, keep third-party apps from accessing that information from this point on.

It’s also a good idea to be mindful of how active you are and what you share in posts and comments. It’s worth your time to go to your Activity Log and delete actions here too. Everything from responses to invites, Likes, comments, posts, shares…you name it – it’s all logged here.

It’s also a good idea to log on to Facebook via the web instead of through the app. As long as you’re logged in and carrying those devices around with you, Facebook can trace your activity.

That’s great if you’ve been kidnapped but for day to day life it’s not information you need to share with third parties. While you’re at it, leave Groups you don’t need anymore, cull your friend list, stop others from posting on your timeline and review any tags your friends add before they’re posted by going to your Timeline and Tagging settings.

One of the most important ways to protect yourself is by blocking all those third-party apps – that’s how this whole Cambridge Analytica mess started in the first place. Again, open the Apps page in your settings and remove everything you don’t want to have access to your information.

Just like deleting information from your Activity Log, this doesn’t mean it’s gone forever but it does prevent future access. Don’t stop there. Go to “Apps others use” and uncheck all the boxes you see. Now you’re protected from those friends who still choose to use third-party apps and keep them away from your data.

Finally, remember Facebook has a Big Brother vibe – not the reality show, the Orwell book. It tracks you when you’re outside the app – that’s why you see ads for items from your Amazon shopping cart in the sidebar. Facebook not only collects data about you based on your activity on the app but also via the sites you visit while you are logged on with Facebook running in the background. Prevent this by going to to the Ads page of Facebook, select “Ads based on my use of websites and apps” and switch to Off.  It’s also a good idea to go to your ad preferences page and delete anything under “Your Interests.”

There’s no doubt it’s all a little overwhelming. You may not be able to control what’s already been shared – just ask Ron Swanson how hard it is to get completely off the grid – but you can take control of what you share going forward.

Tracey Dowdy is a freelance writer based just outside Washington DC. After years working for non-profits and charities, she now freelances, edits and researches on subjects ranging from family and education to history and trends in technology. Follow Tracey on Twitter.

Online Safety, home

Millennials More Likely to Fall for Online Scams than Seniors

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By Tracey Dowdy

New research from the Federal Trade Commission shows that Millennials are now more likely to fall for online scams than seniors. While the number of fraud complaints dropped in 2017, the amount of money consumers lost was greater.

The Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book 2017 includes complaints from 2.68 million consumers. In 2016, 2.98 million consumers submitted complaints about identity theft, phone and lottery scams as well as other types of consumer fraud.

According to the report, Millennials (ages 20- 29) submitted 40% of the total fraud complaints to the FTC last year. Contrast that with just 18% from those ages 70 and older. In fact, further research from the Better Business Bureau indicates that contrary to stereotypes, Millennials are more vulnerable to online scams than other demographics.

How is that possible? This is the generation that grew up with technology in the palm of their hands. This is the demographic that is thought to be more tech savvy and Internet aware than their parents and grandparents. Well, according to findings by leading think tank Policy Network,

younger people are disproportionately the targets of online financial fraud for two primary reasons: optimism bias and a greater willingness to share personal information online.

Millennials’ optimism bias leads them to believe that others are more at risk than they are, which leads them to be less suspicious of suspicious online activity. That leads to the second issue – because of their self-confidence, they’re more comfortable sharing personal information like birth dates, e-mail addresses and their mothers’ maiden names.

Monica Vaca, associate director of the FTC’s Division of Consumer Response and Operations, points out that younger generations may be less aware of what scams have been around for a while than seniors. “Some of these older folks are doing a really good job recognizing fraud when they come upon it. They’re doing a really good job avoiding a loss and they want to warn people about it,” she says.

One important difference is that while fewer seniors are falling for scams, they’re hit harder when they are duped. Consumer Reports suspects as much as $3 billion is stolen from seniors by scammers every year.

Though fraud reports dropped in 2017, consumers reported higher losses overall. In total, consumers were defrauded to the tune of $905 million last year, which represents a 7% increase over 2016. However, those losses were concentrated and hit individuals hard – only 21% of consumers who made a complaint to the FTC reported a loss. When seniors lost money, they lost more: a median loss of $621 for those in their 70s, but a median loss of $400 for millennials.

Protect yourself and your family. The FTC has a page dedicated to informing consumers about Scam Alerts. Trust your instincts – if a deal seems to be too good to be true, it probably is. And beware of anyone or any organization asking for personal information like banking details or passwords.

Tracey Dowdy is a freelance writer based just outside Washington DC. After years working for non-profits and charities, she now freelances, edits and researches on subjects ranging from family and education to history and trends in technology. Follow Tracey on Twitter

MobileLiving Chats

Friday, March 23: Spring Cleaning Your Digital Life

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Spring Cleaning Your Digital Life

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When:  Friday, March 23, 2018
3:00 – 4:00 pm ET
12:00 – 1:00 pm PT
Join host @WestNewYorker and the #MobileLiving team at 3 pm ET (12 noon PT) on Friday, March 23 as we chat about Spring Cleaning Your Digital Life!
Spring is finally here and it’s time to get rid of all that clutter, including your digital clutter! Join us as we look at some of the ways we can spring clean our tech-dominated lives and look forward to a simpler and more organized future!
RSVP and attend the chat for a chance to win a pair of Samsung Level Active wireless fitness earbuds or a Bose SoundLink Color Bluetooth speaker!
Click here to learn more about our Twitter chats. (You must RSVP and attend the party to be eligible for a prize.)
To RSVP:
  1. Email RSVP@theonlinemom.com (subject line: MobileLiving) indicating your Twitter ID.
  2. Spread the word and RT this link on your Twitter feed: https://bit.ly/2GhX5Qv
  3. Join us on TweetDeck or HootSuite (#MobileLiving) on Friday, March 23 between 3:00 – 4:00 pm ET.
  4. Tell your Twitter followers!
PRIZE WINNERS will be announced during the Party!
MobileLiving Chats

Thursday, October 11: Smartphone Basics

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Smartphone Basics

When:  Thursday, October 11, 2018
8:00 – 9:00 pm ET
5:00 – 6:00 pm PT
Join hosts @RickGriffin @SandiMcKenna and friends at 8 pm ET (5 pm PT) on Thursday, October 11 as we chat about Smartphone Basics!
Are you struggling to keep up with your smartphone?Mobile technology is advancing so rapidly that it’s easy to feel left behind when all we want to do is keep in touch with the family, download a few apps and take some better photos.
Join Rick and Sandi this Thursday as we get back to basics, answer your questions, and put you back in charge of your smartphone!
RSVP and attend the chat for a chance to win a Google Home Mini or a brand new iPad!
Click here to learn more about our Twitter chats. (You must RSVP and attend the party to be eligible for a prize.)
To RSVP:
  1. Email RSVP@theonlinemom.com (subject line: Verizon55Plus) indicating your Twitter ID.
  2. Spread the word and RT this link on your Twitter feed: https://bit.ly/2Nw8CuX
  3. Join us on TweetDeck or HootSuite (#Verizon55Plus) on Thursday, October 11 between 8:00 – 9:00 pm ET.
  4. Tell your Twitter followers!
PRIZE WINNERS will be announced during the Party!
Tech Trends/Lifestyle, home

School Bullying: Privacy vs. Protection

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Where do we draw the line between a student’s right to confidentiality and a parent’s right – and responsibility – to protect their child?

Currently, at least eight states have laws that require schools to inform parents or caregivers if their child is being bullied or is bullying others. It’s a complicated issue and there are obvious concerns regarding privacy vs. protection when it comes to disclosing bullying. Compounding the problem, only 20-30% of students report being bullied to either parents or school officials.

These policies are now being challenged by civil rights and LGBT advocates, who point out that such regulations put students at risk by violating their right to privacy. LGBTQ students are particularly at risk, as they may avoid reporting bullying because they can’t risk the school telling their parents what is happening.

Ikaika Regidor, director of education and youth programs for GLSEN, a national organization focused on safe schools for LGBTQ students, says, “While it’s important for parents to be aware if their children are being bullied in school, it’s also imperative to remember that LGBTQ students may not be out to their family or may not have supportive families.”

In 2001, a Pennsylvania high school football player committed suicide when police officers threatened to tell his family he was gay. His family filed a successful wrongful death lawsuit and a federal court in Philadelphia ruled that the U.S. Constitution prohibits governments from inquiring into the sexual orientation of Americans.

New Jersey has some of the strictest anti-bullying laws in the country but they’re among those re-examining their policies. Currently, schools are automatically required to tell the parents of bullying victims the full details of the case. Instead, the Department of Education has proposed changing its anti-bullying regulations to require that schools “take into account the circumstances of the incident” when deciding what information to share with parents and how to communicate that information appropriately.

The Education Commission of the States says several states require school districts to create regulations for notifying parents of bullying but only a small number of them clearly outline those policies at the state level.

For example, individual school districts in New York are required to develop a code of conduct that addresses bullying and discrimination. The policy must outline the circumstances and procedures each district must follow when notifying parents of code violations.

Other states, like Connecticut, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Virginia and Wisconsin have statewide requirements for parental notification of bullying in place but the timing for that notification ranges from before the student is interviewed about a report of bullying (Louisiana) to within 48 hours after the investigation has been completed (Connecticut).

Other states that require schools to develop local policies on parental notification include Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and West Virginia.

Just last week, New York state unanimously passed “Jacobe’s Law” in the state Senate, named for then 12-year-old Jacobe Taras who took his own life after being bullied at school. The law’s strongest advocates are Jacobe’s parents Richard and Christine Taras. They knew Jacobe was struggling with a bully on the school bus but had no idea how dire the situation actually was. Jacobe had been taunted and harassed during school hours as well but neither the school nor Jacobe himself informed his parents.

“Jacobe was the kindest soul you could meet, with extremely good manners, empathy and people skills. For someone like that to decide to take his own life, it’s hard on so many levels. You feel like you didn’t protect them,” says his father.

“We had no idea of the extent or the seriousness of what was going on. My son didn’t tell me and the school didn’t pass along the information they had.”

The Taras’ feel the rural South Glens Falls School District failed in their duty to protect Jacobe. One year after his death, they filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the district in state Supreme Court. The case is pending and school officials have declined to comment. For now, officials in states like New Jersey have suggested that rather than automatically notifying parents, schools should consider bullying incidents on an individual, case-by-case basis.

Tracey Dowdy is a freelance writer based just outside Washington DC. After years working for non-profits and charities, she now freelances, edits and researches on subjects ranging from family and education to history and trends in technology. Follow Tracey on Twitter.

How To, home

How To Spot Fake GoFundMe Pages

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By Tracey Dowdy

You may remember the tragic story of Robert Godwin Sr., the 74-year-old grandfather whose murder was posted on Facebook last year. Steve Stephens approached Godwin, had him repeat a woman’s name, then shot him in cold blood. Stephens was dubbed “The Facebook Killer” after posting a video of the killing on his Facebook page. What you may not know is that within hours of the murder there were 35 fake GoFundMe pages were purporting to raise money for Godwin’s family.

One of them, created by Wesley Scott Alexander, a student at Arizona State University and a stranger to the family, has raised over $90,000. The problem is that the family had nothing to do with his page or any of the others created in the Godwin family’s name. In fact, the Cleveland Chief of Police warned against contributing to any of these pages and Godwin’s own daughter Debbie tweeted, “Please Note: We do not nor will we be starting a GoFundMe account for our father Robert Godwin Sr. If you are ask(ed) to donate to a GoFundMe account, please know it is not us. The GODWIN’S”

Another of Godwin’s daughters, @Repairerofthebr tweeted, “Today my father Robert Godwin Sr. was murdered in cold blood via FB Live. People have set up GoFundMe accounts fraudulently. Please stop it.”

GoFundMe ultimately removed all the pages except Alexander’s, though they verified his account to ensure the money went to the Godwin family.

The Godwin family aren’t the first to have their cause taken up by strangers. Sometimes the motives are pure and born out of a desire to help those in need. However, any time there’s a national disaster or even a private tragedy, scammers are quick to jump in and exploit the situation for themselves.

Bennett Weiner, chief operating officer of the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance, cautions, “Disasters and tragedies generally attract questionable websites popping up and other untoward things that donors have to watch out for.”

According to GoFundMe’s Head of Trust and Safety, Daniel Gordon, fraudulent GoFundMe pages are rare and make up less than 1% of campaigns. The company uses algorithms to flag high-risk campaigns, staff members fact-check claims, and GoFundMe guarantees donations will go to the intended recipient.

If GoFundMe determines a page created after Oct. 3, 2016 is fraudulent, donors can get up to $1,000 back and the beneficiary can have as much as $25,000 guaranteed though several conditions apply.

To determine whether or not a page is legitimate, use the following guidelines:

  • Search the names of the beneficiary and the campaign organizer. Check their social media profiles and see if there is an established relationship. Note how long the social media account has been around. If it’s new and has little content, red flags should pop up.
  • Do a reverse search of images posted on the pages. A few screenshots and a quick Google image search will let you know if they’re using stock images or photos grabbed off the Internet.
  • Check out GoFraudMe, a watchdog site that monitors fake GoFundMe pages.

Finally, trust your gut. If it seems suspicious, do your research and report your concerns to GoFundMe here.

Tracey Dowdy is a freelance writer based just outside Washington DC. After years working for non-profits and charities, she now freelances, edits and researches on subjects ranging from family and education to history and trends in technology. Follow Tracey on Twitter.

MobileLiving Chats

Friday, March 16: Mobile Tech Tips for Travelers

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Mobile Tech Tips for Travelers

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When:  Friday, March 16, 2018
3:00 – 4:00 pm ET
12:00 – 1:00 pm PT
Join host @RickGriffin and the #MobileLiving team at 3 pm ET (12 noon PT) on Friday, March 16 as we chat about Mobile Tech Tips for Travelers!
Whether you’re checking flight times, looking for a restaurant or just taking a few selfies, your smartphone has become an essential travel companion. Join us as we look at the ways mobile devices can help with your travel planning and add to the fun while you’re on the road!
RSVP and attend the chat for a chance to win a pair of Samsung Level Active wireless fitness earbuds or a JBL Charge 3 portable Bluetooth speaker!
Click here to learn more about our Twitter chats. (You must RSVP and attend the party to be eligible for a prize.)
To RSVP:
  1. Email RSVP@theonlinemom.com (subject line: MobileLiving) indicating your Twitter ID.
  2. Spread the word and RT this link on your Twitter feed: http://bit.ly/2FTrPqT 
  3. Join us on TweetDeck or HootSuite (#MobileLiving) on Friday, March 16 between 3:00 – 4:00 pm ET.
  4. Tell your Twitter followers!
PRIZE WINNERS will be announced during the Party!