One Step Ahead: Almanac Security Tips - 2009

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11 things tagged with www.

Do You Google? Know How to Protect Your Privacy
Asking Your Web Browser to “Remember” You: A Dangerous Idea
Facebook, MySpace and YouTube Raise New Computer Security Risks
Is it Safe to Visit This Website?
Computer Worm’s Many Disguises
Website Privacy Statements
Your Life Online
Secure Web Browsing: Three Important Signs
Carelessness With Consequences
Find Out If Google Got Your Data - Before the Bad Guys Do
Keep Your Private Data from Showing Up On Google

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2009-05-26 - Almanac Vol. 55, No. 34

Do You Google? Know How to Protect Your Privacy

Many of us are users of Google's online services, which include a search engine, e-mail, a calendar, a photo album and YouTube, among others. The company stores huge amounts of data related to use of its services. Depending on the specific products you use, Google may have data about your searches, websites visited, ads clicked, e-mails sent and received, personal appointments and videos you’ve watched. If you use Google Health, the company may even have your medical records.

If you entrust Google with information that you view as personal, it is important to know how to protect it. There are many ways for users of Google services to protect their privacy but they can be difficult to find. A recent Computerworld article makes several recommendations, including the following:

• Become familiar with your privacy rights by using the Google Privacy Center. www.google.com/privacy.html
• rotect your information by making appropriate privacy choices within the services you use. For example, you can choose to take a Google Chat “off the record” if you do not want to have the instant message transcript stored.
• Encrypt e-mails that you create and read in Google’s Gmail. The option is located under the General tab, in Settings; under the Browser Connection setting, select the “always use https” option.

For additional suggestions on protecting your privacy when using Google’s online services, see www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=336607.