Google allows individuals to share their real-time location data with other trusted users. Family members may turn this feature on to help keep tabs on children or elderly individuals in crowded areas, for instance. Sharing locations can also potentially help you track down a missing device. Open Google Maps from your mobile device, and select […]

Limit what information you post on social media—from personal addresses to where you like to grab coffee. What many people don’t realize is that these seemingly random details are all that criminals need to know to target you, your loved ones, and your physical belongings—online and in the real world. Keep Social Security numbers, account […]

Here’s a couple of simple steps to connect safely and navigate the social media world. Set the privacy and security settings to your comfort level for information sharing. Disable geotagging, which allows anyone to see where you are—and where you aren’t—at any given time.

Adding a geotag to a social media update is a nice way to enrich the post, but it comes with some risk. Someone viewing your feed might assume – correctly – that you aren’t home and try to break in. Moreover, sharing your location can expose you to certain types of targeted advertising. Err on […]

Many social media platforms allow you to check in and broadcast your location, or automatically add your location to photos and posts. Geolocation or geo-tagging features on social networks is not the safest feature to activate. You could be telling a stalker exactly where to find you or telling a thief that you’re not home.

Mobile apps often ask for many permissions, including access to your camera, contacts list and geolocation. Think twice before granting them, since some applications only want these abilities for data harvesting purposes. For example, it’s not usually necessary to give Facebook access to your location, or to let Instagram listen in on your microphone (unless […]