🤳🏼 Stranger danger: If you use apps like FaceTime or WhatsApp for calls, your IP address could be shared with the person you’re talking to. Want to keep your IP private? Open the app, hit Settings, find Privacy or Connection, and switch off Peer-to-peer. Your calls might not be as clear, but your IP will stay hidden.
Your IP address: What it is and why you need to protect yours if you care about privacy
Using the internet is a complicated affair. It may not feel like that to you as a user. You click on your browser and get on with your day — it’s as easy as pie.
Behind the scenes, though, is a whole different story. It’s full of numbers like your Internet Protocol (IP) address, basically your digital home address. This numeric label distinguishes your phone or computer from other devices worldwide.
When you type in a website, your computer translates that into numbers, searching the site’s IP address and loading it onto your screen. Just as money makes the world go round, so, too, do numbers keep the internet chugging along. But your whole digital world can crash when someone snatches your IP address.
An exposed IP address puts you in danger
Your IP address plays a significant role in sending and receiving data online. It’s tied to sensitive information, like your online identity and location. If someone tracks down this number, they could use it as a starting point for nefarious purposes.
Sadly, it’s easy for strangers online to find your IP address. It’s a huge vulnerability: They could hack your device or steal your identity. Or they could enter your address into a free tracking website like iplocation.net to find out where you live. It even comes with a built-in map:
A lot of people on social media apps will doxx one another. Suppose you comment that you like pineapple on pizza on Twitter. Someone having a bad day might respond by tracking down your IP address, posting your name and address and calling their followers, like “Let’s protest in front of their house.”
Of course, that’s a light-hearted example. Reality can be much grimmer.
And get this: Tracing someone else’s IP address is legal. Authorities only intervene when people use one another’s IP addresses for crimes. All the apps and websites you use collect your IP address and other private data.
So, how does someone find out your IP address?
First, they could try to impersonate you. For instance, a hacker could break into a vulnerable social media account if you aren’t using two-factor authentication. If you reuse passwords, they could break into even more accounts until they reach one with sensitive data. Then, it’s a free-for-all with your private info.
How to spot a fake retail website before you buy
I got a question this week from Janet in Idaho. She was scrolling Instagram, clicked an ad for a super-cute dress and bought it. Next thing you know, there are bogus charges on her debit card. “How the heck did that happen?” she asked me. “It was a website I’ve shopped on before.”
Watch your kids, please: Maria Gomez-Perez, 12, was on Facebook telling several adult male strangers she was unhappy at home. On May 29, 31-year-old Antonio Agustin picked her up in Georgia and drove her to his home in Ohio. The other day, Maria told her father on Facebook she wasn’t coming home. Authorities tracked that message’s IP address to Agustin’s home and arrested him.
You’re making a big mistake if you haven’t checked what’s on your wireless network
Think twice before you log on to public Wi-Fi. It’s temping at the coffee shop or airport, but you never know who else is parked on the network. Here’s what to watch out for.
What about when guests come over? Stop giving out your password. Take a few minutes to set up a guest network instead of letting everyone’s smartphones into your primary network.
Easy way to see if someone is stealing your Wi-Fi
Having slow internet may occur more than you’d like. You may see a frozen screen when trying to binge-watch your favorite TV show. You might get booted out when paying bills. Tap or click here to get the fastest internet speeds in your area.
Website detective: You can use this IP address tool to look up any URL. Click the IP address when it’s brought up to see where it’s located. Look for suspicious signs, like an American business with an IP address from somewhere overseas that just doesn’t make sense.
Records for 21 million VPN users leaked online - Check your data now
Almost everything you search for, sign in to, or look at is trackable when you browse the internet. Your online activity and location logs are most likely kept somewhere, at least by your ISP. Your ISP sees everything you do online. Tap or click here to stop it.
Is your ISP throttling your internet speeds? Here's a fast test to find out
Does it ever feel like your internet is running slower than usual? Of course, it does. It’s happened to all of us at some point.
Web pages seem sluggish, while downloads and uploads seem to take forever. It’s very frustrating — especially when you’re paying for high-speed internet. Many potential issues are causing the slowdown, including problems with your device, browser or even a website you’re trying to visit.
This new iOS 15 feature has a flaw that could put your data at risk
Apple’s new version of iOS has been out for just a week, and there are already severe problems being detected. This isn’t unusual with the latest software releases, as bugs and flaws are bound to pop up.
Last week, two issues were reported among users who downloaded and installed iOS 15 immediately. Some iPhones showed they were almost running out of storage space when in reality, they were not. The other bug had users claiming their battery life had diminished.
5 critical reasons you need VPN protection
Do you consider yourself a privacy-conscious person? Are you concerned about your online safety? Well, you’re certainly not alone. The hard truth is by surfing the web or making any transactions online while connected to a network that’s not secure, you’re exposing private info and buying habits for anyone to see.