Open/download audioIs it ethical to track teens and how do you do it?
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Keep Facebook from tracking you on the web
If there is something positive to be gained from the recent Facebook fiasco it is that we now have a better understanding of what the social media site knows about us. We may not feel good about it, but at least we know.
What we do with that knowledge is totally up to us. Do we deactivate our account? Maybe we delete it altogether. Or, the decision could be to continue on but with stricter privacy controls.
Another bonus to it all is that since people are now concerned about such matters, tools are being produced to help us. One of them comes courtesy of Mozilla, who is the company behind the web browser Firefox.
Stop the tracking!
Facebook Container is a browser extension that sets out to prevent Facebook from tracking your online presence. Essentially, it opens Facebook up in its own separate tab, which will then keep its trackers from seeing what you do on other websites.
Sounds good, right?
Facebook Container is a natural step forward as we all begin to grapple with the amount of data sites like Facebook have collected on us. The pushback against it is not only natural but welcome.
Clearly, privacy concerns are real, and it may be up to browsers to help swing the pendulum the other way. In a blog post, Mozilla’s Nick Nguyen said while Container will prevent Facebook from seeing all your web browsing, it will not prevent anyone from using Facebook as usual.
“This Add-On offers a solution that doesn’t tell users to simply stop using a service that they get value from,” he said. “Instead, it gives users tools that help them protect themselves from the unexpected side effects of their usage.”
Nguyen did admit that the kind of data collected in the Cambridge Analytica controversy would not have been stopped, but instead that this is a way to limit what Facebook could learn outside of what we choose to give it.
The downside
Though Facebook Container will help in some ways, it could also hurt in others. For instance, if you have linked your Facebook account to another service like Airbnb, Spotify or Quora, they may no longer function properly while using the extension.
There may be other side effects, such as embedded Facebook comments, shares and likes not showing up on other websites. To that point, Mozilla said that clicking on Facebook Share buttons in non-Container tabs will load them within Facebook Container and still pass the site’s information to Facebook.
Along with that, Facebook Container cannot do anything about how Facebook handles data it already has or that you willingly provide in the future.
How to install Facebook Container
Ready to “contain” Facebook? Here’s how to get this Firefox extension.
1. First, make sure you are using Mozilla’s Firefox Quantum browser. It’s a highly recommended browser with around-the-clock tracking protection.
2. Next, click on the hamburger icon (three horizontal lines) in the upper-right corner of the browser then select Add-Ons. Or scroll down to find the blue box below the story.
3. On the Add-ons page, click on Extensions then search for “Facebook Container.” It should show up as the first result.
4. Next, click install and a little “Add Facebook Container” popup box will appear. Choose “Add.”
5. Congratulations! Your Facebook activity now has its own “Container.” Enjoy your newfound privacy!
See real-time air control traffic around the world
Have you ever wondered how many planes are in the air at any given time? You probably figured the answer is “a lot,” but never really knew the actual number. You probably also have no idea just how crowded the sky really is, nor do you have an idea of where the plane is going and how fast it is getting there.
Warning! Popular fitness app suffers major data breach affecting over 150 MILLION users
If you’ve ever used a fitness tracker, you know how valuable they are when it comes to staying on top of your calorie intake, the number of steps you take per day and more. But now a popular app has been hit by hackers, and they stole data from more than 150 million people. You need to change your password now!
Tools you're using to secure emails have a flaw — what to use to send secure messages
In case you didn’t know, email encryption is a secure way to protect your email from hackers, criminals and prying eyes. It’s a process where your email messages are scrambled so if hackers manage to intercept them, all they’ll see is gibberish.
Google's most useful security settings
Companies like Google are constantly upgrading the security of their platforms. After all, the last thing most of us need is to discover that some cybercriminal has gained access to our emails. Aside from setting up security gateways like advanced passwords and two-factor authentication, Google provides users with several other security options, some of which you may have never heard of.
What's draining your battery once and for all
We know, it doesn’t matter how fancy or current your smartphone is, it is quite useless if its battery runs out of juice. With all the things we can do with smartphones, making it last one full day is always a challenge. If your smartphone’s battery keeps getting red-lined before the day is even over, there are a few tweaks you can do to help it along.
Cellphone tracking
Open/download audioThe government or big tech, Who do you trust less?
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Stop Facebook from following you around the web
Sometimes it seems like Facebook knows you personally, and that’s because it does. It has algorithms that track what you like, watch and click on. Facebook uses this information to target ads or relevant posts to users on behalf of advertisers. An ad pops up that’s right up your alley, or three new articles show up in your feed that are similar to something you’ve just clicked on. Luckily, there’s a way to stop this.
3 smart ways to track your kids and teens
If you’re a parent or know one, you’ve probably heard someone say something like this. “If I could put a microchip in my kid, like I did with my dog, I would.”
It’s a joke, but it’s not really meant to be funny. It’s serious.
Free software to replace Microsoft Office, Photoshop, Outlook, Quicken and more
Need to fill your computer with software but don’t have a fortune to spend? Try these excellent free alternatives.