Give yourself a privacy upgrade: how to go that extra mile to stay safe online

From locking down your home network to advocating for better privacy laws, there’s a lot more you can do.

By Shelly BrisbinSeptember 29, 2022 11:27 am,

If you’ve taken steps like locking down your phone’s security settings and covering your webcam lens when not using it, you may feel you’ve done all you can to protect your privacy online. But as laws change and tech platforms grow more invasive, you might wonder what else you can do.

That’s the question tech expert Omar Gallaga answers in his latest story for Wired. Gallaga told Texas Standard that options for enhancing privacy include using a virtual private network, or VPN, at home, and keeping an eye on proposed privacy laws.

Highlights from this segment:

– Adding a VPN to your home network encrypts data moving to and from your computers and mobile devices. VPN software costs between $10 and $20 a month, and will often cover your use of mobile devices while away from home, keeping you safe on other Wi-Fi networks.

– Check out the privacy policies and rules used by your kids’ school, or any other organization where you share personal data. Be sure you understand the rules, and whether they protect your privacy adequately.

– Organizations like the Electronic Frontier Foundation, and websites like The United States Privacy Digest and Hacker News provide news about the latest developments in privacy, including proposed laws at the federal and state level.

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