Spying on Internet users is one of the fastest growing online businesses, and you may be surprised with how much advertisers know about you. Old technologies such as cookies (data web sites store in your browser) and web beacons (invisible code that collects statistics or personal information) have recently found a new surveillance use. Popular ad networks – Google’s AdWords Display Network reaches 70% of Internet users worldwide – can trace your surfing habits across nearly the entire Internet, building an incredibly specific profile of your interests based on the articles you read, products you purchase, and videos you watch. These companies don’t only see that you like food, cars, and social networking, but they know that you are an 18-24-year-old male interested in “Recipes for Latin American Cuisine”, “Vehicle Shopping Based on Fuel Economy & Gas Prices”, and “Goth Subculture”. (View your tracking profile with Google.) Continue reading →

You’ve heard it countless times before – use strong passwords that are easy for you to remember and difficult for others to guess – but how many of us actually follow this important adage? Computer users often read “secure password” as “forgettable gibberish” and ignore the advice. How do you choose something secure that’s also memorable? Continue reading →