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Today is Cyber Monday – the Monday after what is traditionally the biggest day of the year for retail stores (Black Friday) – and the perfect time for us to think about privacy while shopping online. Cyber Monday starts the beginning of the online holiday shopping season, allowing you the convenience of shopping without fighting the crowds at your local mall. Before picking up your credit card to make that first online purchase of the season, make sure to follow a few tips to ensure your safety online. As our world becomes increasingly wireless and the Internet can be accessed by not only our computers but also our mobile phones, we must pay special attention to some online shopping best practices and take care to protect our belongings from cyber criminals.

Use one major credit card for all of your online purchases. Not only do major credit card companies help to track any purchases that may be fraudulent, but using only one credit card will also help you to better track your own purchases.

sherlock holmes full movie Be sure to use reputable sites when making online purchases. Establish guidelines for choosing which sites you feel to be reputable and make sure to ready privacy policies on those sites. If you do not feel that a site is reputable, choose another – there are plenty out there selling identical merchandise.

Refer to my Consumer’s Guide to Online Privacy

for more information on maintaining your privacy while shopping online.  Happy Cyber Monday!

This week I spoke at the National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates Association’s (NASUCA) Wyvern Annual Meeting in Chicago on the topic of broadband adoption.  Joining me on the panel was Howie Hodges, Senior Vice President for Government Affairs for One Economy Corp.  Our panel was the first part of a broader discussion on broadband followed by a government panel with Erik Garr, General Manager of the Omnibus Broadband Initiatives at the FCC

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, and Anne Neville, National Broadband Mapping Program Director at NTIA

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Kung Fu Flid download Infestation During my remarks, I presented information on the huge benefits that broadband service provides for all consumers, particularly for older adults.  Telemedicine, medical monitoring, staying connected to family and friends, shopping at home, helping seniors to age in place, reducing isolation, and, finally, going online has been found to actually reduce depression in older adults.  While 63% percent of the adult population have broadband in their homes, only 30% of those adults age 65 and older have broadband in their home.  If older individuals are going to realize all the benefits that broadband has to offer the senior community, it’s important that we focus on closing the gap to stimulate broadband adoption for this vulnerable community.  It was gratifying to have Howie Hodges of One Economy agree with my remarks about the importance of reaching out to our older population.  For the past decade, One Economy has done an outstanding job of addressing the need for broadband services for the low-income community.

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The government also recognizes the benefits of broadband; great savings are anticipated from moving federal forms (social security, Medicare) and processes online.   So, how do we get to the benefits of broadband for consumers and the government?  First, we stick to the goal of 100% broadband in the country and keep our focus on vulnerable populations.  We also need to address the barriers to adoption and retention of broadband: demonstrating the value of broadband for everyday life, avoiding policies that could negatively impact pricing, and address usability and technology challenges.  It is also important that we institute programs within the community to offer assistance to consumers in need.  Finally, consumers need information and tools about online safety and privacy.  Online safety and privacy is a critical component to the adoption and retention of broadband service for all consumers.

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, libraries, parks, as well as anywhere within our own home. Wireless Internet has enabled us to take our laptops everywhere we go – and connect to the online world. However, we must remember that as use wireless connections, there are possible threats to our cyber security.

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The Long Kiss Goodnight movie download Last week, the TODAY Show aired a segment to remind us of the importance of privacy and our wireless connections. They contend that we often choose our convenience over Internet security – which can lead to compromising our personal information. By following a few simple steps, we can protect our personal information from cyber criminals while connecting wirelessly.

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Internet option. This means that if you are in your home, lock your Internet connection by requiring a password. If you are outside of your home and unable to use a wireless connection with a password, do not visit sites where you plan to share any personal or financial information. When visiting bank or credit card sites where personal information is necessary, make sure to check for an “s” before or after the http:// in the web address – this will indicate that your connection is secure.

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download Restless Natives Gone Baby Gone hd Deal psp Eight Crazy Nights video Once Were Warriors ipod The widespread world of wireless Internet allows us to take technology with us wherever we go. By following these simple steps, you can make the most of your wireless experience without worrying about your cyber security.

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These monthly messages will contain more resources and information for consumers.

Consumer Resources

Below are additional resources to more information about online privacy.

Consumer Guide to Online Privacy (PDF)
What is 4G Wireless Service? (PDF)
Consumer Online Privacy Survey
2008 Online Safety Survey
bNetS@vvy
www.onguardonline.gov
www.ikeepsafe.org/
www.getnetwise.org
www.fosi.org
www.enough.org

Other Organizations

National Caucus and Center on Black Aged:
http://www.ncba-aged.org/

National Consumers League:
http://www.nclnet.org/