10 ways to stay safe on public WiFi networks
Surfing safe: Free WiFi is a windfall, especially if you’re working from the library or airport, or if you just want to save data on your phone or laptop. Still, you do have to care about security when you’re out and about. Here’s how to surf safely, on any device.
1. Practice good internet hygiene
Perhaps the f irst and biggest piece of advice one can give you, is to practice good internet hygiene. Avoid working with sensitive data when you’re using unsecured WiFi. It may be a good time to check the news, stream music or read your favourite blogs, but it’s not the best time to do online banking.
2. Use the right networks (and avoid the bad ones)
Not every public WiFi network is created equally. For example, that ‘Free Airport WiFi’ network lurking in the background is worse than any WiFi network provided by one of the coffee shops, stores, or retailers in the airport.
3. Use semi-open WiFi networks instead
You may not have a choice when it comes to what network you use, but if you do have a choice, consider ‘semi-open’ WiFi instead of completely open networks.
Consider ones that serve airport lounges, or nearby coffee shops that put their passwords on receipts instead of giving them out freely.
4. Turn off file sharing options
You may not be able to control who is on what network that you a reusing, but you can control your computer. Turn off file sharing in Windows and macOS, enable your system’s built-in firewalls, and keep internetconnected apps and services to a minimum.
5. Turn WiFi off when not in use
When you are finished work ing online, turn WiFi off on your laptop, tablet , or smart phone. It’s a nice security habit to get used to when you are using untrusted networks (if you have to use them at all), and it’ll also save your battery.
6. Install privacy protecting browser extensions
You probably already use an ad blocker, but a good, customization one like u Block Origin gives you control over what’s blocked and what isn’t when you want it.
Disconnect is another great option, as it also protects you from the same-network attacks
7. Keep your antivirus up-to-date
If you ever use public, untrusted networks, make sure your computer is running some kind of antimalware utility and complementary antivirus utility as well. For the former, you can use Malwarebytes. For the latter, you have options like Avira for Windows and Sophos for macOS.
8. Use HTTPS everywhere you can
Anywhere HTTPS works , use it. And HTTPS Everywhere, from the Electronic Frontier Foundation, can make sure you do.
It’s not perfect security, but making sure your connection to a given site is secure means at least the information send to you (and that you send to the site) is encrypted.
9. Use a VPN
Whether you use a third-party VPN service provider or roll your own VPN at home and connect to it when you’re out and about, using one makes sure that all of your data is encrypted between you and the service provider, locking out anyone on the same network as you who might be snooping around.
10. Bring your own WiFi instead
The real protection from an untrusted network is not using it at all, and bringing your own. Whether you use a mobile hotspot like a MiFi or a Karma, or just tether to your smart phone and use your wireless carrier’s data , both approaches get you off the sketchy public WiFi.
Social media sites that failed to become Facebook
Social media is the collective of online communications channels dedicated to community-based input, interaction, content-sharing and collaboration.Websites and applications dedicated to forums, micro-blogging, social networking, social bookmarking, social curation, and wikis are among the different types of social media.
social media sites are computer-mediated technologies that facilitate the creation and sharing of information, ideas, career interests and other forms of expression via virtual communities and networks. The variety of stand-alone and built-in social media services currently available introduces challenges of definition.
1) Orkut
FOUNDER: Orkut Buyukkokten
LAUNCHED: January 2004
PRESENT STATUS: Shut in September 2014
Started by Buyukkokten, a Turkish engineer at Google, Orkut was the result of the search giant’s failure to buy Friendster. Orkut, while not much of a success in the US, proved big in Brazil and India, its two key markets. But in September 2010, Facebook, which debuted two weeks after Orkut’s launch, went past Orkut in terms of number of users in India, and a year later, did the same in Brazil.
Orkut had 19 million users in India and 34 million in Brazil, when it lost the top spot to Facebook. Google fi nally shut Orkut on September 30, 2014.
2) MySpace
FOUNDER: Chris DeWolfe, Tom Anderson
LAUNCHED: August 2003
PRESENT STATUS: Active
It may be hard to imagine how big MySpace was. In 2006, it beat Yahoo and Google to become the largest website in the US by page views. Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp had bought it the previous year for $580 million. Its valuation shot up to a staggering $12 billion in 2007, when it had 300 million users.
But it was all downhill for the site from there as Facebook closed the gap with MySpace and became the largest social networking site. News Corp sold MySpace in June 2011 for just $35 million.
3) Friendster
FOUNDER: Jonathan Abrams, Peter Chin
LAUNCHED: March 2002
PRESENT STATUS: Shifted to online gaming in 2011 and shut down in June 2015
Within a year of its launch, Friendster had three million users but soon had to contend with the likes of MySpace and Facebook.
It was sold to a Malaysian internet company in 2009 reportedly for $100 million. At the time of the sale, Friendster had around 75 million users in Asia. Friendster turn it into an online gaming platform in 2011 and was disabled four years later.
4) SixDegrees
FOUNDER: Andrew Weinreich
LAUNCHED: January 1997
PRESENT STATUS: Shut down in 2001
The start of social media sites which is the first social networking sites along with Classmates, SixDegrees had a user base of 3.5 million at its peak but the limitations of internet connectivity meant it was an idea ahead of its time.
(Youth Stream Media Networks) buy it for $125 million in 1999 and shut down two years later.
5) Hi5
FOUNDER: Ramu Yalamanchi
LAUNCHED: June 2004
PRESENT STATUS: Active
Among the most popular social networking sites for a few years after its launch, Hi5 was second only to MySpace in 2007.
It was sold to another social network, Tagged, in 2011 and they were both bought by social discovery platform MeetMe for $60 million earlier this year.
6) Classmates
FOUNDER: Randy Conrads
LAUNCHED: December 2005
PRESENT STATUS: Active
Founded as a way to get in touch with your friends from school and college, Classmates still remains just that, with access to decades-old yearbooks from schools across the US.
The website was bought by United Online in 2004 for a $100 million and in 2015 was sold for a third of that price.
7) Google+
LAUNCHED: June 2011
PRESENT STATUS: Active
Smarting from its failed attempts in social networking through Orkut and Buzz, Google decided to take Facebook head-on with Google+. Integrated into Gmail, Google+ tried a slightly different approach to social networking than Facebook, offering users the option of categorising their friends into “circles”.
Social Networking Can Help Your Career through 5 ways
Social network help your carer through this count down which starts with:
5. Online Profiles and Resumes Are Always On
One of the advantages of the Internet is that it is always on. This means that you can post your professional skills and experience, and make that information available to people anywhere, anytime. It also means that you can search for information about others, both in and out of your social network
4. Communicate Changes in Your Career As They Happen
You develop your social network by meeting people and keeping in touch with them over time. One advantage of having a strong social network is that you can keep your associates informed about changes in your career as they’re happening. As you spread the news, the people in your network, especially professional contacts, can provide timely advice or help to find the resources you need.
3. Discover Career Paths You Hadn’t Thought Of
When you’re focused on the responsibilities of your current job, sometimes it’s easy to overlook opportunities waiting around the corner. Your social network can help you stay in touch with these opportunities. This could mean doing the same job in a new scenario or taking a completely new path you’d never considered.
To make these discoveries, start by staying informed about those in your social network who have the same or similar career paths to your own. For example, if you’re a nurse, look to those who are nurses or have a nursing background. If you’re looking to go on a new path, including changing your career altogether, look to those who are already on that path.
Look for opportunities to add to your direct social network connections through introductions.
2) Make New Contacts Through People You Know
People will come and go in your professional experiences, but they all make up the fabric of your social network. Yesterday’s high school classmate might be today’s business partner. Today’s teammates and supervisors might be tomorrow’s valued contacts and references.
The benefits of your social network don’t just end with the people you know. When you have a positive professional relationship with someone, you can put in a good word for that person with others you know, and that person can do the same for you. This could lead to introductions that extend the direct connections you have within your social network.
1) Let the Job Find You
All the social networking benefits covered so far provide the basis for this ultimate benefit. The Internet is always on, and you can keep your social network informed about your current skills, job status, and career goals. Also, your associates may have contacts who would appreciate being introduced to someone with your skills and experience. You may receive inquiries about jobs you’re qualified for, but that you may have never have considered.
If you have a strong social network, don’t be surprised if someone contacts you looking for someone with your skills and experience. If your profile is online, you could hear from people you’ve never met. Recruiters and prospective employers often look at professional Web sites like LinkedIn in hopes of making new connections