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#1
And that may not be a big deal if all you're talking about is toilet paper. But think for a second about the most intimate and private conversations you have. And ask yourself, do you really want a stranger listening in? Then there's the problem of hackers. You know, hackers make their livelihood by breaking into devices like your phone, your computer, and even these voice-activated assistants. You know, some people use these assistants to unlock and start their car. They use them to run their home security system. Some people even use them to move money back and forth between bank accounts. Now, if the hacker got into that assistant, just imagine what kind of problems they could cause. It's your decision at the end of the day, but for my money, I'm going to sacrifice a bit of convenience in order to preserve my privacy, my safety, and my security.
#2
Steve Lazarus is a retired FBI agent, U.S. Air Force veteran, and crime fiction author who, after 35+ years of service, started a new chapter in life and began posting videos about FBI life as well as safety and security.
One of the things that got people hooked on was his series on the things he would never do as a retired FBI agent. In it, he details how tech has become a new frontier for hackers, scammers and any other kind of miscreant (including shady, agenda-pushing corporations).
"My social media presence began as a book marketing strategy for my crime fiction novel “Call Me Sonny,” explained Lazarus. The “five things” theme was based on similar content I saw from creators who wanted to share their professional experiences."
Now, think Amazon’s Alexa. Yes, it’s designed to listen in on your conversations, not just because it’s learning and creating AI-based algorithms, but also because it could tailor ads for other services. Not necessarily an evil thing in and of itself—actually standard as modern day life goes—but it does open up a backdoor for hackers to take advantage of.
#3
In fact, a recent Stanford study found at least 3,000 of those images on one of the largest AI databases in the world. Of course, I realize there's tremendous upside to AI when used properly. But until we get our heads around the ethical and the moral problems presented by its use by the general public, I'm not a fan.
#4
So moms, dads, you might be asking yourself, 'What about my kid's privacy rights?' Well, they don't have any, especially not on the phone that you're paying for. So you need to get a parental control app, you need to know your children's pins and your passwords, and you need to make no-notice inspections of their phone a condition for them keeping that phone.
This is besides all the romance scams on Tinder, lack of parental supervision for kids with unlimited access to phones, and one of the more recent crazes online—artificial intelligence. All of these have either loopholes or back doors or simple potential for information leaks which can be used against you. These are some of the things Lazarus tackles in his video series.
Sad to say, but nothing is truly save online, especially social media, as points out Lazarus: "You absolutely cannot be 100% safe on social media, because you are putting yourself out there. But that doesn’t mean you can’t be smart. I would say the #1 sin I see every day is oversharing—personal info, location info, relationship status, etc.
He went on to say that the trajectory of safety and security remains fluid. By that, he means that while social media users are becoming more aware of the threats and tech savvy, hackers and data miners too are moving forward and find new ways of extracting information from people. It's a sort of cat and mouse game in that sense.
#5
Now if you answered yes to two or more of these questions, chances are you're getting scammed. End it now and get out before they break your heart or ruin you financially. Or both.