Consumer Alert: Privacy protection for mobile device users

Having a mobile device can make life easier, but experts warn that users need to learn how to protect their privacy. Experts say using a mobile device can expose people to hackers and mass emails from

News 12 Staff

Oct 15, 2016, 4:47 AM

Updated 2,743 days ago

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Consumer Alert: Privacy protection for mobile device users
Having a mobile device can make life easier, but experts warn that users need to learn how to protect their privacy.
Experts say using a mobile device can expose people to hackers and mass emails from telemarketers. Companies like Target, Chase and Yahoo have had sensitive information stolen, so what's to stop hackers from getting access to important information on your mobile device?
Consumer Reports says users can increase their odds by taking a 10-minute privacy checkup.
"We tried to come up with really easy things people could do to really improve their security to a significant amount," says Jerry Belinson, electronics editor for Consumer Reports.
Belinson says everyone should have automatic updates turned on because the latest software versions are usually the most secure. Next, if you need an email address to register for a site, he says try using a temporary email from sites such as '10 minute mail.' Belinson also suggests monitoring whether your usernames and email addresses have been compromised. He says a good site for that is 'haveibeenpwned.com.' Lastly, Belinson says always use lock screens on mobile devices and use six digit password codes instead of four.
"If you lose access to your email account in particular... ...you've lost potentially access to banking, all your social networks, it's really an important thing," says Belinson.
One of the biggest ways you can protect yourself these days is by using two-factor or multifactor authentication.


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