Hacking Horror: How My Digital Identity Was Stolen, and How I Got it Back
If you haven’t had one of your social media accounts hacked, consider yourself lucky—but don’t assume that you will be safe forever.[1] According to a survey by the University of Phoenix, nearly two thirds of adults have had a social media account hacked.[2] Often, scams start by sending an automated link from an already-compromised friend’s […]
Fake News is BS: Here’s What You Might Want to Know
Guest Post by Sydney Brogden What do fake news, clickbait, misinformation, and yellow journalism all have in common? They all fit under the broader umbrella of bullshit (BS). BS is communication that demonstrates little or no concern for truth, evidence, or established…knowledge” [1]. This implies that BS-ing is more about the impression the communication creates […]
Unkweusultineg Protecting Self & Community: Indigenous Activism & Safety in the Digital World
Unkweusultineg Protecting Self & Community: Indigenous Activism & Safety in the Digital World Guest Post by Taya Jardine Introduction We are in a new age of Indigenous uprisings across the colonized world. From international movements such as #LandBack to local movements in Indigenous Nations globally, we are at the forefront of revolution. Engaging with forms […]
(Privacy) Check, Please!: The Privacy Implications of QR Code Menus
(Privacy) Check, Please! The Privacy Implications of QR Code Menus There are many habits we now consider the “new normal”. Masks, sanitizer, and awkward Zoom hangouts are just some of the facets of daily life we no longer think twice about. As restaurants open and we can meet outside our screens again, one of the […]
Addictive by Design: How TikTok Keeps You Hooked
Addictive by Design: How TikTok Keeps You Hooked You don’t need me to tell you that TikTok is addictive. Spend a few minutes on the app and you can see how easy it is to fall down a rabbit hole of cute animals, short-form comedy, and innovative DIY. There’s endless content to keep you engaged […]
Guest Post: The Revolution Will Not Be Streamed: Digital Activism in the Era of Mass Surveillance
The Revolution Will Not Be Streamed: Digital Activism in the Era of Mass Surveillance by Leila Matte-Kaci On December 4th, 2020, the State Council of France expanded three decrees to widen the scope of police surveillance. [1, 11, 28] French police will now be able to track citizens or groups whose activities indicate that they […]
Guest Post & Quiz: Data Breach: Don’t Let it Get You!
Data Breach: Don’t Let it Get You! by Amruta Phansalker Check out the end of this post for a fun quiz to see if you can spot potential data breaches! We hear of data breach incidents often. But what are they exactly, and why should we worry about them? Did you know that your data […]
Guest Post: Chubby Cheeks, Tiny Hands, and Digital Footprints
Chubby Cheeks, Tiny Hands, and Digital Footprints By Kira Vandermeulen We’ve all seen those sweet posts featuring snaps of our friend’s baby with chubby cheeks and little hands. Today, social media is filled with children. This only makes sense: what with kids being so cute, why wouldn’t you Instagram it? However, as it becomes easier […]
Guest Post: Password Managers: How to create and keep track of strong passwords for multiple accounts
Password Managers: How to create and keep track of strong passwords for multiple accounts by Dana Svitavsky Passwords are an important part of internet life, and you can’t successfully use the internet without them. This means that it’s important to think about how your passwords are being kept safe. A study from the Pew Research […]
Guest Post: Deepfake Impact is Real
Guest Post: Deepfake Impact is Real By Hossein Torabi Deepfaking is growing fast and has already gained popularity in social media. According to Cellan-Jones (2019), the number of online deepfake videos has almost doubled in the past nine months, rising from 7964 online videos in December 2018 to 14698 in October 2019. A lot has […]
