I’m calling you from my cell phone, so first question: Who, if anyone, is listening? That’s a tricky one because of the lack of transparency on the part of service providers. What we can say for certain is that, through our smart devices—our phones, tablets and computers—they are capable of capturing and storing our data. We tend to think of ‘spying’ in terms of eavesdropping on conversation, but these days it’s really more about companies capturing digitized information: your texts, emails, photos, preferred routes and even the barometric pressure of the air around you.
But I never said that was okay! You have to dig into the terms-of-use agreement to figure out what data is being saved by the corporation, and what is being disclosed to third parties. Often we don’t realize what we are consenting to when we use certain apps and programs. If you give Instagram permission to access your photos and microphone, they can record you any time the app is on and use that information for their own purposes.
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BOOKS
Books review
STUDIO - Off Lamington Road by Gieve Patel
Oil on Canvas, 54 x 88 in
NEWS FROM THE WORLD OF MEDICINE
FOODS THAT FIGHT DEMENTIA
TO HELL AND BACK
The Darvaza crater in Turkmenistan is known as the Gates of Hell. I stood on its edge - and lived to tell the tale
THE SNAKE CHARMERS
Invasive Burmese pythons are squeezing the life out of Florida's vast Everglades. An unlikely sisterhood is taking them on
Sisterhood to Last a Lifetime
These college pals teach a master class in how to maintain a friendship for 50-plus years
...TO DIE ON A HOCKEY RINK
ONE MINUTE I WAS PLAYING IN MY BEER LEAGUE, THE NEXT I WAS IN THE HOSPITAL
Just Sit Tight
Broken, battered and trapped in a ravine for days, I desperate driver wonders, \"Will anyone find me?\"
Allow Me to Mansplain...
If there's one thing we know, it's this: We're a nation of know-it-alls
THE BITTER TRUTH ABOUT SUGAR (AND SUGAR SUBSTITUTES!)
It's no secret that we have a serious addiction. Here's how to cut back on the sweet stuff, once and for all.