According to a study by the Pew Research Center, 60 percent of Americans now regularly monitor their weight, diet or exercise activity.
The way rapidly to do is to use a fitness tracker. At the end of 2018, there will be 780 million mobile fitness tracking devices on the market.
From last summer, I became one of those people. It is a huge improvement on the laptop I used to connect while. Now, in addition to more easily track my physical activity and calorie intake, I can measure my heart rate. I can also compete with friends in the business challenges. My unit even lets me set my alarm in the morning and lets me know how I slept at night.
Someone once said, "Now that you have all this information-who else access to your data?" My thought was, who would care how many steps I took today and how many times I woke up last night ?
However, this information can be useful to companies looking to target potential consumers of everything from running shoes to foods diet to sleep aids. My unit also stores my age, sex, height and weight. These data and could be used by identity thieves to obtain a fuller picture of me.
And in real time, tracking location. If potential burglars took ahold of your data, they could learn where you live and when you are away from your home, right?
A recent Symantec report confirms that these risks are real. Fortunately, there are things you can do to protect yourself. Here are five:
- review the privacy policy of your fitness tracker Take a close look at any additional wording on the sale or sharing of your data .. Also know how to protect your data is being transmitted or stored. Is it stored locally on your device or in the cloud? Is it encrypted for transmission? How long the data retained? Will it be shared with third parties? Seriously think twice about using a device that has no privacy policy.
- Avoid using unsecured networks. public Wi-Fi networks put your personal data at risk.
- Use strong passwords. Useful tips include using a mixture of letters, numbers and symbols; using a password that is different from those you use for your other accounts; avoid passwords that contain personal or common words; and passwords by keeping away from all prying eyes.
- Disable location tracking. Turn off Bluetooth when not in use and do not use social sharing features to tell others where you are.
- regularly check and install updates on your device and application. An update may contain important security fixes.
It is still possible to fall prey to identity theft even after taking these precautions. That is why it is useful to consider a protective cover against identity theft. An insurance professional as an Erie Insurance agent can tell you more about this growing need, affordable coverage and.
0 Komentar