Digital Dangers - Quizzes and Memes

It all seems so cute and innocent.  A friend posts a list of all the great concerts they attended to their timeline and encourages you to do the same.  Or maybe, you saw a friend post results from a quiz that revealed something new and you consider trying it too.

STOP.

Be very wary of Facebook quizzes and memes!  It’s true, they may seem fun, but they can also be dangerous.  Yes, dangerous!  Think about the information that you share - Pages you like/places you do business. Mom’s name in the About Me section/security question and answer.

These unassuming quizzes may deliberately, or unwittingly, reveal your personal data to third parties like marketers or hackers.  They are not necessarily as harmless as they purport to be.  At worst, they are click bait, designed to lead users to other sites.  At best, they reveal personal information that in the wrong hands, can be extremely damaging.

Spotting the Danger

Let’s start with the third party quizzes that are prolific on Facebook and that FB is actively trying to limit.  Some of these quizzes do ask permission before posting in your name to the platform.  When they did, did you read their privacy policy?  I’d be willing to bet you didn’t.  If they have access to post on your behalf, what else could they post as you?  How would friends know that you didn’t really initiate the post?

Let’s look at the memes.  Unlike the third party apps, memes just appear as a post from a friend with lots of personal information on them and an invitation for you to share as well and “continue the chain”.  But take a closer look; the answers being revealed are often closely related to common security questions or can provide clues for an effective spear phishing attack.

Steering Clear

If you’d like to avoid unnecessary exposure to hacking and targeted marketing, I highly recommend that you stop using Facebook, Twitter or Google to log into third party apps.  Also, take a moment to review, and as necessary revoke, third party app access to your accounts.  I know it’s tedious, but it is recommended that you have a separate username and a strong, long, unique password for every account.  No short cuts (unless of course, you consider a password manager as a short cut, in which case, go right ahead).

Be vigilant in the protection of your privacy.

Tech4Life airs every Wednesday morning at 8:15 AM

6 Easy Steps to Slash Your Smartphone Bill

Smartphones are great!!

They keep us connected in a myriad of ways.  They provide us with hours of entertainment.  In some cases, they control our homes and keep us fit.  It seems like there is very little a smartphone can’t do, including saving you money!

The price of convenience can be very high.   Call charges.  Data overages.  Feature-rich contracts.  They all come at a cost.  But that cost is manageable by taking a few simple steps to tame your smartphone bill.

Step 1:  Chose the Right Plan

Bundled minutes and data.  Free weekends and nights.  CUGs (Closed User Groups) and other options are only good if they apply to you.  Scrutinise your bill regularly and update your plan periodically as your usage habits change.

There is no point in paying for features that you don’t use or underutilise.  Compare your plan to other plans offered by your telecom or to plans offered by other telecoms.  After all, thanks to number portability no one is trapped by a service provider.

Step 2: Consider Alternatives

Is it a smartphone, right?  So, it’s connected.  Some of us have already moved away from traditional cellular calls (you can go ahead and laugh if you remember life before cellular), while others are still waiting to hop on the VOIP (voice over internet protocol) bandwagon.

But VOIP, video conferencing and messaging are all great alternatives to phone calls.  There is a plethora of apps that offer some, or all, of these options in one neat package.  Most notably is WhatsApp.  This nearly ubiquitous app offers text messaging, file sharing, voice calling and video calling on an encrypted platform for free.  Only data charges apply if no Wi-Fi.

Concerns about call quality are diminishing fast as the technology evolves.

Step 3: Tame Data Use

So, sure.  I just said VOIP is a great option, but care is still needed in data management.

Generally, VOIP options don’t consume that much data, but every bit and byte can add up.  Especially if you’re not managing your data use correctly.

You should disable background refresh on most (if not all) apps, delete unnecessary apps and close apps that you’re not using.  Apps can really drain your data and rack up expenses quickly and overages cost real money.

The trade off to save money by cutting data use in favour of Wi-Fi is not absolute, especially when dealing with sensitive data.  Don’t jump onto any old hotspot just because it's free.  Make sure it's safe before your browse; especially when visiting banking and email sites.

Step 4: Plan You Roam

If you thought your smartphone bill was high, try taking it on a trip overseas!

Roaming charges can put you in the poorhouse.  Make sure that you have the right roaming plan.  That’s a plan customised to the region you are visiting and your call, text and data needs.

Are you planning a long trip or a short trip?  Going on vacay or on business?  Is there reliable Wi-Fi in the hotel and other destinations on your itinerary? Do you need access to your VPN?  Your answers to these questions will help determine if you can find a cost-effective plan or if you need to get a local SIM.

Step 5: Don’t Roam Overboard

In principle, data is cheaper than calling.  That principle does not necessarily apply.

Before you head out to the airport, turn off data roaming for all non-essential apps to reduce the temptation to “just check” (this tip helps with my Amazon addiction) and consider if you must post to Instagram (or similar social media apps) in real time or if posting from the free hotel lobby Wi-Fi in the evening is just as good.

Save even more money: download maps for the destination and enjoy free access to GPS navigation for your trip.

Step 6: Ditch Voicemail

Seriously?  You still have voicemail?  That’s so 90’s.  Get rid of it.  There is no need to pay for calls you are not even receiving; especially when roaming.

Vigilance is the key to enjoying both the convenience and the cost of owning a smartphone.

How to Spot Fake News

Sadly, fake news is not new; it’s just topical.

The internet has morphed what we once knew as propaganda into what we now call fake news by reducing the cost, time and possible litigation related to creating and disseminating intentionally deceptive, biased or blurred truth stories.  Wow; that was a lot to say.  Fake news is, after all, a complicated affair.

For this discussion, I am not including deliberate and obvious satire like The Onion, but rather the divisive, intentionally misleading and potentially destructive lies masquerading as genuine news.  

The growing problem of fake news proliferation is exacerbated by “the filter bubble”.  Popular (social) media sites often employ algorithms to retain visitor interest by prominently posting content we like and burying posts we don’t.  We are therefore responsible for our own “truth filter”.

We must employ our own “truth filter” and halt the spread of fake news.  Excuses like, “I’m just passing it on as I get it” and "I'm not sure its true but sharing anyway," are just plain irresponsible.

The potential consequences are just too high.  The well-cited story of the 2016 shooting up of the Comet Ping Ping pizzeria by a 28-year-old North Carolina man who was “self-investigating” a bogus news story about Hillary Clinton running a child sex abuse ring out of the location, is an excellent example of the real dangers of fake news.

More recently and closer to home, images of a woman’s body being cut open allegedly as part of a local organ theft ring were circulated widely via WhatsApp leading to wild conspiracy theories and fear.  As it turns out, the video was taken from a 2014 autopsy video causing much distress to the young lady’s family.  

Let us not be a party to these kinds of atrocities.  Let’s spot and stop fake news!

Read Past the Headline

Headlines, by their very nature, are designed to draw us in.  So too, the first paragraph is written to entice us to read further.  If we stop there, we may not have the information necessary to effectively analyse the article.  Often the body has little or nothing to do with the headline, has a disclaimer, has poor grammar indicating the information is not credible or has obvious clues the story is false.

Confirm Source, Date and Time

Some fake news sites try to fool us into believing the site is legitimate with official-sounding titles, copy cat URLs and look-alike pages.  Check the source of the material very carefully.  Take a moment to read the “About Us”.  If the language is over the top, absent or poorly written, then the source is possibly not credible.

Take a good look at the dateline of the story and other date references.  Some fake news stories and old stories or old content which have been regurgitated to appear “new”.

Questions Links, Sources, Quotes and Photos

Real journalists include citations, attribution and relevant images to enhance their stories.  Fake news writers avoid citations; they don’t have credible sources, and they steal and reuse unrelated pictures to make their points.  Be on the watch for these indicators.

Links to reference material litter real news stories.  Follow the links used to support a story and make an evaluation if they are relevant.  Look closely at the sources quoted, if any, in a story.  Do a quick internet search of their name and title to determine if they have the requisite authority to make the statement or if their quote (or a similar quote) appears on trustworthy news sites.  Finally, be sure that the image is related to the story and not just a picture transplanted from another place and time on the web page.  Google offers a reverse image search to inform if the picture has been used elsewhere on the internet.

Determine Bias

Lots of websites have declared biases; some do not.  But we need to know what we are dealing with.  Peruse the site a news story appears on to see if there is an agenda they seem to be promoting and then, take the information presented with a tablespoon of salt.

Seek Corroboration

Before you take the first link as gospel, take a moment to find out if other news organisations are reporting the same news.  Get the facts before you spread what's false!

If ever in doubt, visit the RJR News Centre for consistently credible news.

Sources

• The Telegraph UK
• Wikipedia
• Huffington Post
• Pizzagate
• Jamaica Gleaner
• How Stuff Works
• Sunday Morning Herald

#MyBestAdvice for #GettingResults? #Focus.

PSOJ Social Media Business Conference
‘Not just marketing’ How to get actual business results

#MyBestAdvice for #GettingResults? #Focus.

Social media is, as they say, ‘huge’.  There are almost too many variables and parameters to consider.  So don’t.  Don’t spread yourself so thin that your massive efforts yield minimal results.  Instead, #Focus.

Social media is a powerful, cost effective marketing tool.  A well developed and executed social media plan can secure remarkable results.  The first annual PSOJ Social Media Business Conference has laid out comprehensive case on the potential benefits of this still evolving promotional option.  Participants will leave the Conference feeling empowered; ready to harness the power of ‘social’ to build brands and promote sales.

The best results come from a detailed plan, but you can hit the ground running if you stay focused on a trio of key factors: the message, the platform and the team.

Message
It seems obvious, yet lots of brands don’t focus on the message.  Building a brand identify and leveraging that identity for reward is a comprehensive task.  Advertising, corporate communications,  branding, POS and yes, even social media MUST reflect the same core message.

Staying on message across various media formats requires both commitment and flexibility.  In the case of commitment, a disjointed message can confuse and deter target audiences.  Similarly for flexibility, the message must suit the medium; it must fit in the space.

Finding the balance between seemingly opposing requirements is an art.


Platform
Resources are always finite, so limit them to where they will be most impactful.

The Conference has offered up a plethora for social media platforms where targets lurk.  The standard bearer Facebook and its baby, Instagram both have a significant portion of the limited attention of potential customers and consumers.  Google+ has integrated their social media efforts into their flagship products.  Twitter remains popular and SnapChat continues to gain ground.  Then, let's not forget online services like YouTube and communications tools like WhatsApp that, technically, are not social media.  But technicalities have little bearing on popularity.

Yet, there are many more platforms; some growing, some dying.

Unless your an international conglomerate, don't try to rule them all.  Talk to customers, clients and colleagues; figure out which three are most prominent in your target network and then deploy your resources to those three.

Making a point beside fellow PSOJ Social Media Business Conference Panelist,  Stacy Hines.

Team
The pre-Conference survey revealed that, "45% of respondents say that digital is their primary marketing channel; yet 53% of respondents said that it was less than 10% of their marketing budget." This is a shocking revelation.

You wouldn’t trust the execution of a multimillion dollar marketing campaign to interns, neither should you trust your multimillion dollar brand value to the inexperienced.  Even new media requires some tried and true principles to be successful.

The social media strategist is an essential member of an organization.  The social media department is a critical success competent.  Hire the best to get the best results.

Embrace Retired Technology

Perhaps you’re retired and have lots of time your hands.  Maybe, you’ve been working your whole life and never took the time to take on tech.  Whatever the circumstances, whatever your age, technology need not be daunting.  In fact, it can be fun!

Jamaica National Pensioners Association AGM Presentation

The World Bank reports that the average Jamaican life expectancy is about 74 years of age.  I’d hate to discredit the World Bank, but my own observations put the average about 10 years later than that.  If I’m right (and I often am), you could live for 20 years between retirement and well, you get the point.

If you want to truly enjoy those 20+ years, focus on the things that can maintain, or better yet, improve your quality of life.  Look out for the tools and experiences that help you stay in contact with family and loved ones, that help you stay healthy, stay in the know, stay financially fit and of course, stay independent.

Technology can help you stay.

Stay In Contact

The grandkids may be far away, but apps like Skype, FaceTime and WhatsApp make video conference as simple as pushing a button and talking face to face.  No more lonely nights or weekends, no more boring conversations with fellow seniors.  Retirees can feel like they are right there in the room.

Video gaming can be a natural extension of video conferencing.  Take talk to the next level and learn how to really engage the rug rats on their level by mopping the floor with them (virtually speaking) in a online RPG (Role Player Game).

If the fam proves too busy to connect, consider connecting with a new job.  Lots of seniors rejoin the workforce on a “limited” basis thanks to teleworking.  Book editors, accountants and a host of service related professionals earn real money on their own time.

Stay Healthy

Sitting behind a desk, even for a short time, doesn’t contribute to your physical health.  So, rather than sit, get up and go, with a fitness tracker and heart rate monitor, both paired with an app that automatically reviews data from the wearables and sets fitness goals based on your unique digital profile.  It sounds like a lot, but it can work seamlessly once configured.

Machines in moderation - Skype in your personal physician to review the fitness data and goals, without ever having to leave the comfort of your home (or cruise or wherever).

Listen up, you can even upgrade your outdated hearing aids to custom moulded in ear monitors with on board Bluetooth.  When my Dad had a private call on ‘speaker', thanks to his audio boosting, wireless ear pieces, I realized that he was hipper than me!

Being schooled by a tech savvy Jamaica National Pensioner

Stay in the Know

Speaking of hip, nothing is hipper than being able to participate in the water cooler (or now I guess it all happens on Facebook) conversation.  Ditch the papers thrown at your front door and get online for a wider range of news.  Take it a step further, get online for a course or degree.  Like teleworking, online educations afford flexibility and low cost learning.

Stay Financially Fit

Costs become even more important on a fixed income.  Save time, and most importantly money, by skipping the senior line in the bank in favour of banking and online bill payments.  Monitor your statements for suspicious activities (and trends), send (or receive) money for the young ones and rack up savings with those loyalty cards and virtual coupons.

Just because you’ve got some time on your hands doesn’t mean you got money to waste.

Stay Independent

After all, you are smart and independent.  Building on those traits, we can look out for consumer grade GPS trackers, heart rate/blood pressure monitors, self driving cars and smart homes reducing the need for personalized in home care while maximizing self-sufficiency.

Look forward to being older, its the time when you get to tech it easy and stay in life.

Tech4Life airs every Wednesday morning at 8:15 am on @RJR94FM 

Social Stardom In a Real Sense

Event organizers Corve DaCosta and Shane Bennett

The irony is, it took a social media event for me to meet a social media star.

Thanks to Digital Media Week Jamaica #DMWJamaica, I was able to meet in person and physically mingle with a few social media stars that I follow or converse with regularly.

#DMWJamaica is an “unconference” that seeks to share social success stories and highlight Jamaicans excelling in the social media space.  The four-day series of events included a panel discussion at the trendy ATL Showroom on Tuesday, June 29, 2016.

RJR’s own Krystal Tomlinson, a star in her own right across multimedia media formats, hosted the panel on The New Rules of Social Stardom.  The group of experts included “certified student” @OneRomone, multi-tasker @NicoleMcLarenCampbell, fitness and nutrition expert @IAMKimilaMcDonald and transformational coach @PatriceJWhite.

#DMW Panelists Kimila McDonald, Nicole McLaren-Campbell,  Romone Robinson, Krystal Tomlinson (Host) and Patrice White.

Real is often overused these days, but “real” is exactly how the conversation is best described.  The presenters were revealing and raw while sharing their personal experiences, challenges, and successes.  Here's an interesting point, their least favourite platform: Snapchat.

The panel was preceded by an eye-opening keynote by Dr. Anissa Holmes of Jamaica Cosmetic Dental Services.  The audience who clearly had a preference for Instagram (IG) was schooled in benefits of Facebook.  Dr. Holmes opening discussed her methodology and impressive returns on her investment in the platform.

Dr. Anissa Holmes

She clearly illustrated the power and potential of the world’s most successful social media network and provided tips on how others good navigate the platform for their own success.  Notable, she said, “You have to have your business right first!”  Social media can’t make a business better, more efficient, or more appealing.  Start with a good business model and then leverage social media to draw attention, engagement and profits to that model.

#DMWJamaica continues with a Women in Digital Tech charity event this evening at the Courtyard by Marriott.  Congrats to @CorveDaCosta, @iamsgb and the team for a stellar event.

Tech4Life airs on @RJR94FM.com every Wednesday morning at 8:15 am.

IG Panic

So, Instagram (IG) announced that it was experimenting with changing its timeline.  Instead of the reverse chronological order we’ve all become accustomed to, they now want to tweak the algorithm to show the “most relevant posts” first.

Sound familiar?  Well, it should.  Facebook, the largest social media platform in the world, tweaked its timeline back in 2009 to ditch the chronological model for an “interest and tastes” model designed to ensure that you’re not bored by a bunch of random posts (from say, the errant cousin you can’t unfriend because their family) and leave the platform.

The detail of the algorithm is a closely guarded trade secret, but presumably, they take your likes, shares, comments and several other factors into account to make a guess about what you want to see and what you don’t.

Despite MUCH initial rebellion, the modified timeline was eventually accepted by the near 1.6 billion users.  So successful was the final roll out of Facebook’s modified algorithm, microblogging site Twitter attempted their own tweak earlier this year.

If unlike me, you’re following 10 accounts on Twitter, you probably won’t have a problem.  But, the more accounts you follow, the more tweets are going to fill your timeline, the more likely that you’re going to miss some tweets during your periodic social media check in.

Twitter introduced “While You Were Away” a collection of tweets it determined are most interesting to you based on your previous favorites, re-posts, mentions and the like (no pun intended).

On Monday, March 28, IG users were flooded with “Turn On Notification” posts imploring them to guarantee no missed posts from their favorite accounts.  Celebrities, like John Mayr, issued statements appealing to IG to abandon their new policy.  The thing is, it's not policy.  It is an experiment.  IG never announced that it was actually changing its initial reverse chronological timeline.

Still, mark my words, a change is coming.  And we better jump on board.

As social networks get more popular and by extension more crowded, we need ways to filter out content that is just not relevant.  Algorithms do the heavily lifting aka filtering.  If you think you can manage to do the digital social media filtering on your own and still have a physical social life, by all means try.  IG will likely make the algorithm optional for its 400 million users.

Either way, there is no need to panic … unless of course, you have no data/wifi.

Tech4Life airs every Wednesday morning on @RJR94FM.