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Expensive HDMI cables aren't worth the extra bucks
Monday, October 31, 2011, 12:15 PM    2
The holiday shopping season is about to hit full swing over the next few weeks, but if you're out to buy a new TV, be careful when it comes to buying high-cost accessories for it. You might not need to spend big bucks to get high quality -- especially when it comes to the HDMI cable.
France fines Google for privacy breach
Monday, March 21, 2011, 1:53 PM    1
France is putting a price tag on personal privacy. The country is fining Google $139,100 for its infamous Street View data collection, which breached the country's privacy laws. Last year, an investigation by Canada's Privacy Commissioner found similar breaches in Canada.
Testing the limits of personal privacy
Tuesday, October 19, 2010, 4:25 PM    7
The boundaries of what is personal and what is private continues to be tested. Today, an investigation by Canada's Privacy Commissioner found that Google's Street View cars which roam the streets capturing 360-degree pictures along the way -- breached privacy laws by inappropriately collecting personal information through a "careless error," inadvertently scanning and gathering information from unencrypted wi-fi networks as they drove by.
Is your computer password literally 'Password'?
Friday, May 14, 2010, 2:05 PM    7
As Marketplace's web producer, and like many Canadians, I spend a lot of my time online. Whether it's on a piece of software, an email account, or a social media website like Facebook or Twitter -- most computer-based tools require you to register, and log in regularly with a password.

But how strong is your password? We hear many stories about online identity theft and scams -- and we've produced a number of stories about this issue as a result. The latest issue of Consumer Reports features a story about how a criminal broke into a Facebook account and used it to plead for money and attempt to con that user's friends.
Online privacy: Even if you don't use Facebook, you might still be on it
Wednesday, April 28, 2010, 1:46 PM    5
 It seems a day doesn't go by when an article appears about online "privacy concerns."

The story spark is usually a new "social" application, website or feature that uses personal information in a way to deliver an online service - and typically, the companies that are being written about in relation to personal privacy are also the biggest: Google and Facebook.
'No foolproof way to avoid ID theft'
Wednesday, March 10, 2010, 4:39 PM    1
mp_credit_cards_190.jpgCredit card scams are hard to avoid because you often don't know when you're being scammed -- until the bank contacts you.

Some people may take steps to protect themselves by buying identity protection services - but buyer beware.
Want to tweet everytime you use your credit card?
Wednesday, January 20, 2010, 11:24 AM    4
mp_credit_cards_190.jpgA couple of weeks ago, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg raised eye brows by saying people don't want privacy anymore.
 
Privacy has become a currency of sorts. People seem quite willing to trade information about their purchasing habits for Air Miles points and other point-systems.
 
But I was wrong. Some people just want to give it all away.
Can you really run an online poll accurately?
Monday, January 18, 2010, 11:04 AM    1
onlinevoting.jpgI've always wondered about online polls. How accurate and honest can the voting process be?

Currently, Hasbro is running an online poll to vote for which one of 22 Canadian communities will be included in the new Canadian edition of Monopoly.
Does online privacy matter anymore?
Wednesday, January 13, 2010, 11:37 AM    7
mp_zuckerman_facebook.jpgOver the weekend, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg raised eyebrows by commenting that people don't want privacy anymore, and that the social networking website is simply reflecting, "what the current social norms are."
 
"People have really gotten comfortable not only sharing more information and different kinds, but more openly and with more people," Zuckerberg said at the Crunchie Awards in San Francisco, which recognizes technological achievement. "That social norm is just something that has evolved over time."
Can you trust online product reviews?
Monday, December 14, 2009, 5:29 PM    4
mp_online_reviews.gifI am a compulsive researcher of consumer products when it comes to buying large and even medium-sized gadgets. Whether it's a coffee maker, a computer, a front-loading washing machine or a vacuum, I'll spend days trolling the internet to see what other people think of the product. Now I know I don't need to bother.
Cellphones, social media and privacy: what are you really sharing?
Thursday, December 3, 2009, 5:40 PM    10
Like any new tech gadget I buy, I immediately become obsessed with it. My recent upgrade to the iPhone is no exception. I was taking photos, updating my Facebook status and Twittering -- all on the go. But, in my blissful technological haze, what I wasn't paying attention to was what private information I was willingly giving away.
Is Facebook using personal photos for ads?
Friday, November 27, 2009, 4:04 PM    5
An email appeared at the Marketplace offices today that warned Facebook was planning on using personal photos for advertisements. Turns out, it's not true. In fact, it's the second time in six months that Facebook has had to issue a notice debunking this internet rumour.
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