Protect Your Privacy At Home

As we shelter in our homes in an attempt to stop the spread of COVID-19, many citizens of Massachusetts have found themselves completely reliant on their computers as they "telework," "work remotely," or otherwise work from home. In fact, a March 2020 Pew Research Center study regarding how Americans have used technology in response to the current pandemic found that 76% of Americans have used digital tools to communicate with others and that almost half of all U.S. adults would categorize an interruption to their Internet or phone service as a major disruption impacting their day-to-day life. Technology has allowed us to work and communicate with our coworkers, friends, and family and remain connected during this difficult time.

But in downloading new tools that help us communicate and collaborate, we often sacrifice personal privacy unknowingly. Here are some resources that can help you protect your privacy and your data while using popular online communication software.

The Electronic Freedom Foundation (EFF) is a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting civil liberties online. They have many tools that can help you navigate online privacy and have been publishing multiple articles and guides regarding the online tools that we now rely on, including student learning software, health applications, and more. For a basic overview of the concerns regarding the many different tools we are using today, visit their article here:

"What You Should Know About Online Tools During the COVID-19 Crisis"(March 19, 2020)
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/03/what-you-should-know-about-online-tools-during-covid-19-crisis

The EFF has also published guides specific to certain popular applications being used now, such as Zoom. The following article provides specific things you can do to make sure you and your privacy are protected while using this popular communication app:

"Harden Your Zoom Settings to Protect Your Privacy and Avoid Trolls" (April 2, 2020)
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/04/harden-your-zoom-settings-protect-your-privacy-and-avoid-trolls

The article also mentions "Zoombombing," that is, the action of individuals hacking into an online meeting in Zoom (or generally in any online communication application) and causing disruption, often with inappropriate, racist, or threatening noises or imagery. The Boston FBI Office issued security tips that will help protect you against these individuals:

"Zoom-Bombing' Hijacks Online Class Meetings In Massachusetts, FBI Warns" (March 30, 2020):
https://boston.cbslocal.com/2020/03/30/zoom-zoombombing-hack-security-tips/

However, privacy concerns are not limited to Zoom, and further are not limited only to adults working from home. After widespread school closure, many students are continuing their semesters via online learning software and personal computers provided by their schools. These tools often have surveillance and social media-monitoring technology built into them of which many minors and their parents or guardians may not be aware. Whether you or your child's school is using Canvas, Moodle, Schoology, Google Classroom, or any other online learning software, consider reviewing the Privacy for Students guide provided by EFF:

Surveillance Self-Defense: Privacy for Students (Last reviewed March 2, 2020)
https://ssd.eff.org/en/module/privacy-students

At the State Library, we take your privacy very seriously. We keep no permanent record of the Internet sites visited by library patrons on the public computers in our Reading Room, the electronic databases accessed by our patrons, or the searches performed by individual patrons. Further, we do not keep any record of the materials that you have checked out in the past using your library card. We and the other libraries that make up the C/W MARS library consortium keep anonymous circulation statistics that allow us to see how often a particular item has been checked out, but not who checked it out. For more information about privacy, you can take a look at the C/W MARS Privacy Policy here: https://www.cwmars.org/about/borrowing-lending

When downloading new online tools to help you work, learn, and connect with others online, take a moment to consider the privacy concerns with that individual platform. Even if these platforms and technologies are required for you to participate in your job or education, there are still ways to protect yourself and your data while using them.

Alexandra Bernson
Reference Staff