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Louisiana teachers' union concerned about educators' future; Supreme Court hears arguments in Trump immunity case; court issues restraining order against fracking waste-storage facility; landmark NE agreement takes a proactive approach to CO2 pipeline risks.

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Speaker Johnson accuses demonstrating students of getting support from Hamas. TikTok says it'll challenge the ban. And the Supreme Court dives into the gray area between abortion and pregnancy healthcare, and into former President Trump's broad immunity claims.

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The urban-rural death divide is widening for working-age Americans, many home internet connections established for rural students during COVID have been broken, and a new federal rule aims to put the "public" back in public lands.

Californians Put Convenience Over Wi-Fi Security

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Wednesday, August 5, 2015   

Californians often are putting convenience ahead of safety when they use free public wireless networks, according to a new AARP report that found that a quarter of adult Internet users access public Wi-Fi at least once a week and are vulnerable to cyber attacks.

"Recently, AARP conducted a survey of people's online safety and security," said Amy Nofziger, director of AARP's Fraud Watch Network. "and found out that tens of thousands admit to engaging in activity that could put them squarely in the sites of hackers looking to steal their personal information."

Nofziger listed four things you should never do on public wireless networks:

* Don't access your email, credit card or bank accounts.

* Make sure the network is authentic, not a fake using a name similar to that of the coffee shop or hotel.

* Check your settings; don't let your device connect automatically to Wi-Fi.

* If you must go online to shop, use your cellular signal, which is more secure than Wi-Fi.

Nofziger said the FBI estimates that more than $800 million was lost through cyber crime in 2014. In response, AARP has launched the "Watch Your Wi-Fi" campaign, which provides security tips and details scams frequently used by hackers.

Despite the risks, Nofziger acknowledged, the Internet can be a lifeline.

"But we just want to be safe," she said. "So, use the free public Wi-Fi to surf your favorite sports sites, check the news, check the weather. But do not put any personal or private information into your mobile device or tablet when you're on a free public Wi-Fi."

For more information on how to safely connect on public wireless networks, AARP has a page on its website: aarp.org/watchyourwifi. The AARP survey is at aarp.org/research.


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