November 5, 2010 | in:
geeky,
tech savvy mama
Over the last few years I’ve found myself using Facebook more and more…like so many of you. At first I used it just like Classmates or Friendster (remember those?). I created a superficial profile of what was going on in my world so that old friends from schools and jobs could catch up on my life in 2 secs and I could check out what they were doing (you had to give it up on those sites to catch a peek of others). And then the whole world joined Facebook. And now we use it for everything, in place of email, in place of photo sharing sites, in place of calling our own parents and siblings and children sometimes.
And I’ve never separated my personal and “professional” A Parent in Silver Spring persona on Facebook. It seemed too confusing, since I know IRL so many of you guys. And while I’m fine telling 1,000 people that I’m pregnant and what my kids dressed up as for Halloween, I know that somewhere in there I need to have boundaries. I need to think more about online safety from the crazies – both the people and the viruses.
So I’m going to check out this new Facebook app from BitDefender. called safego. And you can too! It’s currently in beta testing, but you can check it out right along with me. BitDefender is inviting us to be a part of this new product by sharing our opinions during this final testing phase. Direct feedback will be used by the company to make final tweaks.
Here’s some official info:
BitDefender‘s safego is designed to curb threats to personal privacy, spam attacks, and malware distribution campaigns that have been found to occur through this popular social networking platform.
How does it work?
Installing safego provides:
- Privacy protection- You’ll be warned when you should modify your Facebook privacy settings so that personal information isn’t exposed.
- Automatic scanning- Just press the “scan now” button to get a snapshot of your Facebook security status.
- 24/7 protection- Your account is protected even when you’re not logged into Facebook.
- Protection for your friends- You’ll have the ability to warn your friends about infected links in their Facebook accounts.
Here’s how we test out the product:
For more information about keeping yourself and your family safe online, visit BitMoms.com, a community dedicated to providing free resources and a place for parents to seek advice about keeping children safe on the internet.
I am sharing this information as a BitMom Blog Network Member. No compensation was received for this post, however, I do receive a stipend to attend a blogging conference of my choice…that I haven’t yet used.
One of the most annoying and debilitating illnesses my family experienced this past year was a virus…
on our family computer.
Sure, I was pretty freaked out about H1N1. And last year we dealt with our share of barf-your-brains-out norovirus and seeping, crusty pinkyeye. But taking care of my family and children’s wellness is part of my job description as Mom and I have patience for those ailments.
But for my other, secondary job as a work-from-home-writer-editor-user-of-a-computer, computer viruses GET NO SYMPATHY FROM ME.
I’m not a tech geek. I just want to fire up my computer and have everything work well and fast so I can get my work done. But last year a random spyware infected my system when I downloaded some seemingly-useful software. I’m very careful with what I download, so I hunted around for the culprit in my files and registry of my hard drive like a mother whose darling child has lice.
I was finally able to uninstall the spyware, but until I hunted it down, my computer ran so slowly for awhile that I would literally be waiting for my cursor to blink. One evening, when I was afraid to lose my work, typing one graph took almost an hour. Oh, the horror.
So I’m all about staying computer virus-free. That’s one of the reasons I applied to be a BitMom Blog Network Member (the other reasons were learning how to put up parental controls on the kids’ computer as they use it more and more for school and entertainment.) And one of the cool perks of working with them is that BitDefender sends me these really easy-to-follow tips on how to keep my system healthy. And now I’m sharing these with you.
Here are some great free tips to help you prevent a computer virus, provided by BitDefender.
- Use a security solution but be aware that there are many fake security software solutions that masquerade as malicious applications. Malicious applications tell you that your computer is highly infected and urge you to buy their product immediately. Such messages will persist until you give in and pay, therefore allowing their creator to profit. To avoid this scenario, do some research about what is available from trusted leaders in the internet security industry by reading third party reviews by institutions and review magazines who test and evaluate a wide range of security products.
- Be aware of the websites you and your family visit. Clicking on links from friends, social media websites like Facebook and Twitter, or through instant messenger applications could potentially infect your machine. The random clicking that your child does on the family computer could also lead to a malware installation. Also, never click on a link from an unknown source. Kelton Research found that nearly 1 in 4 people admitted to clicking on a shortened link from someone they didn’t know.
- Scan your CDs, USB flash drives, and other removable devices before opening the files on them and also scan your computer periodically to check its health. BitDefender makes free tools that provide immediate checks at quickscan.bitdefender.com
- Keep your computer up to date by installing the software updates. Even though it may take a little time to install and restart your machine, you will save yourself a lot of time in the long run by making your computer less vulnerable to malware.
- Remember that internet security and antivirus software needs to be purchased every year. BitDefender makes software good for multiple years at a time but an expired license can make you susceptible to viruses if you don’t purchase another security system in a timely manner.
About BitDefender®- BitDefender is the creator of one of the industry’s fastest and most effective lines of internationally certified security software. Every day, BitDefender protects tens of millions of home and corporate users across the globe — giving them the peace of mind of knowing that their digital experiences will be secure. More information about BitDefender and its products are available on the company’s website.
This article was provided as exclusive content by BitDefender because of my role as a BitMom Blog Network Member. No compensation was received for sharing this post, however, BitMoms is providing me with a stipend to use at the blog conference of my choice and other materials to help me facilitate sharing topics of internet safety and security with my readers and through the BitMom Community.
UPDATE: The winners of the BitDefender 2010 & 2011 Internet Security Software Giveaway in June on A Parent in Silver Spring are…Sarah W., Lisa B. and Carrie!
Mom blog giveaways of gift cards, gift certificates and free products rock, right? That’s why every time you leave a comment on a post on A Parent in Silver Spring, you’re entered to win. (Dude, that sounded so commercial-y! Can you tell I’ve been letting the kids watch more TV since they’ve been let out of school? Yikes.)
Thanks so much for all your comments in May – there were officially over 200 entries for the May giveaway of a $50 Mastercard Gift Card to be used where ever Mastercard is accepted.
And the May winner was…
Shawn M. J. !
For the month of June, there will be THREE winners and the giveaway is not just one product, but two:
Three lucky commenters will win Bitdefender‘s award-winning internet security software for 2010, and when the 2011 version is out, you’ll receive a code for next year too! Why this giveaway is so freaking cool: The software costs about $40 a year for 1 PC, and Bitdefender protects your PC from viruses and spyware, and allows you to install firewalls and parental controls, without slowing down your computer.
I’m a writer, and not super techno-savvy (I leave THAT to my good friend Tech Savvy Mama Leticia, who is in fact the Chief BitMom for Bitdefender and dedicated to teaching parents online about important Internet security issues pertaining to parents). But here’s my non-tech-savvy review of Bitdefender’s software: I found that after installing McAfee on my new laptop, my Firefox and Internet Explorer browsers constantly timed out. And you know how much time I spend online. This was so annoying! My screen usually went to that light-colored-frozen-frustration when I was on live chat with my boss or answering an important work email via webmail. McAfee was really cramping my professional style and wasting my time as I tried to bust out my work assignments so I can have more quality time with my kids.
But I didn’t want my brand new baby (the Dell Inspiron with all the bells and whistles in APISS apple green that Chris got me for my birthday – thanks babe!) to get fried by some gnarly virus or for it to become super-slow as some crook somewhere received info on every key stroke or purchase I made at his diabolical lair. Every computer needs an Internet security system.
So I uninstalled McAfee (completely trashing the $50 yearly service I’d already paid for, nice) and installed the free copy of Bitdefender 2010 I received at MomzShare‘s Silver Spring Soiree. Since then my Internet has not been timing out, is running as fast as when it was naked of Internet security and I have been free of viruses, spyware and other yuck-o stuff. I will also be installing it on the desktop my children use to play educational games (and someday will use for homework) with the parental controls enabled.
In short, Bitdefender provides for your PC
- Antivirus & Antispyware
- Identity Protection
- Firewalls
- Antispam
- Parental Control
- Optimized Performance
And this month, you will be entered to win your own Bitdefender 2010 and 2011 software every time you
So please leave comments, comments, comments galore! Write what you like, what you don’t, what you think needs to be changed, events that are happening in your community, your own great finds…whatever!
Disclosure: Yup, I received my Bitdefender software for free, but I also dumped $50 worth of McAfee. My opinion expressed is totally my own. I mean, have you ever heard me so excited about software that didn’t involve playing Scrabble?
Do you have a business you’d like to promote through giving a gift to gracious A Parent in Silver Spring readers? As long as it is 100% free for readers and is worth at least $50, let’s give it away to the readers of my site, they are the best. Send me a line!
Momz Share's Jen & Lara and me. Photo by Amanda of http://thenagainphotography.com/
If you’re reading this you probably have a kid. And you obviously read blogs (thanks!)
But do you have a blog yourself? Are you thinking of starting one?
Then you have to get your cute self to a Momz Share event! These great in-person networking parties just started this year, thanks to the genius of Hip As I Wanna Be’s Jennifer Gerlock and Chicken Nuggets of Wisdom’s Lara Di Paola.
The second event was held this weekend at The Little Gym of Silver Spring (a SUPER party space, for grownups as well as kids!) and packed more fun into three hours that I would have thought possible:
- The Souper Girl of Silver Spring brought her yummy vegan soups – you can have these healthy soups delivered right to your door for easy, kid-friendly, health-conscious and delicious meals.
- More donations of awesome raffle items were provided by La Papillon Spa, Peace Love Lip Gloss, Bring It To Fruition, The Round House Theater, The Maryland Science Center, Port Discovery, The National Aquarium, Tuscan Home Decor & Design, All things Italian, Certifikid, The Melting Pot of DC, Be Lifestyle MedSpa and Simplify Organizing.
I finally met in person people that I already love through the power of the Internet gods and our common worship:
- Scary Mommy – You already know this woman is a wonderful writer, an incredible humorist, mom blogging resource and shutterbug, but she’s also a fabulous co-worker and friend.
- Resourceful Mommy - If you’ve ever been to or won swag from a Twitter party, thank this chick. She invented these online get togethers! And she is down to earth and delightful and adorable.
More Awesome MomzShare Attendees That I Met & Fondled/Frightened, or Know & Love
Hide The Cheese - my new favorite food blog EVAH. I am forcing this chick to be my friend. She should be afraid. But if she runs away, at least I can make her recipes.
It’s My Time To Write - a truly great professional writer and mother just began this beautiful blog
Treets! Photo by Lolli of Better In Bulk.net
Musings From Me
The Land of Bean
Sisarina
Tech Savvy Mama
Parentopia Devra
Teach Mama – Vote for Amy at the Scholastic Parenting Blog Awards!
I’m Not The Nanny
I crashed this photo of Seriously a Homemaker and Chief Bit Mom Leticia of Tech Savvy Mama. Photo by Lolli of Better in Bulk.net
Caffeine And A Prayer
Parenting By Dummies
The Too Fatties
Living In Maryland
Laundry For Six
An Acorn Dreaming
Urban Mama
A Spiced Life
Toddler Planet
Wrecklamation
The Traveling Marshalls
Twofer Mom
Linda Sellers
ProMom Blogger
and more women I wish I’d met!
Next time, I’d love to hang with YOU! I’ll keep you posted on the next Momz Share, hosted by Scary Mommy, but you can also follow Momz Share on Twitter (@momzshare)and on Facebook (here) and if you are a business that would like to become involved in some way, please email lara.momzshare(at)gmail.com.
May 18, 2010 | in:
geeky,
random
I recently turned 35. It was my harshest b-day to date. I know there’s nothing you can do about it besides work to be healthy and happy but dude, it threw me into an official NOT YOUNG demographic. But rather than waste precious time worrying about something I cannot change, on my birthday I instead wasted precious time reading all of the awesome wall posts I received on Facebook. The return for having everyone from your past, present and online worlds wish you well and give you compliments was almost worth being that much closer to the Denny’s senior citizen special.
If you're not yet on Facebook, I recommend joining for the self-esteem boost. Way cheaper than therapy.
If you’re on Facebook, please add me as a friend so I can wish you a happy birthday and compliment you on the bounce of your hair, the pertness of your booty or whatever floats your boat.
And then there’s Twitter. It’s a place for online entities to communicate, brands and entrepreneurs to promo and shill, and for writers to drop those good one-liners they couldn’t work into a piece. It’s also the place where I save for posterity those funny moments from my mom life that no one thinks are as hilarious as me, but it’s Twitter. That’s kind of the point.
100% true. And for the first time, there was no happy face on this assignment when it was handed back.
I usually don’t write about my kids’ personal lives on this website very often because you come here for info. And I’m sure your own kids are even funnier. But if you’d like more mom blogger moments, come follow me on Twitter. And I’ll follow you. And we’ll either quip out into the ether or connect and be BFFs, who knows?
Just don’t be ticked if I don’t @ or RT very much or even log on for a few weeks because I have laundry or waxing or company coming for dinner or work. Or actual parenting of my kids. Crazy. And I don’t live Tweet blogger events because I just have too much fun talking to the people there in real life. But then I’m the type of person who turns off my cell if I both my kids are with me and I think texting at the table is uber rude, so what do I know?
What do you guys think? Waste of time? Great way to connect? Fun entertainment? Way to keep up with events? Because you guys, my fellow parental units, are the ones I want to follow and friend. You’re way cuter than Ashton.
