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Wearables data: Should you worry?

By WTOP Staff

By Gregg Stebben, Men’s Health

WASHINGTON — A day after California was hit by its strongest earthquake in 25 years, the Jawbone company, which makes a fitness band called UP, announced they could tell how far from the the epicenter the quake was felt, just by studying sleep data from thousands of their users.

Does this concern you? Maybe it should.

Data Danger #1

Someone is collecting lots of data about you, and in the wrong hands it could be devastating.

  • Data from sleep and fitness apps:

    What if your employer or insurance company got their hands on your fitness or sleep data? Could they raise your rates, or fire you, if they didn’t like how and when you sleep and get exercise?

  • Data from driving and breathalyzer apps:

    Wow, you really like to party on Friday night. Or maybe you’re sober, but you’ve been braking a little too hard. You’re fired. And now you’re uninsured, too.

  • Data from reading apps:

    So, you’ve been reading Rush Limbaugh’s most recent book, or Al Gore’s latest book, or “Fifty Shades of Grey”? Here at XYZ Company, we really don’t approve of that. Please stop by HR to pick up your last check.

Data Danger #2

Sure, your data are protected now, but when was the last time you read every word of a User Agreement or Privacy Policy before clicking “Agree”?

And when was the last time you read an update on a User Agreement or Privacy Policy when it was emailed to you or displayed on the screen?

Nope, I don’t read them very carefully either.

So when they change their policy and it says they can now share our data with anyone they want, we probably won’t know, since we didn’t read the fine print for ourselves.

(See below for how you can protect yourself, without getting a law degree and trying to read every word of the fine print for yourself.)

So, what can you do about it? Here are a few painful options:

  • Stop using some or all connected devices.
  • Turn off your connected devices when you are doing something “wrong.” For instance, if your company gives you a fitness band and you know you won’t be working out for a week because of pressures at work, take the darn thing off and turn it off. You have a choice to wear it or not, so why let it gather data about you that will reflect badly on you?
  • Google all EULAs and Privacy Policies to see what privacy experts say about them.
  • Pay for trackable online accounts with refillable gift cards, instead of credit cards. This will let you pay anonymously since refillable gift cards cannot be traced back to you.
  • Make up lots of bogus accounts, with bogus user names. Sure, it will be some work for you to keep track of it all, but it can also do a good job of hiding your identity.
  • Give up.

Data Danger #3:

With all the sharing via social media, my suggestion is, “think before you tweet.”

After all, once you tweet something, or post it on Facebook or Instagram or as a comment on your favorite website, it may stay there forever to haunt you.

Follow @GreggStebben, @WTOP and @WTOPtech on Twitter, and on the

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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