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5 Smart Ways To Protect Your Data

On Social Media

The Facebook data breach opened a Pandora’s box of concerns for social media consumers. The company estimated that data firm Cambridge Analytica may have had information on about 87 million Facebook users without their knowledge.

In testimony before the U.S. Senate, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg promised to do more to protect the privacy of users’ data. But according to studies by the Pew Research Center, people haven’t had much faith in social media firms’ capacity to do just that. A Pew survey last year found that only 9 percent of social media users were “very confident” that companies would protect their data. About half were “not at all” or “not too confident” their data were in safe hands.

With so many people concerned about what private data is shared by social media sites and with whom, the CEO of a social media app says users need to do more to protect their information and be aware of how their data can be used.

“In the past 60 days there has been a profound awakening by the average social media user about data privacy and trust regarding social media companies,” says Scott Relf, CEO and co-founder of  PikMobile Inc. (www.pikmobile.com), an ad-free social media app that allows users to share content through a unique viewing platform.

“All of the other social media companies are equally as guilty as Facebook – Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram, Google. These companies are betraying their users’ trust by selling them out, and all of this with virtually no regulations or accountability to anyone.”

Relf lists five ways social media users can better protect their data:

• Know the people you friend. Don't accept friend or follow requests from people you don't know, even if it appears you have friends in common. “They could be fake accounts from cybercriminals, bots or just bad people,” Relf says. “And the more people you’re connected to, the harder it is to control what happens to the information you post.”
• Skip the quizzes. Those IQ or personality tests you find on social media may take you to unsecure sites, Relf says, making you vulnerable to identity theft by using information found on your account as well as the answers you provide to the quiz.
• Select a private profile for maximum control. “Consider your needs,” Relf says. “If you use social media mainly to keep in touch with friends, you may not need a widely open setting. If you use social media for work purposes, consider two accounts: a private personal account as well as a more public business one.”
• Use strong passwords and don’t share them.  Passwords should be memorable only to the user and kept to themselves. “Likewise, lock your phone with a pin or pattern, so that if you do lose it, whoever finds it doesn't have easy access to your entire online life,” Relf says.
•  Don’t opt-in to social media facial recognition. “The only logical reason for your social media service to ask for your facial recognition is so that they can do an even better job of harvesting your data and targeting you with ads,” Relf says.

“Ideally, social media users should choose what they feed into their mind all day long,” Relf says. “Don’t give up control of your news feed to companies and advertisers that harvest your data for their benefit.”

About Scott Relf

Scott Relf and his wife Renee are the co-founders of PikMobile (www.pikmobile.com), a dual-function mobile app that combines a unique viewing platform and a digital content publishing system. kA former senior executive for several large corporations, Relf has expertise in bringing breakthrough products and services into the consumer mass market. He sold his startup Zave Networks to Google in 2011. Relf earned a BA in management and economics from Rice University and an MSBA in management from the Boston University Questrom School of Business.

============================Email: press@oc.usda.gov

ADVISORY: Secretaries Perdue and Zinke to Host Wildfire Briefing TOMORROW

(Washington, D.C., May 9, 2018) –U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue and U.S. Secretary of Interior Ryan Zinke will host a wildfire briefing TOMORROW, Thursday, May 10th for Members of Congress at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) headquarters to hear the forecast for this year’s wildfire season. Following the meeting, the secretaries will sign a memorandum to wildland fire leadership highlighting the importance of inter-departmental collaboration as wildfire season approaches. After the signing, Secretary Perdue will host a media availability.

Secretaries Perdue and Zinke to Host Wildfire Briefing and Sign Memorandum

WHAT: Secretaries Perdue and Zinke will hold a wildfire briefing for Members of Congress and sign a memorandum to wildland fire leadership. Following the event, Secretary Perdue will host a media availability.

WHEN: TOMORROW, Thursday, May 10th at 8:00 a.m. ET

WHERE: Williamsburg Room of the Jamie L. Whitten Building, 1400 Jefferson Dr SW, Washington, DC 20250

 LOST IN SOCIETY

Premiere New Song

"Eager Heart"

Exclusively with New Noise Magazine

"a plethora of catharsis...raw, punk aesthetic"

EP Due Out May 25th Via Wiretap Records

Pre-Order Eager Heart Here

May 9, 2018 - ASBURY PARK, NJ - Lost In Society, the three-piece Alternative Punk Band from the beachy coast of New Jersey, is giving fans another sneak peek at their upcoming EP with the premiere of title track "Eager Heart" today. On the single, front man Zach Moyle shares "Eager Heart is basically about a sociopath taking advantage of someone. It's dark song about control and ill intentions." The track is streaming exclusively with New Noise Magazine today at https://newnoisemagazine.com/stream-lost-society-eager-heart/.

New Noise Magazine shared that the track "quickly ignites the adrenaline in the blood with a snapping snare beat, having the chord progressions blare along side. A strained vocal approach helps give the song a gritty appeal, roasting with a plethora of catharsis. The orchestration of the middle section is a powerful instrumental, moving the sonic sphere into a raw, punk aesthetic. Lost In Society rings in this biting tune at just under three minutes, but makes it feel like 10 rounds in the rink."

The EP was recorded with Pete Steinkopf of The Bouncing Souls and will be the band's first release with Wiretap. Moyle shared that "with this EP, I dove into some emotional and psychological channels more than the previous releases. I questioned myself and who I am as a person a lot while writing some of this record." Fans can pre-order the album in both physical and digital versions here: http://wiretaprecords.limitedrun.com/

Lost In Society are currently gearing up for a brief run of shows in May kicking off in Atlanta, GA on May 17th and wrapping up in Wilmington, NC on May 24th. The band will also be playing at The FEST this fall in Downtown Gainsville, FL. Early Bird Tickets for FEST 17 are on sale now at https://thefestfl.com/. A full list of dates can be found below.

Upcoming Lost in Society Tour Dates:

5/17 - Atlanta, GA - Star Bar

5/18 - Tampa, FL - Lucky You

5/19 - Orlando, FL - OLD 64

5/20 - Gainsville, FL - Looseys Pub

5/21 - Orlando, FL - Old 64

5/24 - Charlotte, NC - Milestone

5/25 - Charleston, SC - Tin Roof

5/26 - Wilmington, NC - Calico Room

10/26-29 - THE FEST - Gainsville, FL

New Jersey has a long history with punk music and Asbury Park's Lost In Society is proud to carry that banner. With a killer 2017 behind them, seeing support tours for Face to Face, Unwritten Law and 88 Fingers Louie, the trio plan on taking that momentum with them in to 2018. Having spent the last 5 years intensely on the road, this new release on California's Wiretap Records sees the band in top form.

Jolting, fierce and raw: Lost In Society's live show has been described as all of the above. The NJ-based alternative punk act has performed at large festivals including Vans Warped Tour, Punk Rock Bowling, Fun Fun Fun Fest, SXSW, CMJ Music Marathon and Fest. Lost In Society is known for bringing fans out the same way old punks did -- by word of mouth. Having toured all over the map and sharing the stage with the likes of Taking Back Sunday, Dead Sara, The Bouncing Souls, Bad Religion, The Flatliners, Misfits and SWMRS, the trio is showing no signs of stopping.

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Photo Credit: Mallory Turner

Lost In Society is Zach Moyle (guitars + lead vocals), Nick Ruroede (bass), and Hector Bonora (drums).

For updates on Lost In Society, please visit:

Website: http://www.lostinsociety.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lostinsociety

Twitter: https://twitter.com/lostinsociety

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lostinsociety

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/lost-in-society

Download EP Cover Art Here

Download Tour Admat Here

Download Press Photo Here (Photo Credit: M

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