Madigan Advises Google, Facebook Users to Protect Personal Information Online

Chicago, IL — Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan recognized Data Privacy Day and encouraged Illinoisans to take steps to protect personal information and communication online. Madigan said many computer users are unknowingly vulnerable to financial fraud and privacy invasions online, and they need to stay vigilant to protect their Internet identities.

In light of her investigation into Google, Attorney General Madigan together with her counterparts in states around the country are recognizing today as Data Privacy Day to prevent consumers from falling victim to online identity theft.

In May 2010, Google announced it had been collecting data over wireless networks. Street View, a Google feature that photographs homes, buildings, streets and other landmarks, also was equipped to capture data that was being transmitted over public networks. This data included user emails, passwords and web surfing activity. Madigan and the attorneys general continue to investigate Google’s collection of this data. 

“Google’s collection of personal information demonstrates how easily someone can follow your Internet activity,” Madigan said. “Consumers should take this opportunity to follow the necessary steps to ensure protection of their personal information online.”

Madigan said it is important for consumers to know that the wireless routers they purchase are not automatically encrypted to protect their privacy online. Consumers must change their wireless settings to protect their data by consulting the instructions for their wireless router or visiting the router manufacturer’s website.

Also in recognition of Data Privacy Day, Madigan and several other attorneys general worked with Facebook, the online social networking site, to post a message to users to remind them to review their privacy settings on the site. The message sent today by Facebook will reach more than 32 million of its users. It will link Facebook users to the steps necessary to ensure appropriate privacy of their profiles on the site, and to control the information that strangers and friends can access and share from a user’s site. 

In addition, OnGuard Online, a consortium of federal government agencies and technology industry experts, recommends additional precautionary steps to secure your wireless network and ensure safe web browsing. The steps below are provided by OnGuard Online:

1. Use anti-virus and anti-spyware software and a firewall: Install anti-virus and anti-spyware software. Keep them up-to-date and check to ensure that your firewall is turned on.
2. Turn off identifier broadcasting. Most wireless routers broadcast a signal to any device in the vicinity announcing their presence. You don’t need to broadcast this information if the person using the network already knows it is there. Disable the identifier broadcasting mechanism if your wireless router allows it.
3. Change the identifier on your router from the default. The identifier (SSID) for your router is likely to be a standard, default ID assigned by the manufacturer to all hardware of that model. Change your identifier to something only you know, and remember to configure the same unique ID into your wireless router and your computer so they can communicate. 
4. Change your router’s pre-set password for administration: The manufacturer assigned the router a standard default password. Those default passwords are available to anyone, including hackers, so change it to something only you know. When choosing a password, make sure to choose one of sufficient length and complexity to prevent it from being hacked.
5. Turn off your wireless network when you know you won’t use it: If you turn the router off when you’re not using it, you limit the amount of time that it is susceptible to a hack.
6. Don’t assume public “hot spots” are secure: Café, hotel and airport “hot spots” are convenient, but they are not secure.
7. Be careful about the information you access or send from a public wireless network: Consumers should assume other people can see anything you see or send over a public wireless network.

Data Privacy Day, internationally recognized on January 28, brings necessary awareness to an individual’s right to protect his or her most sensitive and personal data. The day unites businesses, individuals, government agencies, non-profit groups and academics in a dialogue about how personal data should be collected, used and stored. 

Consumers who believe they may be victims of identity theft are encouraged to contact Attorney General Madigan’s Theft Hotline at 1-866-999-5630. Consumers can also contact Madigan’s Consumer Fraud Hotline:

Chicago 1-800-386-5438

Springfield 1-800-243-0618

Carbondale 1-800-243-0607

Pre-med students, college students, and high school seniors invited to take part

(Distributed through BlackNews.com) 

According to an article published in the Journal of the National Medical Association, African Americans comprise 13% of America’s population but only 4% of U.S. physicians. The publication’s study concluded that financial constraints, insufficient exposure to medicine as a career, little encouragement at home and in schools, lack of role models, and negative peer pressure may contribute to racial disparities in the physician workforce for African Americans. Exposure at a young age to role models and to medicine as a profession might increase the number of African American physicians. Oakland, CA-based Physicians Medical Forum addresses these issues as it recruits African American physicians to practice in the Oakland/San Francisco Bay Area.

Oakland/San Francisco Bay Area (BlackNews.com) — The Physicians Medical Forum (PMF) vies to increase the number of African American physicians, residents and medical students in Alameda, Contra Costa, and San Francisco Counties, while helping to eliminate health disparities and improving the quality of life and medical care for Bay Area patients. To that end, on February 12th, the non-profit organization will host its “Doctors on Board Program,” a day-long, information-filled series of seminars, workshops and case study lectures to encourage recruitment and retention of African American physicians. Several of the Bay Area’s most prominent medical professionals will provide students with an innovative and exciting opportunity to explore varied facets of medicine and provide information about medical school preparation, medical specialties, and life as a physician. PMF’s “Doctors on Board Program” is funded in large part by Alta Bates Summit Medical Center and Wells Fargo. Student Application deadline is Feb. 3, 2011.

WHO: Physicians Medical Forum (PMF)
WHAT: “Doctors on Board Program” (Physician Recruitment Conference)
WHEN: Saturday, February 12, 2011 | 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Registration/breakfast (7-8 a.m.) | networking social (5-7 p.m.)
WHERE: Oakland Marriott City Center | 10th and Broadway

“I am excited that Physicians’ Medical Forum is addressing the need for more physicians of color to practice in Bay Area inner-city communities,” said PMF Board President Dr. Kathryn E. Malone. “We certainly expect our “Doctors on Board Program” will succeed in convincing young students to consider becoming doctors, and medical students and residents to come to or remain in the Oakland/San Francisco Bay Area.”

Keynote, presenting, and moderating participants will include: Kathryn E. Malone, M.D., PMF Board President and Sutter East Bay Foundation; Chuck Prosper, C.O.O., Alta Bates Summit Medical Center; Willie Natt, Senior Vice- President & Regional Sales Manager, Wells Fargo; Renee Chapman Navarro, PharmD., M.D., Vice-provost, UCSF Diversity and Outreach; Glenda F. Newell, M.D., Newell & Spriggs Consulting, LLC.; Warren J. Strudwick, M.D., M.B.A., Bay Area Orthopaedic Sports & Spine and Oakland Raiders team physician; Albert L. Brooks, M.D., Washington Hospital; Michelle Shute, M.D., F.A.C.P, Sutter East Bay Medical Foundation; Sandra Weatherby, M.D., Kaiser Permanente; and numerous other prominent medical professionals, faculty, residents, medical students, administrators, and business professionals – all with whom students will network during pre- and post-program activities.

PMF Executive Director Stalfana Bello said, “PMF understands that an active, viable, diverse and thriving medical community is key to retaining physicians. The “Doctors On Board Program” is vital in the effort to encourage students to pursue careers in medicine, which is imperative to maintaining healthy inner-city communities.”

The “Doctors on Board Program” is supported by Alta Bates Summit Medical Center, Wells Fargo, Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions, and the Safeway Foundation.

ABOUT PHYSICIANS MEDICAL FORUM (PMF):
The Physicians Medical Forum is an Oakland, CA-based non-profit 501(c)(3) public benefit corporation supported by a grant from Alta Bates Summit Medical Center. The organization strives to partner with medical schools and universities to develop and maintain sustainability initiatives, programs, events, mentoring, and organizational support that serves to encourage residents and medical students to pursue their careers in the Oakland/San Francisco Bay Area. PMF endeavors to provide information on policy, research, legislation and knowledgeable speakers on myriad of healthcare initiatives, programs, and related topics.

The Physicians Medical Forum mission is to recruit and retain African American Physicians to eliminate health disparities; improve access to care; and maintain diversity within the profession, thereby improving the quality of life for people of color in the Oakland/San Francisco Bay Area. PMF programs and initiatives include: Physicians Database Directory, Physicians Retention and Recruitment Studies, Continuing Medical Education & Training, Physician Professional and Economic Development, and community outreach programs for medical students and residents.

PMF has also received grants from California Healthcare Foundation and SGC Financial and Insurance Services.

PHYSICIANS MEDICAL FORUM
2201 Broadway, Suite 212 | Oakland, CA 94612
510.562-5560 p | 510.874-7701 f | www.pmfmd.com

“The ultimate reason to become a medical doctor is to help people. PMF is in this business.”