Fake News & Filter Bubbles:

News recommendations are convenient and, let's be honest, many of us prefer to read content that is in line with our opinion. But what if that content isn’t accurate? Or what if we lose sight of the big picture because we are only exposed to a small part of it – how can we form our own opinion?

How much control do we really have? And how much do we willingly give away?

Many of us feel that we have little control over their security, privacy and the quality of the information we see online. Maybe that's how you feel, too. Yes, there is room for improvement – but all too often we are rather lazy and use only a fraction of the tools available to us. Or we rely on convenient all-in-one solutions, putting a huge amount of personal data in the hands of a single company without hesitation. Why? Because we don’t want to give it more thought than absolutely necessary. Or maybe also because we simply don’t know how many alternatives we actually have.

Trackers everywhere:

Trackers, cookies? You've most likely heard about them before. Trackers are tiny elements on websites that observe and record your behavior in order to pass it on to the page owner(s) or third parties. Some of them even track you across numerous websites.

Tracking cookies are supposed to tell website owners and advertisers about your browsing behavior and what you’re interested in. It is then used to personalize your web experience. Oftentimes that means that you see customized ads, matched to your interests. Ultimately, the cookies put together a lot of information about you and store it in a profile. That may sound convenient but, unfortunately, these profiles aren’t necessarily accurate. In the best case, that means that you get less relevant ads. In the worst case, the information you see on some websites doesn’t fit your needs and expectations. Also, be aware that your profile can influence, for example, the prices at which products and services are offered to you.