NEWS
How to watch NSFW/NSFL content safely and discreetly
February 12, 2024 1:55 p.m.
Want to hide your guilty pleasures from prying eyes? Do it properly, suggests Kaspersky experts
You may have already heard about NSFW (not-safe-for-work) or NSFL (not-safe-for-life) and what it means to your self-preservation or at the very least, your reputation.
If you’re still clueless, it refers to online content that is best viewed in private. Examples would be medications you take, gifts you were checking out for your loved ones and sensitive videos you watched before bed.
“The kind and amount of information that we can now access through the internet is almost limitless. And many of us are happy to do things online. On the flipside, our research shows some prefer to keep those habits to themselves. In fact, many see the Internet as a place to hide,” said Yeo Siang Tiong, General Manager for Southeast Asia at Kaspersky.
In a study by Kaspersky on digital privacy, almost half of respondents (41%) said they apply additional measures when browsing the Internet to hide their information from the websites they visit. The same study revealed that family members, colleagues and the government are the top three groups of people we don’t want to know certain things about us.
“With online content at our fingertips, people will read and watch online whatever they want to. Whichever it is, we recommend doing it safely. Remember your digital reputation is closely linked to your personal reputation. With a stroke of unfortunate luck, your online habit or personal information can accidentally become available to others, despite your wishes. Not only would it make you a target of malware but it could end up costing you your job,” added Yeo.
This article explains who can catch sight of your online activities and how to make sure your secrets are safe.
- Your family
You likely share a computer and a Wifi network with your family. This means your partner, kids, or parents—anyone you share a home with—could discover traces of your online activities. Here are what could give you away:
- Browser history It remembers the websites you visit and suggests them the next time you want to visit one of them. It can come in handy but can lead to some awkward moments like if your partner or your child types in the letter P (for Pinterest) and gets a suggestion for P(ornhub).
- Targeted advertising When you open a website, the browser saves cookie files on your computer, which allows the site to remember things about you (like your username, pages you viewed, contents of your shopping cart, etc). They also give ad network-partners of the website’s owner information about you for suggesting similar content. The giants of the Web, such as Google, will not show erotic banners, of course. But less-scrupulous ad networks may.
Tip: It’s best to go into incognito mode before watching private videos, to avoid embarrassment later. Using it avoids leaving browsing traces for your family to discover. Some browsers such as Yandex.Browser will suggest it if you open a porn site. By running in incognito mode, your browser stores no cookies and no search history. Your family will see none of those treacherous suggestions in the address bar.
As for the cookies and browser history you have already accumulated, clear them. Open the browser’s settings: In Chrome, for example, the option will be visible immediately, and in Firefox, you will need to go to the Privacy & Security tab.
- Internet giants
Cookies are not the only way to find out about your interests, so incognito mode will not hide information about your hobbies from big Internet corporations. Facebook will still learn about the things you like if you visit websites that are integrated with its analytics and advertising modules — and you would not believe how many of those are around.
Google will still remember what you searched for and what sites you opened in Chrome. This year, Pornhub revealed that the Philippines topped its website viewership for the fourth consecutive year. The website shared that they’ve monitored getting more female viewers than male viewers in the country through the demographics data tracking of Google Analytics.
Tip: Fortunately, not all companies want to collect all of the data they can about you. Privacy-centric browsers like Firefox and search engines such as DuckDuckGo and Startpage.com, along with the Private Browsing feature in Kaspersky products can help prevent tracking by advertising networks and Internet giants.
- Your ISP
Few will pause to think that their ISP, as well as the owner of the free Wi-Fi they are using, can monitor their traffic. We suggest you put some safety measures in place, which is not nearly as hard as it may sound, unless you like the thought of your passions becoming some mischievous ISP employee’s source of entertainment.
Tip: Use a secure connection like a VPN (virtual private network) to dodge those whose curiosity gets the better of them. Doing so will encrypt your traffic so strongly that the ISP will see nothing but gibberish.
- Porn scammers
Scammers who email you saying they have infected your computer with malware and used a Web camera to make a video of your naughty pleasures really have no idea if you have been watching porn or not. They are simply mass-mailing their threats in the hope that someone will bite.
Tip: Do not fret. Never pay scammers who claim to have caught you watching adult content. If you receive an email like that, send it straight to spam.
Remember safety measures
Although the creators of well-known porn websites protect their reputations, it is not impossible to get your device infected while searching for adult videos. From time to time, cybercriminals hack networks that display ads on such websites or attempt to pass off a fake.
The malware is unlikely to hack your webcam, but it may very well block your screen with an explicit picture or start displaying gobs of explicit ads in your browser. So, remember these safety measures.
- Choose websites you know. Avoid opening questionable websites from search results that promise premium content free.
- Download apps from official sources only.
- Do not click on links in ads, even if they are hard to resist.
- Use a robust protective solution such as Kaspersky Premium. It will block a malicious program, should one attempt to infect your device.
NEWS
Your SM Foodie Festival experience, made sweeter with delicious deals!
4:34 p.m. September 13, 2024
It is all about food at SM Supermalls for the entire month of September! Indulge your taste buds in delicious flavors from your favorite SM mall food establishments—made even more scrumptious with these sweet deals from SM Malls Online and SM Deals!
The most AweSM deals!
Craving that delicious char of grilled ribs or chicken? Satisfy it at Gringo-Chicken Ribs and enjoy a 15% discount on all products!
Dive into a hearty Merienda Deal at Taste of Czaczacza! For just P300, indulge in a savory Lomi Solo paired with a refreshing Blue Pea Lemonade drink!
Warm up your day and share it with a friend! Classic Savory’s promo deal promises a Buy 1 Get 1 deal on its delicious Savory Classic Lomi Soup for only P305!
SM Food Court has something special for you lined up this September! Gather your friends and family for a feast, because every group meal purchase worth P599 or more gets you a FREE 1.5L Coke—the perfect pair to a perfect meal!
Whether it’s a birthday, anniversary, or just because, you deserve to celebrate in the sweetest way! Get 15% off all products when you buy your cakes and pastries at Honeybon!
Sometimes, you want a delicious meal meant just for you, and only you! Well, Chili’s has got just the promo for you—for only P380, choose a solo-size starter, soup or salad, a solo-size entree, and a drink and enjoy! Available all day, every day until November 30, 2024!
Snacks abound all September!
Dunkin’s Famous Bundle deal gets even better—instead of P420, treat yourself, your friends, and the whole family to a delicious selection of 6 Classic Donuts and 6 Premium Donuts for only P399!
Brighten your day with a delicious and healthy serving of Pinkberry frozen yogurt! Made with real milk, real yogurt, and the freshest ingredients, any small, medium or large size purchase will get you 10% off your order!
Delicious food made for sharing until the month ends!
Treat your family to a Max’s Restaurant meal—you might just get a little thank you for your patronage! For a minimum spend of P1,000, you and your loved ones can enjoy a FREE ala carte serving of their famous Lumpiang Shanghai!
Double the fries, double the fun! Enjoy your snack time by dropping by Tokyo Tokyo from 2 PM to 5 PM to get a second order of fries for free!
Snack time with the barkada has never been this good! Visit The Beanery from 10 AM to 3 PM and for a minimum spend of P1,000, you’ll get 1 order of Potato Mojos or 1 order of Korean Chicken Pops for FREE!
Delightful drinks to quench your thirst all month long!
Perk up your afternoons with a friend and Bo’s Coffee! From Monday to Thursday, 3 PM to 6 PM, buy a Large Hot or Iced Cafe Latte, to get a Medium Hot or Iced Americano for free!
Barkada bondings get better with a delicious thirst quencher in hand! For just P299, you can get 4 cups of the refreshing Wonder Trio at Just Squeezed—perfect for sharing with your friends!
Share a sweet (and healthy!) treat with a special someone! Buy the Avo-licious Bundle at Avocadoria and get 2 refreshing, creamy and delicious Avocado Shakes for only P300!
Variety is the spice of life, and BLK 5 Cafe’s got a lot of it! Pick up any Venti drink from their selection of coffees, frappes and milk teas and enjoy 10 pesos off your order!
Drink coffee the Korean way! Get 10% off on all Grand-sized Drinks at WouldULike, the innovative South Korean coffee chain that makes each drink fresh and sealed in cans to preserve its delicious taste and temperature!
Your perfect cup just got bigger! Buy any hot drink from B&R Cafe and enjoy a free upsize from 8oz to 12oz!
Perk up with a little bit of zest! Buy any Venti Flavor at Fruity Lemon and get a FREE Fruity Lemon Petite!
Additional deals you don’t want to miss!
Eating like a King doesn’t mean breaking the bank! Enjoy delicious rice meal deals with Burger King’s King Saver Rice Meals! Choose from Mushroom Gravy Chunky Chicken Fillet, Creamy Parm Chunky Chicken Fillet, or Smoky BBQ Chunky Chicken Fillet for only P85 each—and get a free drink to boot! This deal runs until September 13, 2024 at all SM branches of Burger King, so don’t miss out!
Cafe Siklista has you covered for payday! On September 15 and September 30, choose from 22oz Iced Coffee & White Chops, 12oz Hot Coffee & Cheesecake, and Pasta & Clubhouse combos for only P180 each!
Mom’s Ube & Triple Chocolate Champorado promo is a perfect after-school reward for your bulilit! Buy 2 of any size and get 1 Small Champorado for free! Prices start at P35, and promo runs from September 20 to September 30 only!
Enjoy a complete selection of delicious Japanese favorites and get an incredible deal in return! Use your Security Bank Card when you dine at Tsurumaru Udon X Tempura on Mondays to Fridays until October 31, 2024 for 20% off on a total bill of P1,000 or more!
Celebrate your birthday by dining in at Shaka Cafe and get a FREE slice of cake of your choice! Just present proof of your birthdate and spend a minimum of P500! September celebrants, now is your time! Everyone else, don’t fret—this offer is valid until December 31, 2024!
Enjoy these tasty treats, delightful drinks and mouth-watering meals all through September with SM Supermalls’ Foodie Festival 2024! Download the SM Malls Online app and swipe to avail of these AweSM deals! For more information and to stay updated, visit www.smsupermalls.com or follow SM Supermalls on Facebook.
NEWS
SM Supermalls celebrates Donald Duck’s 90th Anniversary
6:20 p.m. September 12, 2024
SM Supermalls was the epicenter of a quackin’ celebration as it hosted an unforgettable 90th anniversary party for Donald Duck. From August 1 to 13, 2024, mall-goers were treated to an array of themed installations, photo spots, and activities that paid tribute to one of Disney’s most beloved characters.
SM Mall of Asia launched the celebration in its Main Mall Atrium, with the space adorned in bold nautical colors, setting the perfect backdrop for the festivities. Multiple photo spots and a themed retail space delivered excitement of Donald’s 90th anniversary to Filipinos. Fans could browse a wide range of merchandise from Toy Kingdom Express featuring Donald Duck and other beloved Disney characters, from plush toys to stylish apparel.
Famous for his funny antics, Donald Duck debuted in 1934 in “The Wise Little Hen” cartoon and has since become one of Mickey Mouse’s best pals. For his 90th celebration, Donald Duck was also at the launch to greet and take photos with families.
A selection of plush toys from Toy Kingdom Express inspired by beloved Disney characters sit on display at SM Mall of Asia’s Main Mall Atrium.
Alongside the launch at SM Mall of Asia, Donald Duck took his birthday celebration on the road to two other SM malls in South Luzon. At SM City Santa Rosa and SM City Dasmarinas, Donald played with families and friends who came to greet him. Both malls also opened a retail space that featured collectibles, stuffed toys, and other merchandise to commemorate Donald Duck’s 90th anniversary.
For more information and to stay updated on the best family-fun activities, visit www.smsupermalls.com or follow SM Supermalls on social media.
NEWS
Office of Civil Defense strengthens ties with Japan
8:49 p.m. September 10, 2024
Office of Civil Defense Administrator Undersecretary Ariel Nepomuceno said that there will be a continued effort to strengthen the ties with Japan on disaster risk reduction and management.
Nepomuceno said the initiative would be beneficial to the OCD following a courtesy call by officials from the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) and Japan Ministry of Defense (MOD) last week at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.
“We are pleased with the recent visit of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force and Japan Ministry of Defense to OCD. Japan is one of our steadfast partners or strong allies in DRRM. We are grateful for their continued support to us. Their best practices in DRRM are invaluable and worthy of emulation,” Usec. Nepomuceno said.
During the visit, the OCD provided a briefing on various systems, mechanisms and efforts relative to the Philippine DRRM.
The discussion covered topics on Earthquake and Volcanic Eruption Monitoring and Early Warning Systems in the Philippines; Standard Operating Procedure for Earthquake and Volcanic Eruption Preparedness, Response, and Recovery; Evacuation Plans and Safe Zones for Earthquake and Volcanic Eruption in the Philippines; and the Ongoing Efforts to Improve Earthquake and Volcanic Eruption Preparedness in the Philippines.
Officers of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force and Japan Ministry of Defense are currently in the Philippines for Japan-Philippines Humanitarian and Disaster Response Cooperation Project 2024 from September 1 to 7, 2024 at the Headquarters of Philippine Army, Fort Andres Bonifacio, Taguig City, and in Legazpi City, Albay.
Moreover, the OCD and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) have been engaged in several capacity-building initiatives as part of the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management-Capacity Enhancement Project Phase partnership program.