Season Begins September 2nd

Safeguarding
Your Privacy

Local engineer develops website
to help you remove personal
information online.

Allan Nahajewski

• A

Contributing Writer

off full season
for New
Preschoolers

I

f you're concerned about your
online privacy, a new resource
is available that can help you get
your personal information removed
from various websites.
The new site — Find-Me-Online.net
— is a free service provided by Howard
Berenbon, an electrical engineer from
West Bloomfield.
"The goal is to help you find your per-
sonal, private and public information list-
ings online and offer advice and articles
on how to get those listings removed, if
desired:' he said.
Berenbon developed the site after a
couple of encounters with web predators.
"Several years ago, I developed a series
of sports entertainment programs on
discs sold exclusively through my own
website. I was searching eBay to check
my competition, and I was shocked to
find my software for sale without my
permission:' he said. One of his custom-
ers copied his software and had been sell-
ing it on eBay for almost a year.
Berenbon contacted eBay, who
removed all of the customer's listings. He
also contacted the customer and request-
ed payment.
"He eventually complied, but not until
after I said I would be contacting his
local police if he didn't respond within a
week:' he said. "It was very disturbing to
find someone stealing my work:
Recently, Berenbon found some of his
work for sale online through a Chinese
website. "I was pleased that once I
reached out, it was removed immediately.
They apologized, saying they thought it
was part of public domain:'
Hearing a radio interview with a
woman who was trying to remove herself
from the Internet gave Berenbon the idea
for his site.
"It's just about impossible to be totally
absent online, but there are steps you can
take to increase your privacy:' he said.
Those steps are outlined on his website.
"If you've been working or playing
online, either recently or ever since the
introduction of the Internet, it's highly
likely that some of your personal infor-
mation is accessible for anyone to see and
copy:' Berenbon said.
Find-Me-Online.net lists several of the

off balance of
2014 for New
Beginners

(3 - 5 years old)
Fresh New
Hip Hop and
Lyrical Classes
with our new
instructor Maye

Find-Me-Online.net developer Howard
Berenbon and his wife, Leah Klein

most important search engines on the
web. Also included are links to the larg-
est social networks, as well as a link to
search all those sites. The website also
includes articles and links with advice
on how to remove unwanted listings.
"With the vast amount of informa-
tion stored on the Internet, it would be
wise for any person or business to peri-
odically search the web for their infor-
mation:' said Berenbon. "Data about
a particular individual may be online
without their knowledge, or [may be]
inaccurate. Copyrighted materials may
be used without an author's permission,
and a case for copyright infringement
against the publisher can be pursued:'
Berenbon adds that the website can
help protect online businesses from
credit card fraud.
"Most online shopping carts track the
IP address of the order:' he said. "You
can enter that IP and instantly find the
location of the computer that placed
the order. If it matches your customer's
city, you're OK. If it's offshore or from
another state, then it may not be safe
to ship:'
Berenbon, 65, belongs to Temple
Israel in West Bloomfield. He was born
and raised in Detroit and graduated
from Henry Ford High School and
Wayne State University. He sells water
filters online at thewaterexchange.net
and publishes software and hardware
reviews on cyber-reviews.com .
"If you don't want your personal
information available to the world, you
have a right to request its removal:' he
said. "It won't cost you anything but
your time:'

❑

Cutting Edge
Contemporary
Classes taught
by new instructor
Rebecca

A

Technique Classes

Competition
Company
Jazz, Tap, Ballet,
Hip Hop, Modern,
Contemporary
and Lyrical

offered

28801 Orchard Lake Rd. • Farmington Hills, MI 48334 • 248-553-0305
www.annetteandcompany.com

SHOLEM ALEICHEM
LUSTITUTE

invites you to join them at their

SECULAR HIGH HOLIDAY ASSEMBLIES

to be held at a NEW venue

Steinway Piano Gallery - Recital Hall

2700 East West Maple Rd
Commerce Twp MI 48390

(SE corner of M-5 and Maple)

ROSH HASHANAH

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 25TH AT 10 AM

KOL NIDRE

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3RD AT 8 PM

YOM KIPPUR

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 4TH AT 10 AM

As Always No Ticket Required
Membership inquiries welcome. Call Institute Office (248) 865-0117

1938820

September 11 • 2014

33