From the Mailbag - 01/12/2022

JEDEDIYAH wants to know what Two-Factor Authentication is and should she be using it?

Two-Factor Authentication (TFA) just means that in order to get access to a service or Web site, you have to present two forms of ID. The first is usually a password. The second can be a variety of things but usually takes the form of a special code sent to you in a text message. The idea behind it is that a bad guy could somehow get your password but he would not be able to get around the special code unless he had physical possession of your phone.

I recommend that you turn on TFA whenever a service or Web site offers it to you. It gives you an added layer of security.

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CHUNG has privacy concerns about WhatsApp (owned by Facebook). Are there any alternatives that protect users' privacy?

Signal claims to be encrypted, open source, and respectful of users' privacy.

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LIAM AND MADISON are trying to play music from a Bluetooth speaker using a 32GB microSD card. They cannot get the speaker to play the music. Any idea what could be wrong?

The microSD card is probably formatted in NTFS. Try formatting it in FAT32 instead. In Windows, all you have to do is insert the card in the computer and then double click "This PC". Next, find the microSD card in the left pane, right click it and select "Format..." From there you can change the "File system" to FAT32. Finally, click Start to complete the format.

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