When's the last time you Googled yourself? Do you know what would show up if a prospective employer typed your name into Google, or if the person you met on a date over the weekend decided to read up on you? Here's why you need to be Googling yourself, as you never know just how much information on you is easily accessible out there.

Facebook and other companies routinely track your online surfing habits to better target ads at you. Two web browsers now want to help you fight back in what's becoming an escalating privacy arms race.

The My Health Record (MHR) opt-out period has begun, and you have until October 15 to decide whether or not to be part of the scheme. Unless you take action to remove yourself from the My Health Record (MHR) system, the federal government will make a digital copy of your medical record, store it centrally, and, as the default, provide numerous people with access to it.

If you don’t opt out during this period and later choose to cancel your record, you will no longer be able to access that record but the government will continue to store it until 30 years after your death. You will need to trust that it will not be breached.

Deleting sensitive files from your computer is easier said than done. Even if you remember to regularly empty your recycling bin, remnants of the offending files will still be lurking on your hard drive. This infographic breaks down all the ways to ensure absolutely nothing can be recovered.

When you really need to keep your files safe and secure, you need encryption. We've covered the basics before, and even rounded up your favourite encryption tools, but today we're putting two of the most popular options for Windows head to head to see which one is the best at keeping your sensitive data safe.