Jargon buster
We promise no jargon - and when a word is unavoidable, here it is in plain English. Meet a term you don't know in a guide? This is where it's explained.
A
- App permissions
- The things an app asks to use - your camera, microphone, contacts, or location. Grant only what an app genuinely needs to do its job. Read the guide →
- Apple Account (Apple ID)
- The account you sign in to Apple services with - iCloud, the App Store, and the rest. It used to be called an Apple ID. Read the guide →
B
- Biometrics (Face ID / Touch ID)
- Unlocking a device or app with a physical feature - your face or fingerprint - instead of typing a code. Convenient, and hard for someone else to copy. Read the guide →
- Bluetooth tracker (AirTag)
- A coin-sized tag, such as an AirTag or Tile, that reports its location. Made to find keys or a bag, but it can be misused to follow a person. Read the guide →
C
- Small files a website stores on your device to remember you. Some are useful, like staying logged in; others track what you do across different sites for advertising.
- Cryptocurrency
- Digital money, such as Bitcoin, that no bank runs. Payments are hard to reverse, which is exactly why scammers like to be paid in it. Read the guide →
D
- Data breach
- When a company's stored information - emails, passwords, and the like - is stolen or leaked. If a service you use is breached, change that password and turn on two-factor authentication.
- Deepfake
- A video, image, or voice clip made or altered by AI to show someone saying or doing something they never did. Read the guide →
- Digital footprint
- The trail of information about you that builds up online - posts, photos, accounts, and the data others hold - much of which anyone who looks can find. Read the guide →
E
- Encryption
- Scrambling information so only the intended person can read it. Anyone who intercepts it just sees nonsense.
- End-to-end encryption
- Encryption where only you and the person you are talking to can read the messages - not even the app's own company can. Apps like WhatsApp and Signal use it. Read the guide →
F
- Family Sharing
- Apple's system for letting up to six family members share purchases and subscriptions while each keeps their own account, with parental controls for children. Read the guide →
G
- Generative AI (chatbot)
- AI that produces text, images, or answers on request, such as a chatbot. It can sound completely confident and still be wrong, so check anything that matters. Read the guide →
H
- HTTPS (the padlock)
- The padlock and the 'https' at the start of a web address mean your connection to that site is encrypted. It confirms the connection is private, but not that the site itself is honest.
I
- In-app purchase
- Something you buy inside an app after installing it - extra features, coins, or a subscription. These can add up quickly, especially for children. Read the guide →
M
- Malware
- Harmful software - viruses and the like - that gets onto a device to steal information, spy, or cause damage. It usually arrives through a dodgy link, attachment, or app.
- Metadata
- Hidden information tucked inside a file. A photo, for instance, can quietly carry the date, the device, and even the location where it was taken. Read the guide →
N
- NFC
- Near-field communication - the short-range wireless that lets two devices talk when almost touching. It powers tap-to-pay and reading a tag by holding your phone to it.
O
- One-time code
- A short number, sent to you or made by an app, that works only once and only for a few minutes, used to confirm it is really you. Never share it with anyone. Read the guide →
P
- Parental controls (Screen Time)
- Built-in settings that let a parent set limits and content restrictions on a child's device. Apple calls its version Screen Time. Read the guide →
- Passkey
- A newer, safer replacement for a password. It lives on your device and unlocks with your face, fingerprint, or PIN, and there is nothing for a scammer to steal or trick out of you. Read the guide →
- Password manager
- An app that creates and remembers a different strong password for every account, so you only have to remember one master password. Read the guide →
- Phishing
- A fake message - text, email, or DM - designed to trick you into handing over passwords, codes, or money, usually by pretending to be a company or person you trust. Read the guide →
- Public Wi-Fi
- A shared wireless network in a cafe, hotel, or airport. Because you cannot be sure who else is on it, avoid banking or signing in to important accounts without extra protection. Read the guide →
Q
- QR code
- The square, pixelated barcode you scan with a camera to open a link or pay. A sticker placed by a scammer can send you to a fake site, so check where it leads. Read the guide →
R
- Router
- The box that brings the internet into your home and shares it over Wi-Fi. Changing its default password is one of the best home-security steps you can take. Read the guide →
S
- Seed phrase (crypto wallet)
- A crypto wallet holds your digital money; its seed phrase, a list of words, is the master key to it. Anyone who gets the seed phrase can take everything, so it is never shared. Read the guide →
- SIM swap
- A scam where a criminal moves your phone number onto their own SIM card, so your calls and security codes go to them instead of you. Read the guide →
- Software update (patch)
- A free update from the maker that closes security holes as well as fixing bugs. Installing updates promptly is one of the simplest ways to stay safe.
T
- Two-factor authentication (2FA)
- A second step when you log in - usually a code or a tap on your phone - on top of your password, so a stolen password alone is not enough to get into your account. Read the guide →
V
- VPN
- A tool that creates a private, encrypted connection over the internet, often used to protect your data on public Wi-Fi. VPN stands for virtual private network. Read the guide →
Still stuck on a word? Tell us and we'll add it: hello@monkleton.io.