Local library's public computers are a security nightmare

Stopped by the downtown library in Austin yesterday to print a form. Noticed the computers don't log you out automatically. Saw like 5 people walk away and leave their email accounts open. One guy had his banking page still up. Told the librarian and she just shrugged. Said they don't have the budget for new software. So basically anyone can just sit down and grab your info. Has anyone else seen this at their local library?

2 comments

2 Comments

finley_price241mo ago

Man that's rough, I've seen similar at a library near me in San Antonio and it's honestly scary how easy it would be for someone to just walk up and grab your info. The librarian shrugging it off is the worst part, like yeah budgets are tight but that's a huge privacy risk that shouldn't be ignored. In my experience most librarians care a lot about patron safety so it's weird she didn't even seem concerned. Hopefully enough people complain to the city council or whoever funds them because that's just asking for identity theft to happen.

the_emma1mo ago

Budget for new software" is a cop out honestly. I've dealt with this exact situation before. You can set those computers to auto-logout after 5 minutes of no activity without buying anything, it's just a setting in Windows or whatever they're running. They probably just don't have anyone on staff who knows how to do it or cares enough to try. Here's what I'd do if you really want to push them: walk up to the front desk and ask for the branch manager directly, not the librarian at the desk. Explain that you're a patron worried about identity theft from their public computers and ask them to check the idle timeout settings in their system settings menu. It takes maybe 2 minutes and costs zero dollars. If they still blow you off, contact the Austin Public Library system's IT department or file a complaint with the city's digital privacy office. Libraries get funded by showing how many people use them, so if patrons start complaining about unsafe conditions, they'll pay attention real fast. Have you tried talking to the manager there directly?