Many of us are naturally suspicious about the data collection habits of major tech companies. We already know several big names have been caught using customer data inappropriately, and each new incident is enough to make you wonder just how far these companies are willing to go.
While selling user data to advertisers might seem like a small potatoes issue, it’s still undeniably invasive. Online advertisers now have a detailed profile of your interests and internet activities. But they’re not the only ones using your personal data. Tap or click to see what law enforcement is using.
What’s so bad about law enforcement using your personal data? Imagine how bad it would be if they made a mistake. That’s exactly what happened to a man in Florida who was accused of a crime he didn’t commit. Still comfortable sharing your data with Google?
According to reports from NBC News, 30-year-old Zachary McCoy of Gainesville, Florida received a startling email from Google regarding his recent activities. Apparently, law enforcement was interested in his Google account data, and they provided a case number for McCoy to look up.
Once he did, McCoy saw the case referenced a burglary on an elderly woman’s house that just happened to be in the same location as his regular bike route. After digging deeper, he found police had used a “Geofence Warrant” to surveil the activity of passersby in the area.
With help from a lawyer, he confirmed police had mistakenly swept him up in a virtual dragnet. He issued a motion to render the warrant null and void, and included several bits of information confirming his alibi, such as his biking data from another app.
The warrant was thankfully shuttered and Google did not appear to share any more of McCoy’s data with law enforcement; however, it would have likely done so had McCoy failed to call a lawyer to intervene.
This incident just goes to show you why data is so valuable to tech companies and law enforcement: It makes their jobs easier. So easy, in fact, that innocent people can get scooped up by mistake. Tap or click here to see some of the corporate partners of a powerful facial recognition AI.
As the original article stated, McCoy was caught in a Geofence Warrant, which is used by law enforcement to gather more information on an incident when a lack of clues or leads arise.
This involves picking up location data, and other bits of data collected by tech companies, to map out an area to get a better picture of what happened during a specific span of time.
Reporting on Facebook is a double-edged sword. On one hand, the company makes so many newsworthy decisions and impacts so many lives that it’s impossible not to talk about them. But on the other, it’s tough to appear objective when Facebook does so many creepy things!
Open/download audioFacebook has been in the news for quite some time about the way it has handled data from users. But this time, Facebook is not the one doing the spying. It turns out, other apps are selling all their user data to Facebook. Kim looks at the latest research about how Facebook is getting data from other apps.
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It’s been a good deal of time since Mark Zuckerberg proclaimed the “future is private.” But based on the company’s behavior in the past several months, its difficult to say how much it’s tried to uphold that ideal.
Facebook did release several high-profile privacy tools for users to try out. They supposedly give you more flexibility with how your data is used, but Facebook continues getting caught mishandling the information it collects. Tap or click here to see how Facebook continues to exploit user data.
Facebook has a history of mishandling users’ personal information. It’s been caught multiple times sharing private data with other companies.
Multiple privacy breaches have led many people to delete their Facebook accounts altogether. You should think about deleting yours, too. Tap or click here to find out how to delete your Facebook account.
Love it or hate it, Facebook is here to stay. It’s already got most of your personal information, and even if you don’t use the platform, it still has numerous ways of following you around the internet.
That’s why people across the web are growing disillusioned with the promise of social media. What started as a fun way to interact with friends and family has become a hollow, negative space where outrage flourishes and privacy is non-existent. Tap or click here to see why you should break up with Facebook for good.
Privacy is no longer a right, but a privilege on the modern web. Most websites require you to fork over a slew of personal data when you sign up, and some don’t even give you the choice to opt out. But, as free services, this is how they’re able to operate — by selling user data and analytics.
Data harvesting is everywhere these days. Platforms ranging from Facebook to Twitter are in an arms race with one another to find the best ways to collect, analyze and sell your information to affiliates. It may seem creepy, but it’s a major reason these websites are free to use.
Facebook has evolved dramatically in the span of one year. After declaring the future was “private,” Mark Zuckerberg and co. have worked to adapt the platform for modern privacy sensibilities. In spite of this, there are still some issues attracting regulators’ attention. Tap or click here to see how the platform is still selling user data.
Much has been said about Facebook’s carelessness in regards to user data, but a recent settlement between the company and the FTC made headlines when the actual dollar amount was announced. Now, the judgment is officially set in stone — with commissioners approving the historical penalty into action. We’ll tell you all the details from the settlement and if it’s actually going to make a difference in how Facebook operates.
The robocall epidemic has gotten so bad that that even the federal government is stepping in. But now, you won’t have to wait on the feds or your phone company to save you anymore! A new app has been released that puts the power to block unfamiliar calls right inside our phones. With one program, now you can automatically block robocalls, filter spam, and even redirect unknown calls to a fake number. If you hate robocalls, you won’t want to miss this!
Your search history is more valuable than you think. Because of this, many Google users are choosing to disengage and opt out of its many personalized options. Wouldn’t it be nice if there was a way to remove activity tracking without losing most of Google’s standout features? Well, Google has listened. It’s releasing a forward-thinking alternative for users who embrace the service but don’t want to sacrifice their privacy. I’ll show you how it works, along with how you can activate it on your own devices right now.
Facebook’s latest product, its $200 Portal video-calling device, is now on sale for U.S. buyers. The voice-activated smart camera features built-in Alexa support, Facebook Messenger integration, and a slew of other options meant to echo that of devices like Amazon’s Echo and Google Home.
Open/download audioFacebook has been in talks with some of the biggest banks such as JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo and Citigroup trying to convince them to share millions of customers account data. But as we all know, Facebook has a less than stellar reputation in safeguarding user data. Do you want Facebook’s hands in your bank account?
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As part of their big privacy revamp, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced a full audit and investigation of all third-party apps. Two months in, the results are public – and somewhat stunning. Facebook has suspended 200 apps for possible data misuse.
Windows 10 has been a remarkably successful operating system (OS) for Microsoft. The tech giant says that nearly 500 million computers run the OS worldwide. Even though Windows 10 is extremely popular, it does have some flaws.
