Leave the oversharing to your aunt on Facebook: Some apps share your data with other people, not just advertisers. This includes big names like Google Maps and Venmo. Here’s how to change the privacy settings. (I wish I had room for all the steps here!)
These apps are the biggest oversharers on your phone
I talk a lot about how most apps default to automatically sharing your data with advertisers and marketing companies. But some apps share your personal info with other people by default.
Yeah, no, thank you. Let’s end this today. Here are the most common app oversharers on your phone and how to get them to stop.
Google Maps and reviews
By default, any reviews you’ve left on Google — even just to give a restaurant five stars — are public and attached to your profile. When someone clicks on any of your reviews, they’ll be able to see all the other ones you’ve left. That’s basically a public record of where you’ve been (and when you hated the curry). No bueno.
Here’s how to turn off this sharing:
- Open the Google Maps app.
- Click your profile picture in the top right.
- Scroll to Settings and click Personal content.
- Under Profile Settings, slide the toggle off next to Show your posts on your profile.
You have an Amazon public profile
Did you know if you have an Amazon account, you have a public profile, too? Most people don’t have a clue this exists. Adding reviews to Amazon helps other shoppers, sure, but every review you’ve written is attached to your public profile.
The easiest fix? Hide your public profile (which, by the way, also shows your wish lists to the world).
- Log in to your Amazon account, hover over Account & Lists, and click on Account.
- Scroll to Ordering and Shopping Preferences and click Your Amazon profile.
- Click the link in the box that says Edit your profile. Click the Edit profile public visibility tab to continue.
- Click Hide all activity on your public profile.
Forums and comments
Most people who post in forums like Reddit or the comment section of websites use their usernames for privacy, not their real names — but usernames aren’t as private as you might think.
We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.
Tech trick: How to tell who's calling when you don't recognize the phone number
Ever received a text message from a number you don’t recognize? I get a lot of texts from numbers that I have no idea who that person is. Instead of replying with “Ahem, who dis?” there’s a hack you’re going to use time and time again.
Storing cash in Venmo or Cash App? Your wallet's in danger
Unlike the money in your bank, you can lose your funds sitting in these apps. Plus, a hacker found thousands of big biz secrets, a new Amazon scam is spreading, and ChatGPT teases a search engine.
🤑 The tax man cometh … later: The $600 reporting rule for apps like PayPal and Venmo is delayed yet again. This rule says apps owe you a tax form for annual incomes over $600. For another year, personal payments and small sales won’t result in a new tax form. Don’t smile yet; anything over $5,000 (like a car you sell online or your side hustle income), and you’ll receive a Form 1099-K.
Use Venmo? Here's what secrets people discovered thanks to the payment app
As with any payment application, you would assume that your transactions are private. However, that isn’t the case with Venmo if you don’t make this change to security settings. As researchers exposed their spending habits, several politicians found this out the hard way.
If you got paid more than $600 through PayPal or Venmo this year, you might get a tax form
We’re here with a friendly reminder that the government can and will tax you on your PayPal or Venmo transactions if they are over a certain amount. We told you earlier this year about the American Rescue Plan. Tap or click here for more details.
Juul payout: Folks who bought Juul vaping products are getting huge payouts from the $300 million class-action settlement — someone even received over $9,000. The company was sued after its customers claimed they were misled about how addictive Juul’s products were. If you put in a claim, check your Venmo.
⚠️ I’ve warned you about this so many times: When you sign up for Venmo, your payment details and friends list are automatically set to public. Even Tucker Carlson, John Hamm, President Biden and Travis Kelce have had their account info exposed. This gives fraudsters the perfect setup for spear phishing attacks. I have the steps for how to protect your Venmo and make your profile private right here.
Cash app dangers
Got money stashed in Venmo or PayPal? Your funds might be more vulnerable than you think.
Amazon is losing billions on Alexa
Amazon sold Echos below cost, hoping for more Alexa shopping. Spoiler: it didn’t work. Venmo transactions aren’t private, and how your ‘digital twin’ could save your life. Also, Phil from Indiana isn’t happy about his ex-wife FaceTiming their kids at his place.
Your Venmo transactions aren't private
You know who can see your Venmo transactions? Spoiler: everyone. Here’s how to keep your payment history on the down-low.
Unless you change your settings, anyone with the Venmo app can see all your contacts. Go to Privacy settings > Friends list > Private. While you’re there, turn off “appear in other users’ friends’ lists.”
Getting cash is annoying: Split the check for drinks, a concert, vacation — whatever — through Venmo. Open the Venmo app and add your pals as contacts. Choose Pay/Request at the bottom of the screen. Tap the names of the people you want to split the check with. Enter the amount and click Split. You can customize the amount for each person.
Your venmo history may be public
By default your transactions history is public in venmo, here is how to turn it off.
How to split the tab on Venmo
Need to split the bill with a lot of people? Venmo’s got a feature for you. Here’s the trick in one minute.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Important tax change with using Venmo, Paypal and others
Do you use apps like Venmo or Paypal to send and receive money? Listen to this one-minute podcast for tax news you need to know.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Have money sitting around in Venmo? Use it to pay for Amazon purchases
Buying stuff from Amazon just got easier. Let’s say you have money in your Venmo account. Maybe you didn’t move it to your bank account because of the 1.75% fee, which can add up when you instantly transfer money from Venmo.
True or false: You need to submit a selfie with your taxes this year
Many careers have been affected by the pandemic, as people were laid off or switched to remote work. Others found new sources of income, selling things or providing services online.
If you receive income via third-party payment processors such as PayPal, CashApp or Venmo, you may need to change how you report it. The government has added a provision for people earning more than $600 per year through third-party payment processors. Tap or click here to see how this change may affect you.