Wonder if an app is safe? Some 98% of kids’ education apps share data with third-party advertisers. AppMicroscope.org sifted through almost 1,800 apps to let you know which ones are good or bad for privacy.
Why you can’t access some sites while you’re on a VPN and what to do
Let’s say you’re browsing the web with a VPN. You’re protecting privacy, so you’re confident hackers and advertisers can’t track you. Then you try to go to a site, and it just won’t load.
This can throw a wrench into productivity when working. Or it can ruin your mood when trying to have fun online.
If you want to bypass those infuriating errors that say, “The page you are looking for can’t be found,” we can help. Here’s what to do when a VPN stops site access.
Why you can’t access certain content with a VPN
You can’t access certain apps or websites when your VPN is on for a few reasons. First, you may be dealing with connectivity issues. Perhaps the VPN you’re using is having server issues.
Some sites go out of their way to block connections from VPN servers. The site owners aren’t trying to make your life harder. They block VPNs to cover their backsides. (Legally, not literally.)
Many websites block VPNs because they don’t want to break their contracts. Simply put, many VPN users want to bypass geo-blocking features.
Say you want to watch content that isn’t available in the U.S. If your favorite show is available in the U.K., you can connect to a server there so your internet can access that show. Tap or click here to unlock international Netflix to access more movies and shows.
Streaming sites don’t like this. It lands them in hot water with the production companies they team up with. Here’s why:
- Streaming sites like Netflix and Hulu have long and complicated contracts with production companies.
- Those contracts may involve location limits as part of licensing contracts. Production companies often have stipulations like, “You can stream this show, but only in Canada since we don’t want it in the U.S.”
- Certain websites/services, like PayPal, Venmo and CashApp, identify users for legal purposes through their IP addresses. This is used to resolve problems such as fraud.
A deleted blog post proves it: Advertisers are listening to you
Nope, you’re not paranoid. If you feel like your smartphone and speakers are listening to your private chats, it’s because they are.
In a now-deleted blog post, Cox Media Group revealed it can (and does) gather information from conversations and use it for targeted ads. They thought they were slick by removing the evidence, but we caught all the details. Don’t they know the internet is forever?
The secret phone ID giving away your personal details
How are advertisers and marketers tracking you? Here’s an inside look, in one minute.
Of course they are: Streaming services and advertisers are suing to stop the FTC’s new click-to-cancel rule. Yep, that’s the rule that forces companies like Disney to make canceling subscriptions as easy as signing up. They call the rule “arbitrary, capricious and an abuse of discretion,” which is just a fancy way to say, “We don’t want to make it easy for people to cancel.”
Change this hidden setting, or anyone can get into your iPhone
Your iPhone has a ton of important privacy features. For example, there is a setting to hide your IP address when you send an email. Advertisers cannot track you this way. Here’s how to turn it on.
What if you share your location or other access with someone and want to stop? There’s an easy way to make your texts, location, and other data private again.
Delete this secret ID hiding on your phone that gives away your personal details
From social media platforms to email providers, tons of places on the web want to scoop up your private data. Don’t forget about online stores and personal services, either. Your details are major commodities to most online businesses, and many have little regard for your privacy.
News from X: This is what happens when you buy a company for $44 billion that’s now worth $12 billion — advertisers leave and no one wants to pay $8 a month for a dumb blue checkmark. X is now officially open to adult content, whether it’s AI-generated, photographic or animated. The rules? It must be “consensually produced and distributed,” labeled, and kept out of profile pics and banners. Maybe they’ll change the name to “XXX.”
👊 Close the Windows: There are pros to having your Microsoft and Windows 11 accounts tied together, but if you want to stop Microsoft from sharing your data with advertisers, disconnect from the cloud. Move to a local account with these steps: Open Settings, then Account > Your Info > Sign In. Log into a local account, then confirm your changes.
Too much power: Advertisers can now use Walmart’s shopping data for targeted ads on Disney+ and Hulu. Disney Advertising and Walmart Connect’s partnership gives marketers access to 145 million customers. They say they’ll match users’ data “without violating their privacy,” but they always say that.
Google who? Gen Z is dumping Google for social media. Just 46% of 18- to 24-year-olds start with Google for their searches; 21% head to TikTok and 5% to YouTube for answers first. They say they want to hear from real people, not advertisers.
Secret online advertisers do not want you to know
Want to opt-out of online tracking and take back your privacy? I share the secret in this one-minute podcast.
15 things you didn’t know you can get for free
Internet advertisers are master manipulators, and they want you to feel excited about their products when you browse the web.
They want you to feel dazzled when you look at targeted ads. These emotions inspire you to whip out your credit card and buy the cool tech gadgets and services lighting up your screen. Tap or click here for a few ways to avoid personalized ads on social media.
Quick check to see if someone is spying on your computer
We all know the feeling. You’re scrolling through your phone, and there it is. An ad that you can tie back to a recent conversation with a friend. Tap or click here for simple steps to make advertisers stop tracking you.
Your email is being tracked – Learn the secret advertisers don’t want you to know
It’s impossible not to be tracked online. Still, you can take steps that make a difference.
If you don’t like the idea of advertisers knowing everything about you, shut them out. Tap or click here for simple, actionable steps you can take now.
Free check to see if your router has been hacked by criminals
The internet is a crazy place. Not only do marketers and advertisers follow your every move, but there are also hackers and scammers lurking in the dark corners, ready to pounce on your personal information.
At least marketers and advertisers want to make money off of you. The hackers and scammers we’re talking about want to flat-out steal your money by hijacking your personal information.
Privacy check: 5 Amazon security settings you need to change
Amazon is an essential service for most folks on the internet. That’s why more people are looking at Amazon with skepticism each day — especially in light of its privacy missteps. Click or tap to learn how to stop Amazon from listening to your Alexa conversations.
5 Amazon Fire TV security and privacy settings you need to change
Worried about hacking? You should be. Any device that connects to W-iFi, including smartphones, computers, tablets or any other smart tech, is susceptible to being compromised by cybercriminals.
You probably have a few safeguards in place to secure these devices, which will help cut down on potential compromises. But are you safeguarding all of the devices that you need to?
Hidden danger in your browser: Remove these extensions
One of the best things about a flexible browser is how easy it is to add new features. This is mostly thanks to extensions — the small apps that run inside your browser.
But as good as many extensions are, not every program has your best interest in mind. Security researchers have actually found several extensions that spied on users or acted like malware. Tap or click here to see how 100 or more extensions were caught snooping on users.
Now you can find your lost Android even if it's offline
Services that locate lost devices usually depend on a cellular signal or Wi-Fi connectivity. That’s how an app locates your phone and broadcasts its location. What happens when you lose your device and it’s not only not connected to the internet, it’s entirely powered off? Samsung has a solution.