The worst money apps for your data revealed
I can’t remember the last time I went into a bank. No reason to now that I do it all from my phone. We trust banking apps to keep our financial info safe and secure — but what about privacy? Oh yeah, that.
Merchant Machine reviewed the privacy policies of today’s top banking and finance apps. Researchers found that the 20 worst offenders take an average of 20 unique types of data. Major yikes.
We’re not just talking about your location, purchases and username. It’s everything from browsing history to contacts, search history, usage data and even health and fitness metrics. What are you giving away?
Robin my data
If you use your smartphone to make investments, you’re probably familiar with Robinhood. You might not realize how much info it takes from you: 25 data points, to be exact. And no, it’s not giving it to the poor. Btw, it fell victim to a data breach in 2021.
A newer bank on the scene is Chime, which has had its fair share of controversy. In addition to collecting 23 personal data segments from app users, Chime is guilty of locking users out of their accounts and holding their cash hostage.
What about the big hitters?
Chase is one of the biggest names in the biz and one of the worst data-collection offenders. The Chase mobile app takes 20 data points on users.
In case you forgot, Chase was fined $200 million in 2021 for allowing employees to discuss bank business over messaging apps “to circumvent federal record-keeping laws.” Where there’s smoke, there’s fire.
Download now, steal data later
The buy now, pay later (BNPL) business is booming. BNPL giant Klarna has about 150 million active users — who buy stuff from half a million merchants. The app grabs 24 types of personal data.
BNPL apps definitely take the edge off a large purchase, but they’re also closely tied to your credit score. Something to consider before allowing an app like Klarna to access your shopping habits.
Android tip: Copy and paste text from your phone to your PC
We all love Universal Clipboard, an Apple-exclusive feature that allows you to share a copied chunk of text between your iPhone and Mac.
Did you know that Windows 10 and 11 users can do the same on Android? It’s true. You should give it a shot if you’re not already doing it. Tap or click here for seven things you didn’t know your Android could do.
Online forms are grabbing your data - even if you don’t hit enter
An effective way to get someone’s opinion on a product or service is to create an online form or survey. Other times, online forms are the preferred way to sign up for newsletters, register an account or buy tickets. Tap or click here for a list of apps that collect the most private data from you.
How to change privacy settings on Instagram
Whether they are watching your activity and using it for their means or selling it to third parties, Big Tech is under the privacy microscope. In response, developers have added privacy settings to apps and devices. This primarily serves to better inform you of how you’re being tracked in some cases. In other situations, you have greater control of how you’re tracked.
These apps collect the most private data from you
In today’s fast-paced digital world, no one has time to read the fine print. Many people click “Accept” without reading through the whole deal when downloading an app. The apps that collect the most private data love it when you agree to data collection without understanding what you give away.
Can you trust Apple's new app privacy labels? One report says no
Do you remember in mid-2020 when Apple said it would start requiring app developers to spell out what data they gather from users? Late last year, those changes finally rolled out for iOS 14.3.
Those informational labels’ goal — also known as nutrition labels — is to show what data your apps collect about you. This information has to be submitted to Apple by developers before any updates or new apps will be added to the App Store. Tap or click here for a more in-depth look at Apple’s nutrition labels.
Robot vacuums have a lot of dirt on you. Is yours sharing data?
It’s not uncommon to have your data gathered and shared by smart devices. Part of what makes them “smart” is that they are built to help automate your home or other parts of your life.
But while most of us expect our smart speakers or the apps on our phones to gather data, we may not put much thought into other smart devices we use. After all, how much data can a smart thermostat, robovac or smart plug gather on you? To buy or not to buy: Hot tech products that put your privacy at risk
Amazon Sidewalk: Should you opt-out of the neighborhood wireless network?
What happens when the internet goes down in a home with a Ring security system? Normally, this would mean the security feed gets cut off — but Amazon-branded devices have a bizarre new feature that can keep them connected no matter what.
A tool to find and opt out of all the sites collecting your data
How often do you check the terms when you’re signing up for new services or accounts? You may check over the basics, like monthly subscription payments you’ve agreed to or terms of service, but do you really know what else you’re signing on the dotted line for?
Zoom vs. Google Meet vs. Skype vs. GoToMeeting
With millions of workers and students at home, we’re more reliant on digital tools than ever. And when those tools go down, it spells bad news.
Zoom, the go-to video conferencing app, went down across the U.S. Monday morning — leaving people unable to join meetings, webinars and classes. By late morning, Zoom had restored service for most users, but this is still a great time to consider an alternative in case something like this happens again.
If you're relying on Facebook to communicate, do this to protect your account
Ever leave your Facebook logged in on a friend’s computer or in a public place like the Apple store? Perhaps it resulted in someone posting from your account in a pretty harmless way. While you may have gotten away unscathed once, the truth is leaving your Facebook vulnerable leaves you vulnerable.
Ring is giving you more privacy controls - change these settings now
Updated 02/03/2020 to include new information about data sharing and Control Center limitations.
Home security has gotten a huge boost in recent years from new technology. Even your doorbell is getting smarter.