Are you a speed racer? You’re being watched. Major car companies are watching how you drive and selling your data to third-party brokers. Plus, discover secret codes to protect your family from scams and why the FCC is cracking down on illegal jammers.
Your ISP sees everything you do online - Here's how to stop it
We all know that Google, Amazon and Facebook are tracking us, but have you really thought about your ISP? That’s short for “internet service provider.” Depending on where you live, you may have a few to choose from — or maybe there’s only one.
Take a second to think about the power an ISP has over you. You have to use their lines to get on the web. They keep track of every single thing you do online.
Your entire internet history is saved on their servers. Every website you visit, every search you make, anything you do on social media, what profiles you set up and where you buy anything. Even your porn habits are tracked and stored.
What happens with all this data?
All this data you handed over then gets bundled up and sold off. There’s no transparency about who gets your private information — or what they’ll do with it. You may think to yourself, “Hey, that’s not right!” But here’s the skinny: Back in 2017, the Federal Communications Commission said it was OK.
According to the FCC, ISPs don’t have to get your permission to profit off your data. And get this, they don’t even have to tell you how long they’re keeping your data, either.
Can you opt-out of this tracking?
Probably not. Plus, even if you want to, some ISPs have the nerve to charge you more for your internet connection.
You have two options:
- Don’t use an ISP. This means you can’t get online.
- Get online and use the internet the smart way. You can take back your privacy through a VPN.
While you’re using a VPN, your ISP cannot track you. The ISP cannot see what sites you visit or anything you do while connected. It can only see that encrypted data is traveling to a server.
Think of it this way: You’re traveling in a car on the freeway. You can see everything around you and know the roads you’ve been on and what’s shown on the speedometer.
Struggling with bad internet? Try the FCC's new speed test
Everybody needs a fast and stable internet connection. Unfortunately, there are still tons of people who struggle with broadband. Whether it is through failing infrastructure or simply being too remote, a steady connection is not always available. Slow internet? The FCC wants to know – tap or click here to report it.
Un-bell-ievable: The FCC is slapping Chinese video doorbell maker Eken with a $735,000 fine. Sold by big names like Amazon and Walmart, Eken’s doorbells exposed users’ IP addresses and Wi-Fi network names and gave others unauthorized access to videos.
🛑 Big Tech, big trouble: President-elect Donald Trump has chosen Brendan Carr to lead the Federal Communications Commission. His first order of business? Cracking down on tech companies like Google and Meta for censorship and content moderation. What’s standing in his way? The FCC needs Congress’ permission to make changes.
Net neutrality’s back: The FCC voted to restore net neutrality, saying ISPs can’t speed up, slow down or block access to specific sites or services. The FCC also wants to stop ISPs from selling customers’ personal info or using this info to train AI models. Now, the pros and cons of net neutrality are a 20-minute lecture starting with: Do we really want to open the door to government interference and regulation of private enterprise? Drop me a note here if you want to talk about net neutrality or another burning tech topic.
The FCC investigates the sale of jammers on Amazon
Even though they’re against the law, you can find them online easily. Here’s what’s going on.
FCC Votes down Net Neutrality
FCC Votes down Net Neutrality – America dodges a bullet
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