🚨 Do it right now: The National Security Agency (NSA) has a hot security tip: Power off and restart your phone weekly. Sounds like a “duh,” but it works to combat zero-click exploits and spear phishing. More tips (that I’ve been giving you for years): Keep your OS updated, and disable Bluetooth and location services when you don’t need ‘em.
Revealed: Shopping apps that collect and sell the most data
Spoiler: They are all super data-hungry. New research dove deep into shopping apps that collect sensitive consumer data. It found that 75% of the apps in the study share user data with third parties. Some even share this data with outsiders without informing you. Lovely.
I’ve included the sketchiest apps here and tips to help you stay safe. Just because this research focuses on Android doesn’t mean my fellow iPhone owners are in the clear, btw. Apple does a little more to protect us from app tracking, but it still happens.
Dashing through the data
Atlas VPN researchers looked at the Google Play app profiles of the 60 most popular shopping apps. They also reviewed apps in the buy now, pay later (BNPL) and discount offer categories.
We’re not talking about your name and what you bought, people. Most of these apps collect highly personal and financial data, including phone numbers, payment methods, credit scores and even precise locations.
Atlas says 58% of the apps they reviewed shared names, home addresses, email IDs and phone numbers with third parties. (That’s code for anyone willing to pay enough.) Plus:
- 25% shared device IDs or other unique identifiers for smartphones and tablets.
- Roughly a third disclosed financial data, including purchase history and payment details.
- 28% shared location data with “external sources,” whatever that means.
That’s about as un-private as it gets.
Who were the Baddest Santas of the bunch?
eBay and Amazon ranked the worst in terms of how many user data points they collect, 28 and 25, respectively. Third is the BNPL app Afterpay, which collects 22 unique user data points.
Get this: Afterpay shared in-app messages, texts, emails and even credit scores with third parties. Oof, no wonder they’ve given out free short-term loans.
Silver lining: Out of all 60 apps, Kohl’s was the only one that didn’t collect any data whatsoever. And who doesn’t love Kohl’s Cash?
Privacy tip: Make sure you're not accidentally sharing your location with apps or people
Ever text a picture to an acquaintance or someone you just met? Depending on your phone and camera’s settings, you may have inadvertently sent where you live, too. This is what someone can see from just a photo.
One good thing about social media is that most platforms wipe out this data. Still, they’re exposing you in other ways. Here’s how to check everything Facebook collects.
Your phone tracks everywhere you’ve been – See (and delete) it
Google knows more about you than your best friends. That includes (if you have the correct settings enabled) where you go and even the pictures you take at that location.
You have to check out this map. It’s stunning to see your history laid out in one spot.
10 bad iPhone default settings you should change today
Your devices come preloaded with settings and apps that can slow things down. This is especially true with new PCs, which have many programs that start automatically as soon as you boot it up.
Tech companies embed default settings into our devices that supposedly make our lives easier, but they often cause more problems than they are worth. Here are 10 default iPhone settings you should switch off.
7 important iPhone security settings to change right now
The iPhone is Apple’s most popular product, and the Cupertino company does everything it can to keep up with the latest tech developments while adding its own. You may have had an iPhone for years and not know everything it’s capable of. Tap or click here for seven hidden iPhone features you may not know.
Your every move tracked: How to remove Apple and Google’s location data
It’s no secret anymore. Nearly everything you do online is tracked or recorded and used to learn more about you.
Many of your data points ends up on creepy people search sites. You’ll be shocked to find your full name, address, relatives, phone number, and more. Here’s a list of sites where you can opt out of this invasion of privacy.
Study: Most Americans believe they’re being tracked
Using an app exposes you to tracking, but it’s particularly dangerous with certain ones. TikTok has been banned from government and military devices in the U.S., and there’s been a push for its Chinese owners to sell their shares in the company. And that’s not all. Watch out for these other Chinese apps.
Protect your privacy: How to stop apps and people from tracking your every move
Imagine if a data broker knows your phone is on a nightstand next to another phone six nights a week and across town on the seventh night. That data broker also knows everywhere you go and how long you stay there. Creepy.
How to make sure you're not accidentally sharing your location with someone
Did you know that Twitter records your exact GPS location when you post? This could be dangerous if you’re tweeting from home. Here’s how to put a stop to it.
Your devices and apps have ways of keeping tabs on you, among them knowing where you are at any time. The bad news is that this is often something you’re not aware of. The good news is that you have some control over this.
Do this to see how much access your apps have to your computer
Your phone knows a lot about you. It tracks your movement, browsing habits, downloads and more. And it gets worse. How do you know when you’re being recorded? Tap or click here for a trick to know when your phone’s camera or microphone is being used.
How to see the secret map tracking everywhere you go
At this point, the idea of privacy in our digital world seems like, at best, a farce. As we continue to learn about our devices, we see more and more that they are tracking us in many ways, including some that we never thought of.
10 Facebook privacy and security settings you need to change right now
Facebook has touched nearly every aspect of our lives in the past decade, and it looks like it’s not going anywhere anytime soon. The social media titan boasts more than 2 billion monthly active users, with around 1.62 billion visiting the platform daily. Tap or click here to visit Kim Komando on Facebook.
Wordle is still free, but now it's packed with ad-tracking tech
You have undoubtedly heard of the word guessing game Wordle by now. It became an online sensation in only a few months, with millions of people trying to decipher the colored clues daily.
Initially, the game’s design was simplistic, with a clean user interface and the promise of remaining free. But as popularity grew, the creator sold the game to the New York Times (NYT) for an undisclosed amount. As many feared, the media powerhouse soon started to make changes.
True or false: Your contacts know when you turn off location sharing
GPS was amazing when it came out. No more mapping out routes on paper or printing directions from Google Maps. Simply turn on your GPS and go. Tap or click here for a Google Maps feature that takes navigation to the next level.
Built-in phone settings that could save your life
In these troubled times, when we’re dealing with a pandemic and protests compounded with the usual risks of accidents and crime, your smartphone can be your emergency notifier.
Sure, you know about AAA for your car. Tap or click here for a free app you can use to replace AAA.
Tech how-to: Lock down Chrome, Firefox, Edge and Safari for maximum security
There are many web browsers out there, but these are the four most popular: Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, and Apple’s Safari. They have their differences, but they also have many similarities.
Sadly, one of their similarities is they can all be hacked in various ways. This can lead to your private information getting out and cause personal or financial harm to you. Tap or click here for signs that your device has been hacked.
The NSA warns against a smartphone setting you probably have enabled
Location services are commonplace on most smartphones today. This location data, which can be tracked and shared with app servers, allows users to do things like navigate through traffic or monitor their exercise. But if precautions aren’t taken, it can reveal sensitive information about where you live, work and travel.
5 ways to extend the battery life of your Android
Ever been traveling, only to discover you’re down to only 5% battery left on your phone? And, of course, you need your phone’s map app to get where you’re going.
You can also use one of many apps for travel assistance. But if your battery is low, no app can help you. Luckily, if you have an Android, there are ways to extend your phone’s power.
5 ways to limit your phone's location tracking
What an amazing feat of technology that your phone’s GPS lets you instantly search for nearby cafes, get traffic alerts and find your friends, among countless other location-sensitive tasks. And parents can breathe easier knowing where the kids are located at the tap of a button.