Mozilla says that most dating apps (80%) sell or share your intimate information. What exactly are you giving away? Plus, Google teases fees for ‘search,’ an Airbnb shocker, and Boston Dynamics puts hair on its bots.
Your car is collecting your personal data, even your sex life
When I read this report, I knew it would be important for you to know even though you do all the right things. You remove the shady apps from your phone and adjust privacy settings on your kid’s smart toys. Heck, you even stop Alexa from saving recorded conversations. You’re all set, right? Just wait until you get into your car.
Today’s cars are an absolute trainwreck when it comes to privacy. Mozilla recently researched 25 top car brands under its *Privacy Not Included warning-label project. Not a single vehicle passed the test, making cars Mozilla’s worst privacy product category examined to date.
Here’s the scoop on what was uncovered and a couple of steps to make a difference.
🎧 Btw, I interviewed super-smart Jen Caltrider from Mozilla. Watch our convo here on YouTube.
25 car brands tested, 25 car brands failed
Out of the 25 car brands studied, these companies received at least four out of five of Mozilla’s privacy red flags:
- Tesla, Nissan, Hyundai, Cadillac, GMC, Buick, Chevrolet, Kia, Acura, Honda, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Lincoln, Ford, Lexus, Toyota and Volkswagen.
Tesla received all five of Mozilla’s privacy “dings” thanks to its unreliable artificial intelligence (AI)-powered autopilot. It was reportedly involved in 736 crashes and 17 deaths and is undergoing multiple government investigations. Big yikes.
Perhaps Mozilla’s strangest finding: Nissan collects data on the super-intimate part of your life, and Kia says it can collect information about your “sex life” in its privacy policy. No joke. Maybe, uh, save “it” for when you get home.
Subaru and Nissan spell out that it’s up to you to let anyone in your car know, tracking applies to them too. Imagine that! “Hey, before you hop in to go to lunch with me, FYI, my Nissan really wants to know who you’re texting.
Driving us mad
These vehicles gather personal data based on your interactions with the car, the connected services utilized within the vehicle, the car’s application (which accesses everything on your phone) and details about you from other sources like Sirius XM or Google Maps.
Before you buy holiday gifts, check this list for tech snoops
Once Christmas music starts playing, the trees go up and the wish lists are compiled, I know an email I’ll get: Mozilla’s latest warning about popular tech gifts that are just awful when it comes to privacy.
This year’s *Privacy Not Included guide ranks over 150 gadgets across different categories by what data they collect and what they do with it. Mozilla does a great job at these lists, for sure.
Bad idea: Mozilla has collected more than 30,000 hours of voice recordings from volunteers worldwide. Its Common Voice project is a free public dataset anyone can use to train AI software in 180 languages. Here’s the catch: Mozilla won’t say how or who will use your voice. Don’t add yours.
Did your tech devices make the worst-for-privacy list?
Mozilla, the folks behind Firefox, has another big project I keep an eye on. Its Privacy Not Included buyer’s guide. The latest way to measure digital privacy is its Annual Consumer Creep-O-Meter.
It takes a hard look at the most popular consumer tech devices and assesses the good, the bad and the downright ugly. Mozilla uses a scale from one to 100, with 100 being the worst.
5 best browsers not named Chrome to use with your Android phone
It’s hard to imagine a world without Google. But every time you use Google or Chrome, your information and habits are stored and used to serve targeted ads. Tap or click here for a big reason to stop using Google Chrome on your smartphone.
Drone tracks man's cars, AI image takeover & YouTube robot chef
Plus, lend your security cam to the police? Authorities in Toledo, OH, think it’s a good idea. I speak with Jen Caltrider, program director at Mozilla’s *Privacy Not Included, on health apps’ data sharing. See if your passwords are sold on the dark web and unmask scam websites’ creators.
Just how private are mental health apps?
Chatting with an AI-powered therapist after a hard day at the office is convenient, but it’s not necessarily confidential. We’re still in the Wild West when it comes to protecting your privacy on mental health apps.
Update now: Apple, Google, Mozilla AND Microsoft just patched zero-day flaws
It’s not often that all the heavy hitters get hit around the same time, but Apple, Microsoft and Google found and patched zero-day flaws in April.
Zero-day vulnerabilities are discovered before security researchers and software developers become aware of them. This round affects some of the biggest tech companies on the planet, so chances are you have a device or software that needs to be updated ASAP.
Firefox just made a huge security change to protect your privacy
Mozilla’s Firefox browser recently hit a significant milestone by releasing version 100. Tap or click here to find out if the update is worth checking out.
Mozilla constantly releases security updates, and the latest version adds to that commitment.
Your phone is spying: Do this now to wipe your interests
You probably know that Big Tech companies like Google, Apple and Amazon are chasing your every click. It’s an excellent way for them to pinpoint your preferences so they can chuck personalized ads your way. But you may not know just how these companies are tracking you.
Use Firefox? Update now to patch 2 critical flaws
Your internet browser isn’t just the vehicle you use to get around the internet. It also serves as your first line of defense against hackers, malware and malicious websites.
If your browser isn’t regularly updated to the latest version, it won’t protect against new threats. For example, a new update to Mozilla’s Firefox patches two vulnerabilities hackers can exploit to steal your details.
Use Firefox? Mozilla wants your help to see how nosy Facebook really is
Social media has been around long enough to see children grow into adults and young people enter middle age. Facebook launched in 2004 and has become the largest social network in the world, with billions of active users.
Mozilla just blocked dangerous extensions used by 450K Firefox users
It is hard to imagine a time before internet browsers had extensions. Tap or click here for the 10 best Chrome extensions to use with Google Drive. These powerful add-ons are downloaded and used within the browser and can help with translations, conversions or many other tasks.
Mozilla warns: Avoid these 3 messaging apps if you care about privacy
Chatting online isn’t anything new, but the pandemic has fueled the use of video calling and messaging apps. As social distancing began around the country, these apps saw a surge in popularity. Tap or click here to find out which browser is best for your privacy.
To buy or not to buy: Hot tech products that put your privacy at risk
Our smart devices are constantly gathering information about us, whether we like it or not. Even gadgets you might not expect like smart speakers and TVs are learning about your habits and preferences every time you use them.
This shocking flaw could allow your phone to watch you
When it comes to web browsers, it always pays to be picky. Not all browsers are the same in terms of privacy and security, and choosing one that works to protect your data will benefit you greatly in the long run.
But which browser is the right one to choose? Well, it depends on whether you want more options like extensions, better security or more robust privacy options. Tap or click here to see our top favorite web browsers.
Surf the web safely with these 5 mobile browsers
Surfing the internet is risky with cybercriminals lurking around every corner. Threats aren’t just limited to your computer, either. They can come for your smartphone too.
That’s why it’s important to make sure your browser of choice is as secure as possible. It could be the difference between being hit with malware or not.
Don't be tracked, use these Google alternatives
Think for a minute about what Google doesn’t know about you. Its search engine dominates the competition, with more than 91% of market share across the world.
It doesn’t stop there. The web giant owns — among other things — Gmail, YouTube, DoubleClick, Nest and Waze. These apps know what you’re watching, where you’re going and what you’re interested in online.
