We talk to Darius from Incogni, who tells us how you can remove your personal data from the internet. Plus, a family claims an Amazon driver stole their cat, people are yelling a lot at Siri, and there’s a new sober dating app.
Are your smart devices tracking too much?
Your smartwatch is great for tracking steps, but have you ever thought about where all that personal data actually goes?
From sleep patterns to calorie intake, it’s like a digital diary — and it’s worth billions to insurance companies, marketing outfits, advertisers and, of course, hackers. Don’t panic! I’ll walk you through how to lock down your privacy.
What’s being collected?
- Fitness metrics like steps taken, calories burned, heart rate and your workout intensity.
- Health info, including sleep quality, blood oxygen levels, reproductive health details and stress indicators.
- Behavioral patterns such as how you move, how often you check your device and where you go most frequently.
- Location data, including GPS tracking during runs and walks, along with routine daily movements.
These data points might not seem like a big deal by themselves, but together, they create a detailed snapshot of your life.
That’s worth big money
While companies often claim the information they collect is “anonymized,” it doesn’t take much to connect the dots and figure out who you are. For example, you’re using an app that promises it doesn’t track you, but your phone has a unique ID and it’s also tied to your IP address. Got ya!
That can lead to discrimination, with employers, insurance companies or others using data you don’t know they have to make biased decisions. There’s also the potential for breaches to expose sensitive health data to hackers who could use it for blackmail or fraud.
And let’s not forget manipulation. Imagine your fitness tracker notices a slight weight gain, and suddenly, you’re being bombarded with ads for weight-loss products. It’s not just invasive; it’s downright predatory.
How to protect yourself
If you use apps and devices to monitor your health, there’s a lot you can do to protect yourself.
Be selective: Stick with apps that have a strong privacy track record and are crystal clear about not collecting personal info or usage data. Even better? Apps that store your data on your device instead of the cloud.
Data brokers are selling your life. Here’s how to stop them.
The data broker industry is worth almost $400 billion. Whether it’s your Google Search history, movies you’ve streamed or a summary of your last doctor’s visit, they’re keeping tabs on your life.
Feel violated? You should. These brokers even sell your data to scammers so they can use it to target you. No wonder most people get overloaded with spam texts and calls every day.
Redbox had a black box: Redbox went out of business, and 24,000 movie kiosks are sitting around. Your name, email address, home address and rental history are likely stored on those internal hard drives, going back a decade. Even worse? Some machines stored the first six and last four digits of credit cards. Hello, we need a factory reset.
Everything we know about the MoneyGram breach
Another day, another massive data breach. This time, it’s MoneyGram, a global mega-company that handles money transfers, bill pay and other financial services. They have digital platforms and retail locations, and they even power Walmart’s money-transfer service.
So much data left exposed for anyone to see
Another day, another monumental data breach. Just because they’re getting more common doesn’t mean you can tune it out. In fact, it’s time to get even more serious about your private information and what’s posted online.
🏥 When you get a bladder infection, urine trouble: The next time you’re at the doctor, AI could be eavesdropping on everything you say and adding it to your health records. Ambient AI transcribes and organizes patient notes in real time. Sure, it cuts down on admin time, but AI can hallucinate facts and might use your sensitive data for training. You can decline it … for now. Just tell your doc, “No AI for me.”
Google isn’t going to hand your location to the police anymore: Location History (aka Timeline) tracks your every move, and cops were able to pull your data from Google’s servers if you were near a crime scene at the wrong time. Now it’s being stored on-device only, so police will have to come to you directly with a warrant.
MoneyGram data breach: Over 150 million customers were exposed. We’re talking names, addresses, IDs, bank account numbers, the whole nine yards. How’d they do it? Someone pretended to work there and got in. If you’re affected, expect to get a notice offering two years of free identity protection and credit monitoring services.
✔️ It’s a yes from me: A new California bill could stop companies from collecting and sharing personal data with just one click. It’s a royal pain in the butt to opt out of every single site. If the bill passes, it could impact all Americans, since many companies apply the same privacy protections nationwide.
Scam watch: 3 scams spreading like fire across the U.S.
Scammers are clever, but they’re not very creative. Most of their tricks are recycled versions of tricks that worked in the past. There are a few I’ve seen cropping up again because criminals know they work every time.
Your IP address: What it is and why you need to protect yours if you care about privacy
Using the internet is a complicated affair. It may not feel like that to you as a user. You click on your browser and get on with your day — it’s as easy as pie.
Behind the scenes, though, is a whole different story. It’s full of numbers like your Internet Protocol (IP) address, basically your digital home address. This numeric label distinguishes your phone or computer from other devices worldwide.
Lettuce us all pay attention: Grocery chain Kroger is under investigation for shady dynamic pricing. Their electronic price labels can change based on time and demand, like during the after-work rush. It gets worse (paywall link); they’re working with an AI company that uses personal data to figure out how much you’re willing to spend.
Find your family tree without compromising your data
Seven million 23andMe customers thought they were just getting insights into their family history — instead, they got their data hacked.
It went beyond names and addresses. Hackers got their hands on DNA genotypes, predispositions to certain conditions and carrier status. And they were able to hunt down genetic relatives for millions of 23andMe customers. So scary.
A data buffet: Golden Corral was hit by a cyberattack last August (and we’re just finding out about it now!), exposing the personal data of over 183,000 folks — current and former employees, plus their beneficiaries. We’re talking Social Security numbers, financial deets and medical info. If you’ve been on their payroll, freeze your credit ASAP.
A life in politics is full of parties: A study reveals many political sites collect personal data — everything from your photos, resume and political views to how you donate — without giving you a place to consent. And yes, they might pass or sell your info to other campaigns. You’ve been warned.
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.
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.
Use Apple, Google, Facebook or Twitter? Here's how to find out what they know about YOU
It’s no surprise anymore that social media companies like Meta gather a lot of information about you. Tap or click here for 10 Facebook privacy and security settings you need to change right now.
When you create an account with Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter, you’re asked if you’d like to sync your contacts. It seems harmless, but it’s not. Here’s why you need to stop doing this.
This California startup will pay you for your personal data
Curious about what’s in it for you? In this one-minute podcast, I’ll reveal the intriguing offer.