Do you want to slay Shadow Dragon, a surveillance software that monitors 120 major websites? Listen now to join the fight.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Stalkers are using AirTags — Here's how to protect yourself
Modern tech gadgets make stalking easier than before — which means you need to be aware of the many ways people can track you. One husband always knew where his wife went, down to her arrival and departure times, although she didn’t tell him the details. When she asked me for help, I told her he was probably tracking her through Google, which keeps a secret map of everywhere you’ve been.
That’s because Google Maps works even if you don’t have a Google account associated with it. It uses the GPS location on your phone to see where you are and where you’ve been for the past five years. Tap or click here to turn off this invasive Google Maps setting.
Bluetooth trackers are another considerable risk to your privacy. Strangers, jealous exes and even burglars use Apple AirTags to track down unwitting victims. Here’s everything you need to know about this threat, along with a few defense strategies.
It’s a huge issue. Anyone’s at risk
I keep getting emails from people saying they’ve seen Apple AirTags stuck on their bags, cars and so on. Some people are driving around the city, doing their errands, when they notice a Bluetooth tracker attached to their vehicle. That means some creep is tracking them on their phone, noting their every location.
Here’s a quick overview of how this happens.
So, Apple released AirTags in 2021. They cost $30 a pop — or you can get a four-pack for around $100. Since they’re affordable, anyone can buy them. Unlike most Bluetooth trackers, they aren’t GPS-based. To make a long story short, they work by pinging off nearby iPhones.
They’re designed to help anyone who loses things. For example, you can attach them to your keys, so if you ever lose your fob, you can whip out your smartphone to find its exact location. Unfortunately, car thieves can use Apple AirTags to track your vehicle and steal it straight from your driveway.
PREPARE YOURSELF WITH THIS TIP: 6 ways to keep your car safe from thieves
Apple is supposed to tell you when you’re being followed … but it doesn’t always work
One YouTuber called Travis MCP put this to the test. He secretly planted an Apple AirTag on his friend’s car, watching his every move for 18 hours. Not once did his friend get a notification from Apple.
However, one woman did get a notification, which potentially saved her life. While driving home from a bar, a Twitter user saw an alert on her iPhone. Then, she found an AirTag attached to the underside of her car’s wheel well.
Update your iPhone, iPad and Mac! New patch fixes nasty Safari issue
You’d like to think your browser prioritizes privacy. Unfortunately, sometimes our search providers let us down. Tap or click here to take a free, fast test that reveals how much private data our browser is leaking.
Secure email provider ProtonMail just passed user data to police
When you sign up for a free email account, that service comes at the cost of your privacy. Agreeing to the terms and conditions means your provider can track as much as they want, from financial records to private messages. Tap or click here to find out how much your email provider is collecting on you.
FTC just banned a spyware app with 1M downloads - How to know if it's on your phone
Have you ever thought that someone knows just a little too much about your private life? Your mobile phone could be infected with stalkerware, and it’s as bad as it sounds. The technology is sold to people who want to track others, often without their knowledge.
What do you know about something called Shadow Dragon?
Have you heard of the surveillance tool that sucks in data from every social media company? Listen now for the scary story you’re already a part of.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This charging cable records your conversations
Are hackers recording your private conversations? Listen now to see if your chargers are being used as surveillance tools.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Does your iPhone have Pegasus spyware installed? Use this free check to find out
A few weeks ago, a massive spying campaign surfaced, targeting several high-profile people, celebrities and nation heads. Called Pegasus, the devastating tool was developed by the Israeli company NSO Group. Its clients have subsequently used it to spy on targets. Tap or click here for details.
New podcast: The secret software watching your every move at work
There’s no sugarcoating it: We all live in a science fiction novel. For starters, we have robot waiters bussing tables and taking orders, suspiciously phallic rockets penetrating the exosphere and even acid-spitting scorpions in Texas.
This Chrome change makes it easier to tell which sites can access your webcam and mic
If you want the most up-to-date security and privacy features, you should check out Chrome’s latest and greatest update. Google Chrome 92 just hit the scene. It introduced fixes for some pretty severe security flaws.
Sick of slow internet with a VPN? This is the fastest one we've tried
You’ve probably seen all the headlines about Big Tech’s legal shield. It lets companies like Apple and Google track your every move and tamper with search results, controlling which websites you can access. Recently, Big Tech’s crackdown on conservative Twitter alternative Parler sparked a wildfire of controversy.
Ring privacy: Here's how many video requests police and fire departments made last year
Footage captured by video doorbells could help police departments solve criminal cases. That’s the reasoning behind Amazon’s Ring network, which helps law enforcement in almost every state. Ring is partnered with over 2,000 police and fire departments across the U.S.
2020 in review: Our top privacy and security tips
Between the worldwide pandemic and the scary stories of murder hornets, 2020’s been a frightening year. It’s easy to feel scared in uncertain times, which is why we put special care into our security and privacy tips this year. After all, you’ve got enough to worry about — why feel uncertain about your security and privacy, too?
30-second Amazon privacy fix you need to do right now
Amazon has a way of creeping into our lives and making things incredibly easy. With convenience, there are often trade-offs. Many people are unaware that they have a public profile on Amazon.
Your public profile is created automatically, whether you want it or not, and it contains your comments and any ratings that you have left on products purchased on Amazon. Your biographical information and other site interactions are also posted to your profile.
One benefit to all this Google tracking
Sure, we’re living in the age of surveillance. Sure, someone’s keeping track of every step you take. But how’s this for a silver lining?
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Police could access your security camera feed, unless you take this step
For some time now, Amazon’s Ring has been partnering with hundreds of police departments across the country. If a crime occurs near homes with Ring cameras, police can ask to look at video footage from them.
Ring’s surveillance partnership doesn’t exactly sit well with everyone. Some say it’s a form of security overreach. Tap or click to see how many police departments are working with Ring to fight crime.
Is someone watching you? This clever new iPhone feature will tell you
The iPhone 12 may have been delayed, but that doesn’t mean iOS 14 was. The latest version of Apple’s mobile operating system is already a major hit — with countless users sharing screenshots of their custom home screens and more.
Beware: Stalkerware apps could be watching your every move
Ever feel like somebody’s watching you? Does someone in your life seem to know just a little too much about where you’ve been and what you’re up to? Believe it or not, it’s possible you may have “stalkerware” installed on your phone.
WFH: Spy software may be watching and tracking you
So, the coronavirus outbreak has you working from home in an effort to help flatten the curve. You’re trying to focus on the job at hand, but there’s so much craziness in the world that you just want to get away for a while and check on your family and friends.
Anyone can snap a photo of you and see who you are, where you live
One of the dangers inherent to technology is its potential for abuse. We now possess cameras and spy tech small enough to fit almost anywhere, and like clockwork, savvy business people market them to governments and law enforcement. It’s a total expansion of surveillance around the world.