Internet cookies have been around for the last 30 years. Blame them on a programmer at Netscape who figured out a way for websites to “remember” users. Today, there are a few different types of cookies.
A first-party cookie is stored in your browser when you visit a website. It keeps things like your account or login info and shopping cart so you don’t have to fill them in each time. We like those kinds of cookies.
But what about cookies companies use to track where you go and what you do online? Some track you on websites other than the one you’re visiting. These are called third-party cookies. (I’d rather have a snickerdoodle, thanks.)
Blocking third-party cookies and tracking is one thing, but how about not being subjected to tracking methods to begin with? That’s where AdChoices and WebChoices come in. You’re gonna love this!
AdChoices is from the Digital Advertising Alliance, a group of advertising and marketing companies that self-regulates their targeted advertising. They do this so no one else like the government steps in to do it, of course.
The next time you see an ad online, look for the small AdChoices icon. It’s a blue triangle with a lowercase “i” in the middle. Click that to get details about the ad and block it.
AdChoices offers a nifty but virtually unknown tool called WebChoices. You can use this sweet thing to opt out of receiving ads from many companies in one step.
The WebChoices tool works in whatever browser you have open at the time, so be sure to run it for each browser you use. Wow, where else can you get these practical, useful tech tips for free?
🍪 Speaking of … One time, I ate too much cookie dough and got sick. I guess you could call it an overdoughs. (I had to, sorry.)
I’ve heard it all on my national radio show. There was the guy totally freaked out because too many strangers in public knew his name for it to be a coincidence. (His name was Buddy.)
There was a woman who swore one of Metallica’s band members hacked her iPhone to stalk her after she rejected him online. And another who bought and sold three cars because she thought they all had hidden trackers.
Traveling soon? Track your luggage with your airline’s app. Open the app’s Menu > Track my bags. The naming will vary depending on the airline. Enter your reservation or tag number, and you’ll get updates along its journey. If you’re an Apple fan and have an AirTag, toss that in, too. On an Android? Try Chipolo.
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Do you have a smartwatch tracking your steps, heart rate, and even how steady your walk is? It’s a great tool for keeping an eye on your health, but some of that data is making its way to third parties.
👥 Your body = Their revenue stream: You know that health tracker you’re wearing? The companies behind these trackers and wellness apps are selling your body-centric data to third parties, leading you to have higher insurance premiums, receive more targeted ads or worse. Current laws offer little protection, and you opt in when you agree to use the apps. You might want to pretend to be someone else if you have health issues, just sayin’.
Phone coordinates collected and sold by data brokers. The kicker? They expose U.S. military and intelligence workers, including people who work in places like nuclear weapons facilities. Anything for a buck.
When mobile apps first hit the scene, many were designed to make our phones more useful. This included new tools for productivity, as well as apps for entertainment. Many of today’s apps, though, are packed with sneaky permission requests and hidden trackers.
My husband, Barry, loses track of everything. Well, he did until I AirTagged his life. That’s where Bluetooth trackers come in handy. These tiny devices attach to what you don’t want to lose, and they sync directly to your phone. The tracker shares its location when you can’t find it.
Is America’s largest grocery chain planning to charge you based on your income? Plus, free TV is making a comeback, a cyber-kidnapping alert, and what happens when AI goes rogue. I also chat with a caller looking to remove tracking from her smart TV.
A hush-hush economy: When you agree to an app’s terms and conditions, you’re agreeing to be tracked — so says the Secret Service (great read, but it’s a paywall link). They used a data-broker company’s tool called Locate X to follow people over time through the apps they’d given GPS access to — no warrant needed or required. Now you know what you’re really doing when you agree to those permissions.
📍 Secret Service agents spilling secrets: How? By using the GPS fitness app Strava, which is more like a social media site. Sure, agents can’t use their personal devices while on duty, but it’s OK off the clock. Agents’ Strava profiles gave away the locations of President Biden and his wife, former President Trump and his wife, and Vice President Harris. If you use Strava, set your privacy to the “Only You” setting. You’d think that the Secret Service’s top brass would’ve known about this. FWIW, I’ve been warning about this app for years.
For a toilet camera that will monitor your gut health by photographing your poop. Yep, you read that correctly. Throne uses AI to analyze your stool’s size, shape and structure, and it sends the data to an app on your phone, where you can view the results. Talk about logging your logs!
GPS dog collars are smart: Use Battery Optimization mode so you don’t have to charge the collar so frequently. As long as your furbaby stays in a safe zone, it’ll check less often, saving your battery. If they leave the safe zone, real-time tracking will kick in. My golden retriever, Abby, wears a Fi collar, and this is her favorite ball (10% off today!).
We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.
Sensors in today’s smartwatches can detect your heartbeat, track how you sleep and even monitor blood oxygen levels. We’re not far from your watch tracking your blood sugar … and possibly sending reports about it to your doctor.
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.
🦅 The secret life of birds: The Motus Wildlife Tracking system has tagged nearly 50,000 birds, insects and bats with mini trackers to reveal their flight patterns. When an animal flies by one of 2,000 stations, its location is logged. A surprising and sad find? Only 40% of fledgling barn swallows in southern Ontario survive to migrate. ”Peep” at the data yourself.
🆕 Bluetooth 6.0 is incredible: One of the coolest new features is channel sounding, which calculates distance with crazy precision — think tracking devices with centimeter-level accuracy. Imagine finding your lost TV remote or some other gadget in an instant. Give it about a year till this tech is ready for you and me to use.
Ever feel like online ads know too much about you? I’ll share a simple tool that lets you stop companies from tracking you across the web — and it’s totally free.
Is someone using software to secretly tracking your phone? Here’s how to spot the signs.
Some 51% of people think sharing their smartphone PIN with a partner is normal and healthy. Checking internet search histories and tracking a partner’s location are a different story; 74% of those surveyed think location tracking is toxic, and that percentage jumps to 95% if the location tracking is done without the other party’s knowledge.
