Synced your phone to a rental car? Wipe your data so the next driver doesn’t get your texts. On the car’s infotainment system, go to Settings and look for a factory reset option. Every car’s system is different, so check the manual or ask the rental company if you can’t find it.
Shortcut to reading annoying privacy policies
Tech privacy policies are confusing on purpose. I know, big shocker! But I’m always surprised by just how difficult these things are to comb through and what they hide.
Today, I’m calling out the biggest offenders — and sharing one of my favorite, easy-to-use privacy tools.
The worst of the worst
I read these privacy policies so you don’t have to. Some of these companies are collecting far more than you might realize.
- Disney shares your data with third parties. After that, they have no control over how it’s used.
- Instagram tracks your exact location and may share it for targeted advertising.
- Zoom records and shares your meeting data (including video, audio, and chat logs!) with third parties.
- Wikipedia automatically logs and stores your IP address.
- UPS transfers your personal data to other countries, where data protection laws might not be as strict.
- Uber Eats keeps your info indefinitely — even after you deactivate your account.
- Netflix shares your viewing habits and personal information with TV networks, ISPs and other partners.
- Spotify collects and stores voice data, including conversations, through its voice assistant.
- Microsoft collects massive amounts of data, including what you type, your app usage and what’s on your clipboard.
- Yahoo reserves the right to update its privacy policy at any time, without notifying you.
Feeling a little creeped out? Me, too.
Cut to the chase
It’d be nice if we could wave a magic wand to see all the hidden privacy gotchas. The next best thing? These easy tips:
⌛ Time-saving tip: When you’re reviewing a company’s privacy policy on your computer, use Ctrl + F on Windows or Cmd + F on a Mac to quickly search for buzzwords like “sell,” “partners” and “affiliates.” Words like “geolocation” and “geotargeting” indicate your location information will be collected. Def search for those.
💬 Know the terms: Sections with names like “How we collect your personal data” show what a company gathers from you and how they do it. “How we use your personal information” is their take on why they need your data in the first place. “Business purposes” usually means they share it with third parties.
🎮 Protect the kids: Look for references to “COPPA” or the “Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act” to see how a company protects your kid’s data.
Phew, that’s a lot. I’m always on the hunt to shortcut some of the hard work of securing your privacy. That’s where Incogni comes in.
More creeps are using small hidden cameras – How to spot them
It seems like every week, there’s another disturbing story in the news about hidden cameras. Spying on unsuspecting victims is nothing new, and, thanks to today’s tech, these creeps have taken their creepiness to a whole new level. Unfortunately, it’s easier than ever to get away with these crimes. Here are some recent ones we know about.
👥 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’.
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.
How to remove personal data from data broker sites (Spoiler: I use Incogni)
I’ll never forget when my son, Ian, asked me where in Los Angeles I lived. I told him I couldn’t remember — it was 30 years ago, and I lived there for maybe six months. A few minutes later, he called and had the address. It was available for free to anyone on the internet on an online people search directory.
👀 Your car is spying on you: The average new car is packed with approximately 1,400 microchips collecting a ton of data on you. Plug in your car’s VIN here to see what your manufacturer knows. Click Get the Report to see details like your name, address and maybe even recordings of your voice.
How to (kindly) ask people not to post your kids on social
A 27-year-old grad student was just caught using pics of real kids on the internet to make AI child porn for pedophiles. Even more disgusting? He worked by request. This story made my skin crawl, and it brings me to a question I’ve been getting more and more often:
Is your uncle always posting? Snooze him on Facebook so his posts won’t show up on your News Feed. Click the three-dot icon (top left corner) on one of his posts and select Snooze [friend] for 30 days. Don’t worry, you can still pick Unfollow [friend] for a more permanent solution.
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.
Your employer can use this data against you – Don’t let them
One of the three largest credit bureaus, Equifax, is collecting data that could screw you out of thousands of dollars — or a job.
I dug up everything you need to know about a new database of 716 million income and employment records, including, potentially, yours. Why? Because I want you to always be tech-ahead and never tech-behind.
Hide-and-seek: You’re shopping online for your kiddo or spouse and they walk in. Quick! Hide your open browser windows. On a PC: Windows key + M. (Use Windows key + Shift + M to reopen.) On a Mac: Cmd + Option + H + M. Phew, no spoilers.
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.
Area codes and numbers that are probably spam
Whew, the election’s over. The onslaught of robocalls and texts is over, too … right? Nope.
There are fewer political calls and messages, sure, but there are always scammers and spammers. It may be easier for these creeps to get a hold of us now that our phones aren’t constantly lighting up with election-related notifications.
Channel your inner detective: Every Facebook photo has an ID number that lets you find exactly who posted it. On your computer, right-click on a photo on Facebook, then hit Open in New Tab. In the new tab, look at the address bar, and copy the middle set of numbers in the URL. Then, type https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid= in the address bar and paste in the numbers right after the equal sign. Press Enter and bada-bing.
Are your apps spying on you? Check your phone's privacy report
There’s an easy-to-miss tool built right into your phone that shows you which apps access your microphone, camera, location data and everything else.
Don’t like what you see? Adjust the app’s permissions (I’ll show you how) or delete the app entirely. Let’s take a close look at Apple’s iPhone Privacy Report and the Android Privacy Dashboard.
🤳🏼 Stranger danger: If you use apps like FaceTime or WhatsApp for calls, your IP address could be shared with the person you’re talking to. Want to keep your IP private? Open the app, hit Settings, find Privacy or Connection, and switch off Peer-to-peer. Your calls might not be as clear, but your IP will stay hidden.
⌛ Quick privacy tip: Use Ctrl + Shift + N (Windows) or Cmd + Shift + N (Mac) to open an incognito or private browsing window in most web browsers. Incognito mode doesn’t save your browsing history, cookies or form data.
Locked up tight: Fun privacy trick next time you use Gmail on the web: Click the little padlock icon at the bottom when creating a new email to put your message in “confidential mode.” You can set an expiration date and a passcode for your recipient to open the email.
You’re being tracked secretly by 3 settings on your phone
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.