👀 For your eyes only: The holidays mean a house full of family, friends and curious little ones. With all the hustle and bustle, get into the habit of locking your computer every time you get up. On Windows, press the Windows key + L. On Mac, hit Ctrl + Cmd + Q.
Get everything Amazon collects and tracks about you
I was doing some research about Amazon and ran across a golden nugget I couldn’t wait to share with you. We all know Amazon tracks everything including what you browse, buy, watch and even ask Alexa.
But here’s the surprise: You can download all of it. I’ll show you how.
So, what kind of info are we talking about?
Tons. It’s literally every single thing that you’ve done with an Amazon product or site.
- Your orders, addresses, payment options and subscriptions: Every single purchase you’ve ever made, including where it was sent and how you paid. Even if you tried to hide stuff by archiving it, it’s still there.
- Search history: Everything you’ve ever searched for, clicked on, or added to your cart, down to the exact time and IP address. Yep, even those embarrassing searches are saved.
- Ad preferences: This is what Amazon thinks you’re into, what groups they put you in to show you ads, and any ads you’ve clicked.
- Customer support: All the call recordings, chats, and email transcripts. They even keep all the photos you’ve sent and any messages to third-party Marketplace Sellers.
- Alexa and Echo: Details about your device and everything you’ve ever said to Alexa (with the date and time), plus any skills you’ve enabled.
- Kindle, Fire TV and Fire tablets: All the tiny details about your devices, like your preferred font size and brightness on Kindle, plus when and what you searched for on Fire TV.
How do I get it?
✅ Hit the Privacy Central page. When you’re logged in, you can choose one category of data or get ‘em all at once as a ZIP file. Click the confirmation email you get, then … don’t hold your breath.
Amazon says they’ll send over your info ASAP. “Usually, this should not take more than a month.” If it’s somehow even longer, they’ll let ya know.
Can I remove all my data from Amazon?
No, not all of it. Amazon will forever keep your Fire, Echo and other device data, customer service messages, order history and account information. Even if you delete your Amazon account, they keep your details. But here are steps to:
- Remove Alexa recordings
- Turn off browsing and search history (#4 on the list)
- Disable ad tracking and preferences
🤔 If there’s someone in your life who might be interested in this know-how, use the icons below to share it with them now. You know, I once ordered a thesaurus on Amazon. All of the pages were blank. I have no words to describe how angry I am.
We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.
Delete these snoopy Chrome browser extensions
Let’s start with the basics. Chrome extensions add extra features not built into Chrome, like ad blocking, translations and one-click full-page screenshots.
Just like apps on your phone, extensions request permissions to track what you do, see and share online. But many extensions get far more access than they need and collect data way beyond their intended purpose. And that’s when you’re at risk of identity theft, scams and data harvesting.
🍑 Imagine accidentally leaking your own nudes: That’s what happened to one guy thanks to a little-known Google Pixel setting. Pressing the power button five times activates Emergency SOS. It calls emergency services and sends a video recording to your chosen contacts. He was naked in bed and half asleep. You can turn it off under Settings > Safety & Emergency > Emergency SOS.
Tell Instagram to stop tracking you: Go to your profile and click the three-line icon > Accounts Center. Choose Ad Preferences > Manage info > Activity information from ad partners. Tap Review Settings, then No, don’t make my ads more relevant. Press Confirm. Voila.
Retailers, data brokers and ads, oh my!
Linda recently called my national radio show with a question that flooded my inbox. Clearly, a lot of you have experienced a similarly eerie moment.
I hear you: “Kim, her phone was listening!” The answer isn’t that simple, but I can explain what’s really going on.
Tech how-to: Check your phone for signs someone is watching
support.apple.com, discussions.apple.com, support.google.com, © Albertshakirov | Dreamstime.com
I get so many calls during my national radio show and DMs from folks who think they’re being stalked. Sometimes, the person is seeing signs that aren’t there. Other times, it’s clear there’s something going on. It’s not surprising, given how easy it is for tech to watch someone’s movements.
Fitness apps are selling your privacy – how to protect your data
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How to run a 5-minute privacy check on your phone
Koldunova Anna | Dreamstime.com, Vadym Medvediev | Dreamstime.com
We’ve all got a lot of sensitive info on our phones — texts with loved ones, banking details, passwords and family photos. You don’t want anyone snooping around, whether it’s an app maker on the other side of the world or the guy sitting behind you at the coffee shop.
Don’t search for customer service numbers
If scammers can figure out how to get your bank’s name to appear when they call, you can bet they can get their numbers high in searches.
I tracked down all the Big Tech tech support phone numbers you might need, as published on their websites:
10 privacy-friendly Big Tech alternatives
Nextcloud.com, play.google.com, Notesnook.com
Amazon uses your Alexa voice commands to train its AI, Dropbox had a breach in April that exposed customers’ passwords, and apps like Facebook and Google make billions of dollars gathering and sharing every little detail about you. I could go on (and on).
Why I used Incogni to wipe my info off the internet
I got this note the other day from Mike S. (Hi, Mike! 👋): “Next time you talk about Incogni, maybe you can do a deep dive?”
Mike, you’re not the only reader who’s asked for a more in-depth look at how Incogni works and why I chose it to wipe my info from data broker sites. I picked this service before they became a sponsor. So, without further ado …
RIP, Do Not Track: Mozilla axed the 13-year-old privacy option in its latest Firefox browser update. The idea was you could hit a button to tell websites not to opt you into browsing cookies you encountered online. Spoiler: It never really worked, since most advertisers just ignored it. Chrome and Microsoft Edge still include the useless option.
The truth behind smart driving programs and what they track
r/GEICO via Reddit.com, © Justlight | Dreamstime.com, © Alexskopje | Dreamstime.com
I’ll bet your insurance company has sent this one your way: “Drive safely, get rewarded. Sign up for our smart driving program today!” You’ve got a squeaky clean driving record, so what’s the harm?
Smart driving programs track your driving habits and give you discounts for being a good driver. But there’s more to it than just saving a few bucks. Buckle up — I’ll break it down for you.
What the …? Kia’s U.S. privacy policy says they can collect info about your “medical condition, physical or mental disability,” “religious or philosophical beliefs” and “the contents of certain mail, emails and text messages.” Check Mozilla’s Privacy Not Included site for a recap of your carmaker’s policies.
Shortcut to reading annoying privacy policies
© Fairoesh N. | Dreamstime.com
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.
Are your smart devices tracking too much?
© Wittaya Pinpan | Dreamstime.com, © Veranika Semchanka | Dreamstime.com
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)
© Eduard Goricev | Dreamstime.com, © Tero Vesalainen | Dreamstime.com
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.
Data brokers are selling your life. Here’s how to stop them.
© Dark1elf | Dreamstime.com
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.
Area codes and numbers that are probably spam
© Kukurund | Dreamstime.com
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.