TimeMachinerThe collection of our personal data to then be packaged and sold is nothing new. TVs do it, websites do it, and companies all over the world do it. It’s why GDPR and CCPA exist. But what do you do if you live elsewhere? That’s where Consumer Reports comes in. A new service + app…Continue readingPermission Slip Stops Data Brokers
Privacy-focused search engine DuckDuckGo has been inching closer over time to do more than be a great search. In their newest move, the company has released the first preview version of their own web browser for the Mac. José Adorno at 9to5Mac has more details. The browser uses built-in privacy protections like private search, tracker…Continue readingMac Duck
The HBO program Last Week Tonight with John Oliver covers a wide range of topics. Some are deadly serious while others are quite lighthearted. But regardless of what he talks about every Sunday evening, it’s thorough and interesting. This past Sunday he took a stab at data collection and privacy, something I’m actually bringing to…Continue readingJohn Oliver: Data Broker
We scroll and eventually pause. Is it a funny photo that caught the eye? Perhaps it’s a memory that the algorithm has surfaced. Or maybe it’s simply some piece of content that’s got way too many likes and comments for its own good. It won’t be an ad, of course, because we scroll right by…Continue readingPermanent Deletion
When news broke about Life360 being one of the biggest data brokers as a side-hustle, the blowback was huge. This company, which people pay to use to see the location of friends & family, was not only collecting all this information but also selling it all to at least a dozen companies. Umar Shakir at…Continue readingLife360 Gets Slightly Less Crappy
There are two types of companies most people can agree we all hate: cable / ISP companies and cell phone carriers. Verizon, being both, doubly-sucks when news broke of its data collection it’s beginning to turn on. They are rolling out something called “Custom Experience” which collects data about your apps and web browsing activity…Continue readingVerizon The Spy
Time and time again companies (admittedly Apple a lot) will beat the drum with a simple mantra. If a service is free, YOU are the product. Reporting from By Jon Keegan and Alfred Ng at The Markup detail how the app Life360, marketed as a “family safety” app, traffics in user data to make all their cash. A…Continue readingLife360: You Are the Product
No thanks. I don’t know how else to respond to this announcement by Qualcomm where they showed off the newest version of their Snapdragon Generation 8 processors. This chip supports an always on camera. The Snapdragon is the heart of nearly every Android phone on the market, not to mention many electronics out there. Mark…Continue readingFuture Android Phones May Get Always On Camera