Privacy
Amazon Recorded Video Of A Seller's Face For Identification Purposes
“We will record a 5-second video of your face. ... To proceed, enable access to your webcam.”
Apple CEO Tim Cook Calls For A New Privacy Law That Would Let You Delete Your Data
"In 2019, it’s time to stand up for the right to privacy — yours, mine, all of ours."
The Internet Is A Privacy Disaster. But We Still Don't Know How To Talk About It.
We know our data has been left vulnerable, or sold, or misused. But do we really understand what that means for our safety and security online — and when it actually matters?
Profile Picture Robbery Is So Bad In India That Facebook Is Letting People Block Screenshots
That shiny blue shield isn't going to stop creepy exes, though.
6 Times When “Opting Out” Doesn’t Actually Stop Data Collection
Telling a company you want out doesn’t necessarily mean it stops collecting, or even sharing, your data.
The Year’s Biggest Data Breaches — And What To Do About Them
The databases at Marriott, Facebook, and more were breached this year. Here’s how to secure your account and protect yourself from identity theft.
India Wants Tech Platforms To Break Encryption And Remove Content The Government Thinks Is "Unlawful"
It is not clear whether India will now choose to be a leader in privacy or mass surveillance, sources told BuzzFeed News.
Google’s App Store Has “Disturbing” Kids Games, Groups Warn
“Google doesn’t really have any incentive to clean up its own app store,” said one child advocate.
India's Government Denies Telling Federal Agencies They Can Snoop On Every Computer, Despite An Order That Seemingly Says They Can
“Welcome to 1984.”
Apps Are Revealing Your Private Information To Facebook And You Probably Don't Know It
Facebook provided developers with tools to build Facebook-compatible apps like Tinder, Grindr, and Pregnancy+. Those apps have been quietly sending sensitive user data to Facebook.
Facebook Allowed Netflix, Spotify, And A Bank To Read And Delete Users’ Private Messages
The social network also allowed Microsoft’s search engine Bing to see the names of nearly all users’ friends without their consent, according to a report.
Why, After 2018’s Privacy Scandals, Does Facebook Deserve Our Data?
A seemingly endless parade of privacy scandals has dredged up an existential question for the company.
Facebook Says A Bug May Have Exposed The Unposted Photos Of Millions Of Users
“We have a responsibility to protect your information. If we can’t, we don’t deserve it."
Facebook Filed A Patent To Calculate Your Future Location
The methods described in three Facebook patent applications use your historical location data — and others’ — to figure out where you’ll go next.
Facebook Filed A Patent To Predict Your Household's Demographics Based On Family Photos
Facebook’s proposed technology would analyze your #wifey tags, shared IP addresses, and photos to predict whom you live with.
India’s Government Wants WhatsApp To Reveal The Locations And Phone Numbers Of People Using It For Real-World Violence
The government is pressing the instant messenger for traceability after mobs who fell for hoaxes spread through the app resulted in deadly violence.
The Vote With Me App Looks Up Your Contacts’ Voting Records
Voter records are public, but when an app gives up that information to anyone who has your phone number, it feels invasive.
The UK’s Data Watchdog Just Fined Facebook The Maximum It Could For The Cambridge Analytica Scandal
“A company of its size and expertise should have known better and it should have done better.”
Tim Cook Called For A New Law To Mitigate The Intrusion Of Big Tech Firms Into People's Lives
“We see vividly, painfully how technology can harm, rather than help,” the Apple CEO said on Wednesday.
Facebook Doesn't Deserve Your Information
“We have a responsibility to protect your information," Mark Zuckerberg said in March. "If we can’t, we don’t deserve it."
Facebook Isn’t Sorry — It Just Wants Your Data
Facebook knows us well enough to know the truth: We don’t care enough about our privacy to stop using it.
India's National ID Database With Private Information Of Nearly 1.2 Billion People Was Reportedly Breached
A local Indian newspaper was able to access the private data of nearly 1.2 billion Indians for just $8.
There’s A Simple Fix, But Grindr Is Still Exposing The Location Of Its Users
The “high level of precision” of Grindr’s distance data is revealing the location of millions of its users.
Thousands Of Stores Will Soon Use Facial Recognition, And They Won't Need Your Consent
Facial recognition cameras are scanning faces at hundreds of retail stores to catch shoplifters before they steal. But everyday shoppers are often unaware that their faces are being scanned.
Google Tracks Your Location Even When The “Location History” Setting Is Disabled. Here's How To Actually Stop It.
Google is tracking your location, even when a setting called “Location History” is turned off.
You Should Really Add A PIN To Your Cellular Account. Here’s Why.
Without a PIN, hackers can hijack your mobile account, take control of your phone number, and use that number to gain access to your online accounts.
Finally, Police Will Need A Court Order To Access Your "My Health Record"
Law enforcement and other government agencies will need a judge to sign off before they can access My Health Record files for investigations.
Here Are 18 Things You Might Not Have Realized Facebook Tracks About You
Including: information about your online and offline actions and other devices on your Wi-Fi network.
Departing Facebook Security Officer's Memo: "We Need To Be Willing To Pick Sides"
In a brutally honest note about his departure, Facebook’s Chief Security Officer Alex Stamos calls on his colleagues “to intentionally not collect data where possible” and listen to people when they say a feature is “creepy.”
Venmo’s Public Feed Is Bad And They Should End It
There’s no good reason to have a public feed of your Venmo activity.