Privacy

How to Remove Your Google Search History Before Google’s New Privacy Policy Takes Effect

On March 1st, Google will implement its new, unified privacy policy, which will affect data Google has collected on you prior to March 1st as well as data it collects on you in the future. Until now, your Google Web History (your Google searches and sites visited) was cordoned off from Google’s other products. This…

Tech News Eva Galperin - Electronic Frontier Foundation

Consumer Privacy Bill of Rights: The Complete Text

There’s maybe no issue that affects you more directly in today’s tech world than that of internet privacy. Our whole lives are online, and we too often don’t even know who has access to it. Will Obama’s proposed Consumer Privacy Bill of Rights change all that? Time to decide for yourself. https://gizmodo.com/can-obamas-new-consumer-privacy-bill-keep-your-data-saf-5887573 Following is the…

Privacy & Security Brian Barrett

Internet Giants to Adopt a Do-Not-Track Button

While many browsers already feature a “do not track” button, in truth they’re largely ineffectual, because advertisers and tracking companies hadn’t agreed to honor the system. Now, prompted by the Obama administration’s attempt to ensure our online privacy, that is about to change. https://gizmodo.com/can-obamas-new-consumer-privacy-bill-keep-your-data-saf-5887573 The Wall Street Journal reports that a coalition of internet companies,…

Tech News Jamie Condliffe

Can Obama’s New Consumer Privacy Bill Keep Your Data Safe?

Today, the Obama administration is to unveil a new Consumer Privacy Bill of Rights, which it hopes to roll out in order to protect people’s privacy online. The question is, can it work? The bill sets out to give users more control: to police what data is collected, how it’s used and shared, even how…

Privacy & Security Jamie Condliffe

Apps That Abuse Privacy Will Now Be Punished By the Law

Kamala Harris, California’s Attorney General, says the state has reached an agreement with Apple, Google, Microsoft, RIM and others to prosecute developers who do not abide by new privacy policies. Basically, this new agreement will protect you from rogue apps that broadcast your data without your knowledge. https://gizmodo.com/paths-big-mistake-updated-5883395 According to the NY Times, the new…

Privacy & Security Casey Chan

iOS Bug Allows Access to Contacts Without a Passcode

If you think that your iPhone is impenetrable thanks to its security passcode, think again. A new bug has been exposed in iOS 5.0.1 that allows unauthorized access to contacts and the calling features of the iPhone. Admitedly, it is a long-winded hack, that involves inserting and ejecting the SIM card whilst trying to call…

Tech News Jamie Condliffe

Google Sued Over Safari Privacy Debacle

Last week, it came out that Google has been bypassing privacy settings in Safari, and installing cookies to track the browsing habits of millions of users who didn’t know about the tracking. Now Google is being sued and could be on the hook for millions. https://gizmodo.com/wsj-google-planted-cookies-on-iphones-without-anyones-5885929 Businessweek reports that a class-action complaint has been filed…

Tech News Mario Aguilar

Microsoft Says Google Secretly Planted Cookies in Internet Explorer Too

Fresh off the report that Google was bypassing the privacy settings of Safari users by installing cookies that could track browsing habits, Microsoft has discovered that Google has been doing the same thing on Internet Explorer. This is not good. https://gizmodo.com/wsj-google-planted-cookies-on-iphones-without-anyones-5885929 According to Microsoft VP Dean Hachamovitch, after the Safari Google cookies snafu hit, the…

Tech News Casey Chan

The Right to Be Forgotten

At the end of January, the European Commissioner for Justice, Fundamental Rights, and Citizenship, Viviane Reding, announced the European Commission’s proposal to create a sweeping new privacy right-the “right to be forgotten.” The right, which has been hotly debated in Europe for the past few years, has finally been codified as part of a broad…

Social Media Jeffrey Rosen - SLR

WSJ: Google Planted Cookies on iPhones Without Anyone’s Permission (Updated)

A report from the Wall Street Journal suggests that Google has been bypassing the privacy settings of millions of Safari users by installing cookies that could track the browsing habits of people—even if they thought they had blocked them. The WSJ explains how Google has developed code that installs cookies on a users’ device—without their…

Tech News Jamie Condliffe

Path Is Also Planning to Nuke Tappable Links (And Why That’s a Good Thing)

We’ve been talking a lot about Path lately, thanks to a privacy issue that caused Congress to nastrygram Apple, and Apple to change policy. And just like Path rectified its privacy problem, it’s got another impending fix I’m happy about. https://gizmodo.com/heres-the-letter-congress-sent-to-apple-asking-what-the-5885366 Earlier this year, I wrote a story about how much I’ve been digging Path,…

Privacy & Security Mat Honan

Apple: Address Book Privacy Fix Incoming

And now, the great circle of tech life heads towards consummation: the scandal, the outrage, the explanation, the Majestic Non-Apologetic Apple Statement. But at least they’re going to fix their privacy problem. Apple provided the following statement to CNET: “Apps that collect or transmit a user’s contact data without their prior permission are in violation…

Tech News Sam Biddle

Why You Should Be Pissed That Apple Lets Developers Take Your Contact Info

We’ve made a big deal about Apple allowing app developers to download and store the address books of iPhone users. As have many others. And while it’s easy to shrug and assume that it won’t affect you in any tangible way, you shouldn’t. https://gizmodo.com/any-iphone-app-can-steal-your-contacts-now-against-stev-5885245 This is important. Here’s why. Admittedly, when it was first revealed…

Tech News Adrian Covert

Here’s the Letter Congress Sent to Apple Asking What the Hell Is Going On with Path

Path messed up. The app was collecting address book data without user permission and it pissed off a lot of people. Now even Congress is getting involved, wondering what the hell happened. Congress has sent a letter to Apple asking questions and demanding answers. https://gizmodo.com/paths-big-mistake-updated-5883395 According to The Next Web, House Energy & Commerce Committee…

Tech News Casey Chan

How iPhone Apps Steal Your Contact Data and Why You Can’t Stop It

The internet is starting to realize something unsettling: our iPhones send information about the people we know to private servers, often without our permission. Some offending apps are fixing themselves. Some aren’t. But the underlying problem is much bigger. https://gizmodo.com/any-iphone-app-can-steal-your-contacts-now-against-stev-5885245 Apple allows any app to access your address book at any time—it’s built into the…

Tech News Sam Biddle

Any iPhone App Can Steal Your Contacts Now—Against Steve Jobs’ Will

Someone found out that Path—and most probably other apps—was stealing your contacts’ information from your iPhone and iPad without telling you about it. This happened because of Path’s greediness, but also because Apple is not protecting your privacy as it should. https://gizmodo.com/paths-big-mistake-updated-5883395 The fact is that any app can do the same right now. And…

Tech News Jesus Diaz

Twitter Saves Your Address Book’s Contents for 18 Months

Twitter, did you learn nothing from Path’s recent kerfuffle? Customers do not like it when you remotely store their personal information, especially without telling them. https://gizmodo.com/path-uploads-your-entire-address-book-to-its-servers-wi-5883118 The company has acknowledged that it collects and stores contact information gleaned from a user’s address book—including names, emails, and phone numbers—through its mobile apps. Every time you activate…

Tech News Andrew Tarantola

Feds Want to Warrantlessly Track Phones Bought with Fake Names

If the DOJ gets its way, it won’t need a warrant to monitor people who buy cell phones and other electronic services using a fake name, according to a story in today’s Wall Street Journal. The DOJ is arguing that because a California man used a fake name when he bought a broadband card, service…

Privacy & Security Mat Honan

When Progress Leaves Us in the Dark

The Obama administration has prosecuted more government officials for media leaks than any other before it. Combined. The New York Times notes the government’s ability to perpetually keep tabs on anyone with security clearance. This more vigorous approach can mostly be attributed to rapid advances in technology. But to what extent will this cripple the…

Privacy & Security Adrian Covert

Boston Police Department’s Response to Anonymous is Hilarious

Earlier this month, Anonymous smashed the Boston Police Department’s website. It’s hard to retaliate against an organization of hackers, so the police department has done the next best thing: it’s made an ironic video and posted it on YouTube. https://gizmodo.com/anonymous-smashes-boston-police-departments-website-up-5881987 The original hack replaced the front page of the site with a message and, most…

Privacy & Security Jamie Condliffe

How to Remove Your Google Search History Before Google’s New Privacy Policy Takes Effect

Consumer Privacy Bill of Rights: The Complete Text

Internet Giants to Adopt a Do-Not-Track Button

Can Obama’s New Consumer Privacy Bill Keep Your Data Safe?

Apps That Abuse Privacy Will Now Be Punished By the Law

iOS Bug Allows Access to Contacts Without a Passcode

Google Sued Over Safari Privacy Debacle

Microsoft Says Google Secretly Planted Cookies in Internet Explorer Too

The Right to Be Forgotten

WSJ: Google Planted Cookies on iPhones Without Anyone’s Permission (Updated)

Path Is Also Planning to Nuke Tappable Links (And Why That’s a Good Thing)

Apple: Address Book Privacy Fix Incoming

Why You Should Be Pissed That Apple Lets Developers Take Your Contact Info

Here’s the Letter Congress Sent to Apple Asking What the Hell Is Going On with Path

How iPhone Apps Steal Your Contact Data and Why You Can’t Stop It

Any iPhone App Can Steal Your Contacts Now—Against Steve Jobs’ Will

Twitter Saves Your Address Book’s Contents for 18 Months

Feds Want to Warrantlessly Track Phones Bought with Fake Names

When Progress Leaves Us in the Dark

Boston Police Department’s Response to Anonymous is Hilarious

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