Tag Archives: Online Privacy
Ways to Protect Yourself After the JPMorgan Hacking
by Tara Siegel Bernard, The New York Times
Personal information from 76 million households may have been compromised as part of the cyberattack. The biggest risk is that the thieves will try to extract more sensitive information from affected consumers. “I would be very conscious of the email you get in the next year, which could be related to this hack,” Pam Dixon, executive director at the World Privacy Forum, said. Those who want to add a layer of security to their financial life should consider a “security freeze,” which prevents someone from trying to open a new account in a consumer’s name. Read More ›
California Enacts Strict Student Privacy Law
by the Associated Press, in the San Francisco Chronicle
Gov. Jerry Brown has signed the nation’s toughest student privacy rights protections into law. SB 1177 (Steinberg) makes companies responsible for protecting any personal information that they gather from K-12 students through websites, online applications and other services. The data can be used only for school purposes, and students’ personal information cannot be sold. Consumer Federation of California Executive Director Richard Holober called the law “the vanguard for consumer rights in the digital era. Until this point, protecting students’ online information has been a Wild West.” Read More ›
6 Ways to Outsmart Data Brokers
by Kelly Dilworth, Fox News Network
Think twice about the trail of information you leave behind when you go about your day. Unlike consumer reporting agencies, data brokers aren’t subject to the Fair Credit Reporting Act – they don’t have to tell you what they’re collecting, nor do they have to correct your information if it’s wrong. The Federal Trade Commission has asked Congress to step in and regulate the information data brokers are collecting so you have more control over your data. But until that happens, it’s up to you to keep an eye on the information you’re disclosing and protect what privacy you have left. Read More ›
CFC-Sponsored Ban Against Computer Spyware Signed Into Law
SEPT. 18 – Gov. Jerry Brown has signed a bill sponsored by the Consumer Federation of California to protect consumer privacy by restricting the use of spyware on rented computers. Thanks to Assembly Bill 2667 (Richard Bloom, D-Santa Monica), consumers who rent a computer or similar electronic device in … Read More ›
CFC-Sponsored Ban Against Computer Spyware Signed Into Law
SACRAMENTO – Gov. Jerry Brown signed a bill sponsored by the Consumer Federation of California to protect consumer privacy by restricting the use of spyware on rented computers. Thanks to Assembly Bill 2667 (Richard Bloom, D-Santa Monica), consumers who rent a computer or similar electronic device in California … Read More ›
As data overflows online, researchers grapple with ethics
by Vindu Goel, The New York Times
Facebook manipulated the news feeds of nearly 700,000 people to learn how the changes affected their emotions. When the research was published, the outrage was immediate. Now university and corporate researchers are grappling with how to create ethical guidelines for this kind of research. “Consumers should be in the driver’s seat when it comes to their data,” said Edith Ramirez, chairwoman of the Federal Trade Commission, which regulates on issues like privacy and the Internet. “They don’t want to be left in the dark and they don’t want to be surprised at how it’s used.” Read More ›
Google Glass is the perfect tool for stealing your phone’s passcode
by Polly Mosendz, The Atlantic Wire
Most people using smart devices have a simple password set up — four digits that protect your phone or tablet from prying eyes and theft. Usually, these passwords are quite easy to protect when in public; just type it in quickly and no one will notice, especially outdoors sun glare makes it hard to read your screen. However, if you find yourself typing in your password in the presence of a Google Glass wearer, beware. Read More ›
Bill would restore online privacy
by Richard Holober, Los Angeles Daily News guest commentary
CFC Executive Director Richard Holober: “Next week California lawmakers decide whether to protect your privacy when you purchase downloads. Senate Bill 383 would restore privacy rules that a sharply divided state Supreme Court eliminated in a 2013 case involving Apple’s iTunes. Consumer groups support the bill. Tech companies are working furiously to defeat it.” Read More ›
Facebook is now selling your Web-browsing data to advertisers
by Chris Moran, Consumerist
Facebook has long been following you around the Web, quietly snickering at you for the music you buy and silently cocking an eyebrow for thinking you can still fit into the same size jeans you wore in college. But until now, it had tracked users under the pretense of security. This morning’s announcement shows the site’s true intentions. Read More ›
Should consumers trust data brokers to protect their information?
by David Lazarus, Los Angeles Times
The Federal Trade Commission laid out its case last week in a 110-page report on why data brokers should be dragged forcibly into the sunlight. “You may not know them, but data brokers know you,” said FTC Chairwoman Edith Ramirez. “They know where you live, what you buy, your income, your ethnicity, how old your kids are, your health conditions and your interests and hobbies.” Read More ›
Half of American adults hacked this year
by Jose Pagliery, CNN Money
The damage is real. Each record typically includes personal information, such as your name, debit or credit card, email, phone number, birthday, password, security questions and physical address. It’s enough to get hunted down by an abusive ex-spouse. It makes you an easier target for scams. And even if only basic information about you is stolen, that can easily be paired with stolen credit card data, empowering impostors. Read More ›
Assembly approves bill to prohibit spying on rental computer customers
[CFC press release] The state Assembly has unanimously approved a measure to protect consumer privacy by restricting the use of spyware on rented computers. Assembly Bill 2667 “outlaws the conduct of companies such as Aaron’s, a large national rent-to-own retail chain, which used secret spyware on rental computers to collect passwords, credit card records and medical records, and to activate webcams which photographed customers engaged in intimate activities in their homes,” according to Richard Holober, executive director of the Consumer Federation of California, which sponsored the measure carried by Assemblymember Richard Bloom, D-Santa Monica. Read More ›
What you really agree to when you click ‘accept’
by By Jose Pagliery, CNN Money
You can spot the words “privacy policy” at the bottom of nearly every website. Don’t be fooled. Those policies are more about data collection than privacy. Companies use these policies to alert you to how they track your location, read your emails, spy on your Web browsing – and sell some of that to advertisers. With the help of several legal experts, CNN has reviewed policies at many top websites and apps. The conclusion: Most privacy policies are basically useless. Read More ›