For years, we’ve been depositing personal data into online accounts. And while it sits there, it’s not just stored – it may be analyzed, correlated, shared, monetized or leaked. It may be time to withdraw that data and put it somewhere safer. Let’s start with some of the oldest online data: email. Postcards, Not Letters […]
Withdraw Your Data: Email Read More »
AI chatbots are all the rage. They’re powerful tools that do amazing things, but come with serious caveats and concerns. Today I’ll focus on privacy. Background Artificial Intelligence, as a technology, has been around since at least the 1950’s. But the current AI boom started with the advent of Large Language Models (LLMs) around 2017,
Many of us are carrying around some serious digital baggage. In this blog series, I’m going to help you trim the fat – a data diet, if you will. And in the process, improve both your privacy and your security. Digital Baggage The world wide web is over 30 years old now. The internet as
Data Diet: Introduction Read More »
Did you know that on your phone, not all links open in your chosen browser? It’s both hard to detect and hard to avoid, and it can completely undermine your choice of a privacy-respecting default browser. The Hidden In-App Browser Most of us probably just use the built-in web browser that comes with our phones
The In-App Switcheroo Read More »
I just returned from an international trip. I’m going to integrate these into the original post here, but for now I’ll just relate my recent experience and key takeaways. Background I’ve been rather paranoid about traveling abroad, despite having done it many times before. More specifically, I was worried about returning to the United States
Border Insecurity (Update) Read More »
We use our smartphones for everything and advertisers know this. You should disable mobile ad ID tracking … I’ll tell you how. Evil MAID Problem Your mobile device has several unique identifiers, either tied to your hardware, your cellular account, or your operating system (Apple’s iOS or Google’s Android). Advertisers and app makers (who may
Disable Your Mobile Ad ID Read More »
Your rights are significantly reduced when crossing the border, even if you’re entering your own country. And sadly, there’s not a lot you can do about it. We need to fix that. (NOTE: I traveled recently and have some added some important notes for this story here.) Hundred Mile Minefield This can be an extremely
I’m starting a new series of articles called Dragon Hacks. They’re short and to the point, with a fun, common format. The idea is to find one thing you can do right now that will make you more secure and/or private. In each article I will introduce a problem, give you a solution, and show
Dragon Hacks: Slay Browser Ads Read More »
Our location is being tracked mercilessly today, in several ways. In the digital age, location data is among the most sensitive information we share, providing a record of our daily lives that can reveal where we live, who we associate with, and our personal routines. For app developers, marketers, and even law enforcement, this data
How to Curb Location Tracking Read More »
Companies are finding new ways to monetize our existing personal data. And too often, they do this without giving us proper notice or getting informed consent. Here are three current examples that you will want to act on soon. PayPal to Share Shopping Details If you use (or have ever used) PayPal, you have until
Just Say No (and Do It Soon) Read More »
