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They Know Where You Are and What You Just Bought: Online Tracking Debated at Consumer Electronics Show

Posted on Tuesday, January 8th, 2013 by

What are the boundaries for collecting personal data and information for marketing purposes?

Today in Las Vegas, at the Consumer Electronics Show, two leaders from the Future of Privacy Forum will be on a panel discussion that explores the boundaries for collecting such personal information.

As consumers, we’ve almost come to expect an extreme amount of online tracking. But the Future of Privacy speakers will point out some interesting inconsistencies with those attitudes. For example, the grocer who bombards shoppers with questions about other lifestyle choices (e.g., where they vacationed, what movies they recently viewed, what books they read, where their children attend college) does breach norms of appropriateness.

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Privacyfix: Locking Down How Google and Facebook Profit From Our Data

Posted on Tuesday, October 16th, 2012 by

Have you heard about Privacyfix?

If this string of tweets on the day it launched is any indication, the Privacyfix extension may be the solution to some of our biggest privacy worries when it comes to Google, Facebook, and online tracking.

“Default privacy settings on sites like Facebook are revenue- driven, not privacy-driven,” explains PrivacyFix founder Jim Brock. “Privacyfix puts you back in control of your data.” Read More

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Ask the Expert: Does Facebook Make Money Off Of What Happens On My Smartphone?

Posted on Monday, September 3rd, 2012 by

Ask the Expert: Does Facebook Make Money Off Of What Happens On My Smartphone?

Facebook seems like it is counting on the fact that you can’t tell the difference between “sponsored stories” and “sponsored” newsfeed posts, and that you won’t remember if you liked a product or company or not.

Right now, Facebook makes over $3 billion a year on advertising, but they’re always looking for ways to make more. How much do they need? Apparently, more than that. Read on for more details.

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Google Fined $22 Million for Disregarding Browser Privacy Settings

Posted on Monday, August 20th, 2012 by

Did anyone else catch the very busy Twitter chat about the FTC’s fine against Google?

It can be found by using the #FTCpriv hashtag, and the chat centered on the Federal Trade Commission’s $22.5 million fine to settle charges that Google circumvented privacy settings in Apple’s Safari browser.

While some privacy advocates are excited by the ruling, others say that it amounts to a little more than a slap on the wrist. Read More

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FTC, Facebook Settle Online Privacy, Deceptive Advertising Dispute

Posted on Tuesday, August 14th, 2012 by

Ever had the frustrating experience of discovering your so-called “private” photo album on Facebook has been made public for all the world to see? Well, here’s a bit of good news.

On Friday afternoon, the Federal Trade Commission finally reached its long-awaited privacy settlement with Facebook, resolving charges that Facebook deceived consumers by telling them they could keep their information on Facebook private, and then repeatedly allowing it to be shared and made public.

This concludes a long saga between the FTC and Facebook, and although Facebook admitted no wrong-doing, the FTC pressed on with its case for months. What were some of the privacy offenses? Read More

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‘Do Not Track’ On by Default in Internet Explorer 10

Posted on Monday, August 13th, 2012 by

Microsoft has good news for users concerned with Internet privacy. They recently announced that the Do Not Track option will be turned on by default for users of Internet Explorer 10.

This decision may not seem like a big deal, but it is. The Do Not Track option has been around for five years and while some online advertisers have promised to respect it, because it has not been a system default, few consumers have turned it on and thus advertisers were not very concerned about it.

Microsoft’s decision to make Do Not Track a system default may abruptly change all of that. Read More

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Acxiom and Database Marketing: Learn About ‘Big Brother’ on Steroids and How to Opt Out

Posted on Monday, June 25th, 2012 by

Have you ever heard of a company called Acxiom? If you’re like most Americans, probably not. But while you may not know much about Acxiom, they sure know a lot about you.

Acxiom knows more about you than the IRS, FBI, Facebook, and Google. It’s likely that they know your age, race, sex, marital status, education background, political leanings, household income, and much more.

Forrester Research once said Acxiom — headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas — “demonstrated surprising nimbleness in modernizing its offering and arguably leads the industry with its digital solutions,” but what does this $1.15 billion-a-year company do behind the scenes?

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Generational Views On Privacy, Facebook, and Geo-Tagging: Who Owns Our Personal Information?

Posted on Thursday, June 21st, 2012 by

An article from Private WiFi’s CEO, Kent Lawson, raised interesting points about online privacy attitudes among younger people.

The article presented some interesting thoughts from Ella Hickson, a young playwright.

Ella notes she is more aware of the value of privacy and puts forth the idea that most of the younger generation thinks in terms of an “inner circle of friends” and “our public self.” Read More

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Consumer Reports: Most People Worried About Online Privacy, Personal Data, Employer Bias, Privacy Policies

Posted on Wednesday, April 25th, 2012 by

Like most of us concerned with online privacy, a new Consumer Reports survey echoes the sentiments of the day.

A whopping 71% of consumers have serious concerns about their online privacy and about the collection and use of their personal data. Among smartphone users, the big worry — among 65% of consumers — is that apps could access their contacts, photos, and location data without their permission. And 53% are concerned that data from their online activities and purchases could be used to deny employment or loans.

These findings came from a recent telephone survey among 1,017 random adults that described several common privacy concerns. Read More

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The Government’s New Consumer Privacy ‘Bill of Rights’ a Positive Step Forward

Posted on Monday, March 19th, 2012 by

The Obama Administration recently unveiled plans for a consumer privacy “bill of rights” that, at first glance, looks very promising.

The plan would give citizens more control over how their personal information is collected and used by online companies. It also sets standards regarding individual control, transparency, and accountability.

In a nutshell, this plan gives people the ability to opt out of having their personal data collected as well as forcing companies to adhere to clear and accessible privacy policies. Read More

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