Facebook and Cambridge Analytica have been dominating the latest headlines, but we shouldn’t treat this scandal as an isolated incident. This is really a symptom of a much larger privacy problem and just one reason we need far more comprehensive privacy protections.
Jane, a pregnant woman, was asked to sign an authorization to release her personal health information to a pharmaceutical company before getting a prescription she needed to help insure the well-being of her and her unborn child. The doctor’s office called her and said she’d need to download and fax a Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) authorization form before she could get her medication. She didn’t think much of it until she downloaded the form and read it. A few things didn’t add up.
If you are expecting a tax refund this year, it’s a good idea (in light of the recent Equifax breach, especially) to file your return as soon as possible to avoid someone stealing your refund. This can occur when someone uses another’s Social Security number to file a tax return in their name to claim their refund. Victims will likely be unaware that this has happened until they file their tax return and discover that another return already has been filed in their name.
Sharing some of your personal life through online dating apps and websites may be a necessary component of searching for a partner in today’s world. But are you sharing more than you think you are?
As we barrel towards a world where our cars can drive themselves and may be speaking to other cars on the road (or to the internet at large), our vehicles are getting a more complete and intimate view into our personal lives than ever before.
The Federal Trade Commission recently settled charges with VTech, a company that sells electronic toys, over allegations that it violated a children’s privacy law. The FTC alleged that VTech’s Kid Connect app collected children’s personal information without providing parents sufficient or direct notice, obtaining appropriate parental consent, or taking reasonable steps to secure the data it collected.
Having overindulged a bit during the winter holidays, many of us are now trying to get into better shape for the new year. To assist in that goal, there are numerous fitness apps and wearable tech that can help motivate you and keep you accountable. But are you losing more than just a little bit of holiday weight by using them?
This holiday shopping season, the Echo Dot was the bestselling product on all of Amazon and countless Smart TVs were purchased. But even if you purchased/received the best Internet of Things (IoT) products on the market, you will need to take steps to make sure you aren’t creating unnecessary security vulnerabilities.
With the holiday shopping season just around the corner, you may find yourself doing more shopping than usual. During this busy season, here are a few important things to consider for protecting your privacy:
Looking to get the newest tech for your home? Before replacing every item in your space with the latest and greatest in internet-connected devices (also known as the Internet of Things), you may want to take a quick minute and think about these few things.
Ask yourself or look up: