Secret questions, Security questions, Multi-Factor Authentication… we all know the drill. When you first create an account on a secure site, you’ll probably be asked to choose 2-3 questions to answer in case you forget your password or your account gets hacked. Some really secure sites will require you to answer one of them each time you sign in, even with your password. So you click on the drop-down menu and scan the meager selection of questions to choose from. Here are the ones you might want to steer clear of and why:

This week the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) took an important step to protect the privacy of consumers online.  Individuals have little choice over how they access the internet, and broadband internet service providers (ISPs) have access to an enormous amount of information about their customers.  The FCC adopted broadband privacy rules that recognize this and will allow broadband customers to exercise more control over how their ISPs use and share their data.

Over half of Americans have a health-related mobile application on their phone. These apps can track vitals like weight and blood pressure, keep up with diet and exercise habits, and even offer medication reminders. Health and medical apps typically require users to register in order to create a personalized profile and to associate their logged information with their account.

Your smartphone may be vulnerable to would-be hackers, and you may not ever know it. Hackers will attempt to gain access to your email, your password, your contacts, even your photos. And if you use your smartphone for work, hackers could also try to gain company intelligence from your mobile phone.

 

Prepaid cards, also known as “general purpose reloadable cards”, have become increasingly popular in the past few years, among both consumers with and without a bank account. According to a recent report by The Pew Charitable Trusts, approximately 1 in 11 consumers use a prepaid card at least once per month, and 27% of these users do not have a checking account.

 

Introduction of Award Recipient, Associate Professor Kristen Walker, PhD
CSUN Department of Marketing

 

By Beth Givens, Executive Director, Privacy Rights Clearinghouse

 

April 5, 2016

 

I’m honored to be invited to introduce Associate Professor Kristen Walker, the recipient of the Jerome Richfield Scholar award. I’ve also been invited to say a few words about consumer privacy.

 

Alert for California Parents of School-Age Children:

 

California School Students’ Information Scheduled to be Released

The Identity Theft Resource Center and Privacy Rights Clearinghouse want to alert all parents of school-aged children throughout California about a pending deadline to object to the potential release of their child’s sensitive personal identifying information. The deadline for parents and adult students to object to the disclosure of personal information and records is April 1, 2016.

 

Tax season is here, and with it come scammers and identity thieves hoping to profit.  Here are Privacy Rights Clearinghouse’s (PRC) top tips and resources to help you protect your privacy, your money, and your identity.  

 

Reduce the risk of your mail falling into the wrong hands. You should take steps to protect sensitive information year round, but during tax season you will likely receive a number of “information returns” containing sensitive information such as your Social Security number.

National Academies of Sciences Forum
Data Breach Aftermath and Recovery for Individuals and Institutions

 

“An On-the-Ground Look at Consumer Impacts of Data Breaches”
Presentation by Beth Givens, Privacy Rights Clearinghouse


January 12, 2016

 

Thank you for the opportunity to speak today.

 

I’m Beth Givens, executive director of the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse. The organization’s mission is to empower and educate consumers to protect their privacy. It’s a nonprofit organization located in San Diego.

 

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