Device lets you block your browsing habits, keep online life private Consumers’ digital trails—from their browsing and social media habits to search-engine inquiries—are a boon to financial institutions, which can use this treasure trove of data to analyze borrowing risk and other factors. More than 3,000 services worldwide track and gather this data, aggregating and selling it for banks’ use, unbeknown to consumers. “The trackers are gathering our browsing habits down to our mouse movement and […]
With the announcement of Verizon Up, a new wireless rewards program that provides users with customer incentives, first-dibs opportunities on things like VIP tickets and other exclusive deals, we thought it was time to review how reward marketing plans work. First, the good news: Verizon Up is free! Like their intrusive cousin the loyalty program, reward-based marketing schemes usually require no additional fees. In essence, Verizon Up is a camouflaged version of what author Seth […]
“These apps are brutal,” Ondrej Krehel told me during a conversation about spyware, or “spouseware” as the software is sometimes called. “It doesn’t matter what ‘intended use’ these app developers claim in their sales pitches. They are increasingly being used by teens to spy on their love interests,” Krehel said. “It’s quite prevalent.” Krehel is CEO and founder of LIFARS, a digital forensics and cybersecurity intelligence firm. He sees spyware as a concern for consumers. […]
You can’t change your physical traits very easily, so if a hacker steals your biometric data–look out. Scanning a fingerprint or even an eyeball to authenticate your identity is no longer the stuff of science fiction. Biometric identification has been in practical use for a while now, and the technology gets more sophisticated every day. It should come as no surprise that security and privacy concerns have arisen along the way. And now the legal ramifications are rapidly getting more complicated. […]
Virtual private networks are back in the spotlight. In March, Congress voted to repeal rules that would have required internet service providers to get customer permission to sell their web-browsing data. ISPs are now free to market valuable customer information, triggering concern among privacy advocates. Detailed behavior profiles created by ISPs could be particularly handy tools for marketers targeting those most vulnerable to predatory sales campaigns, including the poor and tech neophytes. “Further overreaching by […]
First Amendment concerns and consumer privacy law has people talking about a case recently settled in Massachusetts. It revolved around the practice of serving advertisements with geo-fencing technology. At issue: was it legal for anti-abortion groups to use this new marketing technique to directly communicate with young women on their way to get abortions? According to the settlement in Massachusetts, the answer, at least for the time being, is no. The ads in question used […]
We live in an age of hackers. They are employed by our government and deployed by foreign powers. They are freelancers with goals ranging from netting big consulting fees in exchange for the discovery of potentially damaging vulnerabilities before they make the evening news, to sending a message, to righting a perceived wrong, to outright criminal activity. While the various hacker camps are different, they present the same conundrum to all of us: Is anything […]
With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, people are looking for love more and more online. Unfortunately, hackers and scammers are waiting to prey on online daters, hoping to steal their heart, along with their cash. Think Before You Click That Link! The e-card may seem romantic, but it could mask something more dangerous, like malware or viruses that can do more than just spam your computer with ads, but could remotely take over your […]
With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, people are looking for love more and more online. Unfortunately, hackers and scammers are waiting to prey on online daters, hoping to steal their heart, along with their cash. Money Can’t Buy You Love. Never Give or Wire Money to Someone You Met Online. Given that the whole point for catfishers is to get money out of people, alarm bells should start going off the moment any potential […]
With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, people are looking for love more and more online. Unfortunately, hackers and scammers are waiting to prey on online daters, hoping to steal their heart, along with their cash. Never Turn Over Personal Information or Pictures You Wouldn’t Want Broadcast for the World to See. It’s not love if they ask for your credit card number or for you to buy a plane ticket, or request your Social […]
