How to deal with data breaches

 A great resource is the Identify Theft Resource Center: https://notified.idtheftcenter.org

 Change your passwords as soon as you expect a data breach. 

Use a password manager that generates secure passwords. 

Free ways to fight fraud in the digital age

Don't waste money on ID theft protection services before fully utilizing the many free options available. Also consider if you have aging parents who might be susceptible to phone and internet scams.
Credit Monitoring:
Review your credit reports with the 3 major credit reporting services at https://www.annualcreditreport.com/. You can get one free report from each agency per year so check one of them in rotation every 4 months. Other options: https://www.creditsesame.com/ and https://www.creditkarma.com/

Credit Freeze: 
Credit freezes are now free to everyone. A credit freeze restricts access to your credit report unless you specifically allow sharing with the person/firm seeking that info. You need to contact each of the 3 major credit reporting bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.

Password Managers:
Free services such as LastPass, Dahlane, KeePass, and RoboForm will generate and remember your passwords in an encrypted vault. You just need one master password to log into your websites.

Call-Blocking Apps:
Truecaller, Hiya and Call Control offer free smartphone apps. AT&T and T-Mobile offer free basic protection.

Source: "Your Money: Scam Alert" by Sid Kirchheimer for the AARP Bulletin.

Consumer Privacy Act

"America’s first broad data privacy law, the California Consumer Privacy Act, went into effect Jan. 1. These days, a wild range of companies gather and sell your data, from Ford and Chipotle to Uber and Walmart. Now the CCPA gives you the power to say cut it out."
"And while the law technically covers only California residents, Americans living anywhere can use the CCPA to reset their relationships with more than a dozen major businesses (and counting)."


"You’re going to have to jump through some hoops, but you can ask companies to access, delete and stop selling your data using the new California Consumer Privacy Act - even if you don’t live in California."

Thanks to Geoffrey A. Fowler writing for The Washington Post, February 6, 2020

1) You can ask companies to show you exactly what data they’ve collected about you.
2) You can instruct companies not to “sell” your data. The word “sell” is in quotes because the law defines that pretty broadly as an exchange of value. (There’s a lot of debate about that, though — see below.)
3) You can ask companies to delete your data, unless doing so would create a security threat or interfere with someone else’s free speech.


"You have to go to each and every company to exercise your CCPA rights. Yes, that could become a never-ending project. But the good news is that many companies have web forms you can fill out like busywork."

Gather information before you start. "You’ll need to have access to your usernames, passwords and loyalty card numbers. (If you don’t already have a password manager to keep all your important information organized, this is an excellent time to get one.)"

https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2020/02/06/ccpa-faq/?arc404=true&utm_campaign=wp_post_most&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&wpisrc=nl_most

Losing your privacy through medical data smart phone apps

As a Wall Street Journal reader I am reminded almost daily of the loss of privacy linked to the use of computers, smart phones, and other technology. Facebook is one of the worst offenders.
But now Natasha Singer, writing in The New York Times reveals the perils of smart phone apps for medical data.

"Americans may soon be able to get their medical records through smartphone apps as easily as they order takeout food from Seamless or catch a ride from Lyft."

"But prominent medical organizations are warning that patient data-sharing with apps could facilitate invasions of privacy — and they are fighting the change."

The American Medical Association is warning that patients "who authorized consumer apps to retrieve their medical records could open themselves up to serious data abuses. Federal privacy protections, which limit how health providers and insurers may use and share medical records, no longer apply once patients transfer their data to consumer apps."

So think twice before signing up to get your medical info on your smart phone. 

Another Facebook data breach!

Nearly 50 million Facebook accounts were compromised last week (end of September 2018) in an attack against the social media giant.
Time to reconsider your use of FB.

Google may be a bigger privacy risk than Facebook

Christopher Mims, writing for The Wall Street Journal (4/23/18) explains that "Alphabet's Google is a far bigger threat by many measures." Based on the amount of information gathered, Google's tracking procedures, and the amount of time people spend on its apps and sites, poses a far bigger risk to privacy than does Facebook. "Few of us realize the extent to which our data is being collected and used." It is a systemic problem that most consumers don't recognize. Google Analytics collects data from up to 50 million websites, including the largest U.S. companies; "it tracks you whether or not you are logged in." Google uses "browsing and search history, apps you installed, demographics and where you've shopped. Google collects Android users' call and text history; to a much greater degree than Facebook's access to Apple's iphone.
European Union privacy rules make it much easier for users to understand what data are being gathered and how it is being used. Google opposes the California Consumer Privacy Act, a November 2018 ballot measure.
Time to think carefully about your online activities.

Facebook violates user privacy; time to delete?

"The mountain of evidence piling up this week exposes the rot at the core of Facebook Inc." (C. Mims, WSJ 3/21/18, B1). 
Each day the news gets worse. It's front page news in the Wall Street Journal (and other news outlets) on a daily basis- how FB violated your personal privacy. According to WSJ (4/5/18: "data breeches 0were far more extensive than previously  known." Data from 87 million users was shared with Cambridge Analytica, the company that messed with the 2016 presidential elections with fake news to help the Russian interfere with our election. FB admits to these abuses.
nothing new, Back in 2011 the federal Trade Commission revealed that FB "deceived customers by telling them they could keep their information private, but then allowed it to be made public" (WSJ 4.5/18, p. A4).
First: It was a BIG mistake to register with real information: your real name, real birth date, etc. How naive to trust a corporation with this information. While FB is updating its services to supposedly better protect users and give more control over how their personal information is used, it way past that point. FB has completely lost the trust of users. Your email address and phone numbers have been shared with companies you did not agree to.
It is clear that FB cannot be trusted. Yes, your personal information is "out there." You can't change that but you can take steps to protect your privacy in the future. So now FB is providing more info on how they use your data. It is revising its term of service. Great. Nice to Know. NOT! In addition to these breeches, FB also shares your information with Instagram, WhatsApp, and Oculus.
It is clear that FB cannot be trusted... so what can you do? The WSJ has been very helpful in publishing a series of articles about how to change your information and even how to delete your account.
You can request a lost of all the info you've posted. "One of the more shocking things some users discovered in their files was a list of phone calls and text messages." (K. Bindley, WSJ 3/30/18B4). As FB explained: when you share info like a phone number or email address with a business, they can match that info to your FB profile.  Any app which you linked to - they all obtained info from your FB account.
Even when you try to "Delete my account" many users are finding they cannot proceed because the system tells them their passwords (which they just used to log on) are incorrect. (source: K. Bindley, WSJ, 4/6/18, B4.) Deleting an account is different from "deactivating" it. To delete go to FB help center. after clicking "let us know" you get ""Delete my account" which leads to another box that asks for password and a captcha puzzle. This is where the problem appears. Keep trying... maybe it will work for you. If you want to delete- first download your data: pictures, posts, messages, etc. FB will hold on to your data for 90 days (or maybe forever).
You can "deactivate" your account: choose downward arrow at top right page corner. Go to Settings, then Manage Account. Scroll down to Deactivate Your Account. 
FB is supposedly curbing the data it shares/sells to other companies. However, the horse is out of the barn. Zuckerberg has apologized... wow! that's easy to do. One lesson to be learned: NEVER give out your real information online: Name, birth date, email address, anything.
Time to take charge of your personal information and stop being naive. Wipe the slate as clean as possible and be a more prudent internet user. Think of all the extra time you'll have when you stop using Facebook!

Protecting your online privacy

Learn how to :

• Lock your accounts
• Secure online and mobile transactions, 
• Mobile device safety
• Safe & Sound social media
• Family-friendly internet

All in a 4 page document developed by Consumer Action. Print your copy at:

Put a Lock on It: Protecting your online privacy

http://www.consumer-action.org/downloads/english/2015_Internet_Security_Privacy_EN.pdf

Heartbleed: Change your Passwords!

“A new flaw in encryption tools used across the Web may have been exploited to leak your login names and passwords. Don’t panic though. Before you change your password, just check if the site’s security is up to date. WSJ Personal Technology Columnist Joanna Stern has tips for protecting yourself.” http://live.wsj.com/video/heartbleed-change-your-passwordscarefully/F3DDAE69-31C7-4E8D-B7C0-306A6E3CD680.html?mod=WSJ_article_outbrain&obref=obnetwork#!F3DDAE69-31C7-4E8D-B7C0-306A6E3CD680

Data Privacy Day

Data Privacy Day is on Monday, January 28th. The day marks an effort to educate and empower people to protect their privacy and control their digital footprint.

In our online world, data is free flowing. All of us - from home computer users to the largest corporations - need to be aware of the personal and private data available and remain vigilant and proactive about protecting it.

Get information and resources about protecting your privacy.