If you are not on clubhouse, chances are high that your phone number is. The clubhouse app makes use of a wide spread matching technique: upload the contact data of the users to the servers and search for matches. Clubhouse is not alone: messengers like WhatsApp or Signal use the very same approach. This let’s […]
Category Archives: Privacy
Whatsapp doesn’t want to lock users out
After WhatsApp changed its data privacy rules there was a lot of critisism the way Facebook tried to push users to accept them. Those who do not agree to the new terms and conditions would experience a gradually limited service. After a pushback, Facebook changed its approach again. Users who do not agree to the […]
Initial IDFA Apocalypse Tidbits
Apple’s iOS 14.5 update requires apps to show users a prompt asking for their consent before tracking them across other apps and websites. It’s called App Tracking Transparency or ATT and has caused a considerable uproar of the online advertising community and juggernauts like Facebook. After the roll-out of Apple’s iOS 14.5 update, initial numbers […]
What does the new WhatsApp privacy policy mean for me?
Almost all apps regularly update their terms of use, but rarely has such a change caused as much excitement as the new WhatsApp privacy policy. What is remarkable about the privacy policy? For the first time, Facebook is openly revealing details about the collection and storage of user data. Your chats are still end-to-end encrypted, […]
I know who you are talking to
If you’re a WhatsApp user – like 2 billion others on the planet – your online status can be queried by third parties. This happens without you noticing anything. All that it takes is your phone number. Your online status is a source of information An investigation by Traced shows how online tools can be […]
How Location Pings are used to identify People storming the US Capitol
It was shocking when a mob stormed the U.S. Capitol on January 6th. In the aftermath of this event, data (mostly pictures and videos) from the social network Parler was used to create timelines for the activities of individuals and ultimately to identify them. But now another data set has emerged from a different source […]
Keeping your Online Data Private in 2021
The coronavirus pandemic struck in 2020 and it resulted in several entities relying heavily on the internet. The effects of COVID-19 have spilled into 2021 with social distancing techniques still in play. Since almost everyone is using the internet nowadays, some problems have arisen. Controversies Surrounding Online Privacy The most important one is the issue […]
Why to keep your contacts safe from Apps
Apps that ask for accessing your contacts should be viewed with a very critical eye. To illustrate this, let me tell you a story. Sue and Joe are good friends since their days at college. However, Joe recently got into conspiracy theories and even joined a network of conspiracy theorists. They use an app to […]
Clubhouse
Clubhouse is the latest app hype. The app is what is known as proximity chat where you can talk with all kind of people. Getting in is not that easy, because you can only join by invitation and only if you have an iPhone, no Android users can become members so far. Anyone who has […]
iOS 14 Changes Aren’t Bad for Small Businesses After All
Facebook’s full-page ad campaign claims that Apple’s new policy, which will ask users to opt-in for tracking, will hurt small businesses. While it cannot be denied that small businesses depend on advertising, Facebook’s monopoly on social media and it’s popularity means that many small businesses depend on Facebook. For example, take a look at the […]