Data and Privacy

The unchecked transfer and sale of personal data is one of the biggest technological disasters of this generation. Take your life back, one service at a time. This blog generates no revenue and is managed without compensation. If you find it useful, consider sending a coffee.

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152 Media

Privacy policy

Exercise your rights by emailing [email protected]

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Opt-Outs

You can proactively opt-out of some interest-based advertising.

Network Advertising Initiative

DAA WebChoice

DAAC WebChoices

How to opt out on some mobile devices

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Laliga

Privacy policy

Data Protection Officer: [email protected]

Email [email protected] to exercise your privacy rights if you believe they may have your data.

This may be a connected service. Check for "LALIGA Ecosistema" on Google and Facebook. As long as it is still connected, it can still access and use your data.

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Tumblr

To control your privacy settings on Tumblr, first visit the relevant settings here. Different settings will be available based on your locale as perceived by your IP address. Use of a VPN may show settings not applicable to your area.

If you are in the US, state-based privacy rights can be checked here. All privacy policies can be found here.

You may email Tumblr regarding your privacy at [email protected] or by submitting a ticket here.

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Quick Tips

Use an assumed name.

Most services do not need your real name. Consider using nicknames or even names that aren't associated with you in your real life whenever possible. This is not an option for anything that requires identity verification like bank apps, utilities, and any service that issues payment to you.

Mix up your email.

Most email services allow you to tailor your email by adding a + to it. Instead of using [name]@[email], you can try [name]+[whatever]@[email]. It will still go to the same inbox, but you will be able to see the full address in the To field. This can sometimes help you spot if a service sells off your email when you start receiving unsolicited mail at that address. However, not all services allow you to sign up with your email altered like that and it is easy to filter out the +[whatever] to get your regular email.

Some email services allow you to generate unique emails that will forward to the same inbox. So you can have [whatever]@[email] go directly to your inbox. This might be for an additional fee, but it can't be deconstructed like the first option.

A third strategy is to create additional emails. You can have multiple inboxes on your email app to help keep things separate, or set up automatic forwarding so you don't have to switch inboxes. Some services limit how many different emails can forward to the same inbox, but you can daisy-chain them so email 3 forwards to email 2, which forwards to your main email.

For one-time use or sketchy services, consider using a throwaway one-time email. These email addresses expire after a certain period, so don't use this on anything you might need in the future!

Don't give out your real number.

While a lot of services do need your real number, many can be set up using burner numbers that can be acquired through various apps. Some of these apps assign the phone number temporarily and some assign a permanent number, so you can choose what fits based on your needs. However, some services will not allow you to use a burner number and it is not advisable on services that need your real identity in case you lose access to the burner number.

Block third party cookies.

Use your browser settings or add-ons to block third party cookies to help make sure the only companies tracking you on each site is the one you're currently on. You can't block all cookies because there are essential legitimate uses for them, such as allowing you to login, but you should block others when you can.

Opt out of sharing.

Use each website's policies and settings to tell them not to share your data with other entities. Each service will have a different process for this, usually found in the privacy policy. We're going to accumulate as many of these services as possible and summarize how to do this so you don't have to.

Use a VPN.

VPNs can help make it difficult or impossible for companies to piece together information about you gained from other services because it makes you appear to be visiting from different locations with different IP addresses.

Watch for data breaches.

Keep an eye out for notices that you have been involved in a data breach, especially from services that need your real data. Take advantage of things like free credit monitoring if they are offered to minimize the impact on your life.

Remove yourself from people search sites.

People search sites are a major privacy risk! Search your name online and remove yourself these sites regularly. Many search engines allow you to set up alerts so they can notify you if a new site lists your information.

Lock down your public profile.

As often as you can, make posts friends-only and opt out of being listed in search engines so that bots can't load your profile and start processing your data.

Limit permissions.

Does that app really need your location data or can you type in a zip code? Is there a legitimate reason it needs your contacts? Remove permissions from apps as you install them to keep them from accessing your data in the first place.

Be discerning.

If something seems too good to be true or feels sketchy, it probably is. Don't click on suspicious ads or links and avoid signing up for services that you don't trust.

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Introduction

In the world we live in, everything has been commodified, and that includes you!

Companies have been buying and selling information about you, even if you don't have an online presence. They get information through public records, information you supply when signing up to services, your browsing data, your purchase history, your location data, what devices are near your own, and more. They analyze this data to categorize you and shape your life to their benefit on- and offline.

"Ok, but why should I care?"

"I have nothing to hide. Who cares if some of my data is being sold?"

Companies use that data to manipulate you. They take all the information they can glean from your demographics, browsing patterns, purchase history, location data, data of those close to you, and more to subtly push you into making purchases you don't want or need while also tailoring the price to the maximum amount they believe you will pay for that product. They dictate what you see online and when, and turn around and sell the data they received and generated from your engagement to other parties. Once it changes hands, the original seller loses control of it, and it often filters down to less and less scrupulous organizations, including criminals that can use that information to steal your identity.

"This company says my data is anonymized/de-identified so it doesn't matter."

It's not as anonymous as you think! Just because your name isn't attached doesn't mean they can't connect the dots back to you.

"My data is already out there so there isn't anything I can do."

You're right that damage has already been done, but you have rights! You can tell data brokers and other services to stop selling your data and, depending on your location, even demand they delete it.

"It's so much work!"

There are services that can do at least some of the work for you. Some come bundled with services you may already use, and there are companies that will do all the work on your behalf. It is up to you to decide how much effort you are willing to make and how much worth you associate with the reclamation of your personal privacy.

Any work you are able to make towards this has an impact and it is never too late to start caring about your freedom to decide who gets to have what information about you and how they are able to use it.