When you check into a hotel and provide a photo ID, your expectation is that the hotel will be holding this info for its records in case you mess up the room or try to skip out on your bill. What you don’t expect is that the hotel management is taking its daily guest logs and turning them over to federal immigration officials. [More]
privacy
Motel 6 Admits Some Locations Were Sharing Lists Of Guests With Immigration Officers On Daily Basis
By 9.15.17
It’s Not Just The U.S. — Equifax Security Issues Causing Headaches Around The World
By 9.13.17
We already know that more than 143 million Americans’ personal identify information was compromised as part of Equinox’s two-month-long data breach. If you thought that was bad enough, it gets worse: The credit reporting agency’s lax data security may have affected tens of millions more consumers across the world. [More]
Department Of Homeland Security Sued Over Warrantless Searches Of Electronic Devices At The U.S. Border
By 9.13.17
Although it’s illegal for a police officer to search your electronic devices without a warrant — even after you’re arrested — the Department of Homeland Security says warrantless searches of digital content are allowed at any U.S. border. Privacy advocates and civil rights organizations are now suing the agency, claiming that border protection officers should also have a warrant before they’re allowed to search through residents’ laptops and phones. [More]
Equifax Already Being Sued Over Massive Breach; Company Criticized For Amateurish Response To Theft
By 9.8.17
Within hours of Equifax — one of the nation’s three major credit bureaus — confirming that the records of some 143 million people had been compromised in a data breach, the company now faces a lawsuit accusing it of failing to protect its stockpile of sensitive consumer information. Meanwhile, some critics are saying that Equifax’s response to the breach may be causing more harm than good. [More]
Lenovo Will Pay $3.5 Million To States For Privacy-Invading Ad Software
By 9.5.17
Only hours after Lenovo got off with what amounted to a warning and a promise to not do illegal stuff going forward, the tech company has agreed to pay a total of $3.5 million to a coalition of 32 states to settle allegations that Lenovo knowingly sold laptops that came with ad-injection software that put all of their online data at risk. [More]
Lenovo Gets Slap On Wrist From Feds Over Pre-Installed Ad Software With Gaping Security Hole
By 9.5.17
Remember that time that Lenovo sold all those laptops with crappy ad-injection software built in, leaving users at risk for both bottom-of-the-barrel advertising and cyber attacks? Today, the tech company settled a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission, promising not to do this all again and not paying a penalty for its alleged transgressions. [More]
CVS Accused Of Revealing HIV Status Of 4,000 Ohio Customers
By 8.31.17
Days after insurance giant Aenta was accused of revealing the HIV medication use of 12,000 customers, CVS has found itself in a similar boat: The pharmacy giant allegedly sent letters to customers that inadvertently revealed their HIV status. [More]
Uber Finally Lets You Opt Out Of Having Your Location Tracked After Your Ride Is Over
By 8.29.17
Late last year, Uber made a change to its app that let it track customers after their rides had ended. Many troubled months later, the company is finally walking back that tweak, and will once again let customers have more control over when their locations are used. [More]
Aetna Accused Of Revealing HIV Medication Use Of 12,000 Customers
By 8.28.17
Something as minor as an envelope window has landed one of the country’s largest insurance companies in legal hot water. Aetna is being sued for sending out thousands of letters that inadvertently revealed that the recipient has taken medication for the treatment or prevention of HIV. [More]
Aetna Letters Publicly Revealed Patients’ HIV Status
By 8.24.17
Health insurance giant Aetna recently alerted thousands of policyholders of a change to their pharmacy benefits. Problem is, Aetna sent those letters out in envelopes that revealed that the recipient is HIV positive. [More]
Sonos Holds Software Updates Hostage If You Don’t Sign New Privacy Agreement
By 8.23.17
Sonos, the current popular brand of smart speaker that people don’t [yet] talk to, really wants its customers to agree to the company’s new privacy policy; so much so, that failing to acknowledge the new rules can turn your Sonos speakers into very expensive shelf decorations when they eventually “cease to function.” [More]
Justice Dept. Decides It No Longer Wants Info On 1.3 Million Visitors To Anti-Trump Site
By 8.23.17
The U.S. Department of Justice recently tried to compel a website hosting company to turn over all the information the company has on the approximately 1.3 million internet users who visited a site created to organize a protest during President Trump’s inauguration. Now the DOJ is rethinking that plan, withdrawing its demand for this mountain of data. [More]
Why You Should Care About This Lawsuit Against A Data Company You’ve Probably Never Heard Of
By 8.15.17
The legal system has long taken a “no harm, no foul” approach to certain legal disputes: If you haven’t actually been injured by the other party’s actions, you’ll have a hard time convincing the court that your lawsuit shouldn’t be thrown out. But the internet, where incorrect information can be disseminated globally within seconds (and may never truly be erased), is causing courts to reconsider the question: When can you sue a company for an intangible harm? [More]
Uber Settles Federal Allegations It Deceived Customers About Privacy & Data Security
By 8.15.17
Uber has reached a deal with the Federal Trade Commission to settle the government’s investigation into the ride-hailing service’s allegedly questionable privacy practices.
[More]
LinkedIn Can’t Block Third-Party Scanning Of Public Profiles To Identify Employees Most Likely To Leave
By 8.15.17
LinkedIn is trying to stop a third-party analytics firm from scanning publicly available profiles on the networking site with the purpose of identifying employees most likely to jump ship to a competitor. But a federal judge has granted an injunction against LinkedIn, saying the company appears to be misinterpreting the law in a way that “could profoundly impact open access to the Internet.” [More]
Check Your AirDrop Settings If You Don’t Want To Receive Pics Of Strangers’ Genitals
By 8.14.17
The iPhone’s AirDrop functionality is convenient, allowing users to quickly transfer files between devices. At the same time, a small number of perverts and pranksters are apparently taking advantage of AirDrop to share photos of their “junk” with complete strangers.
[More]
50+ Disney & Nickelodeon Apps Allegedly Snooping On Your Kids
By 8.8.17 — Updated: 8.9.17
Ever since the first 3-year-old became obsessed with whatever Tetris knockoff was on their cool aunt’s Blackberry, mobile software developers have seen the potential for real gold in kid-targeted games and apps. But two of the biggest names in children’s entertainment, Disney and Viacom, are each being accused of breaking child-specific privacy laws by allowing young users’ data to be collected and mined. [More]
Can You Sue Your Insurance Company Over A Data Breach If Your Info Hasn’t Been Used By ID Thieves?
By 8.1.17
With data breaches now a daily occurrence for businesses large and small, there’s a good chance that at least some of your information has been compromised by cybercriminals at some point. But should you be able to sue a company for failing to keep your data safe when the stolen information hasn’t (yet) been misused? [More]
