Facebook has an online form that allows you to view your
Category Archives: Privacy of Data
Facebook Class Action Settlement
Facebook users in the United States between May 24, 2007, and December 22, 2022 may be eligible for a class action settlement. Visit the settlement site www.facebookuserprivacysettlement.com to submit a claim or view more information.
Colorado Privacy Act (CPA)
The state of Colorado has passed the Colorado Privacy Act (CPA) in 2021, and it is scheduled to take effect on July 1, 2023. This act (SB21-190) is designed to protect the data privacy of Colorado residents.
Kaseya VSA security incident
Kaseya has reported that their VSA product has been the victim of a cyberattack. Some VSA customers have reported ransomware related to this issue. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) also released instructions regarding this incident for customers of Kaseya VSA.
Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act (CDPA)
Virginia passed new privacy state legislation in March 2021: The Consumer Data Protection Act (CDPA), which is scheduled to go into effect as of January 1, 2023. The International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP) has summarized the requirements of this new state law intended to protect the privacy of Virginia residents.
Apple releases iOS 14 and new Apple Watches
Apple announced the release of iOS 14, new Apple Watches, and other products and services at its September 2020 event.
iOS 14 has several new features, including a new Translate app with 11 languages, digital versions of car keys, and Home app for smart home management.
iOS 14 also shows if an app is using the camera or phone. A green indicator will appear if an app is using the device’s camera, and an orange indicator will appear if the microphone is in use. App settings for hardware use can be changed under Settings > Privacy. Apps running on iOS14 will also be required to obtain permission to track users starting in early 2021.
Apple has provided a list of compatible devices for iOS 14 and iPadOS.
New watches include the Apple Watch 6 Series and Apple Watch SE. Watch OS 7 also includes sleep tracking and other health related features.
Windows 10 Activity History privacy settings
Windows 10 Activity History has local records of apps and services in use, files that were opened, and visited websites. This information may be periodically sent to Microsoft under the default options. These settings can be changed and are found at Start Button > Settings > Privacy > Activity History.
Facebook app will have more privacy features
Facebook will prompt its users to review their privacy settings within the next few weeks as part of a rollout of new and revised privacy features:
- An updated Privacy Checkup tool;
- An Off-Facebook Activity tool with a summary of data from third-party sites used for targeted ads, with an option to delete this data;
- A new Alerts for Third-Party Logins feature that allows you to see how your Facebook login is being used by other apps and services.
Avast will end operations for Jumpshot because of user privacy concerns
Avast announced that they have decided to end operations for its subsidiary data analytics company Jumpshot because of public concerns about user privacy. Avast’s free and paid antivirus software is used by millions of computer and mobile device users.
Data breach lists and identity theft victim resources
Some of the more comprehensive lists of known data breaches include:
- USA Today list of largest data breaches and hacks
- CNN.com – biggest data breaches in history
- ZDNet.com – biggest data breaches of 2021
- Bloomberg.com – worst corporate hacks list
- Krebs on Security – data breaches
- Wikipedia data breach list
- State of California data breaches list
- DataBreaches.net
Identity theft victims can receive advice from these websites:
- Federal Trade Commission (FTC) – Identity Theft Help
- FTC – Additional resources for identity theft victims
- FTC – Report fraud
- FTC – Guidance on how to avoid fraud
- FTC Complaint Assistant
- Internal Revenue Service (IRS) – report tax fraud activity
- Internal Revenue Service (IRS) – Identity Protection PIN (IP PIN)
- IRS Form 14039 – Identity Theft Affidavit
- U.S. State Dept. – Report a lost or stolen passport
- Better Business Bureau (BBB) – identity theft scams
- FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) – report a crime