[412-code-talk] Fwd: *Privacy Not Included - August

Wed Aug 11 19:35:28 EDT 2021

A Catholic priest was outed when his cell phone location data was legally
obtained by the media. What does this mean for you?
[image: * * * Mozilla * * *]
<https://links.email.mozilla.org/els/v2/A-0Ac2k0wMLa/dExKRzhIVDdJbVovV0dDazBpZzNwUjErTVBtOEx4Z0phYVg3Um9vY2xmajFMd2J4SE9MOW5rQlJpeWJpMWRScWprWVZkZGt2RDY0WUhvRWlXeHU2cnhhUW8wUEtLV0MyOTNjV2U1SWl5NUU9S0/>
[image: PNI Monthly: Consumer Tech News You Can Use]
<https://links.email.mozilla.org/els/v2/6j~2Q78e-sx/dExKRzhIVDdJbVovV0dDazBpZzNwUjErTVBtOEx4Z0phYVg3Um9vY2xmajFMd2J4SE9MOW5rQlJpeWJpMWRScWprWVZkZGt2RDY0WUhvRWlXeHU2cnhhUW8wUEtLV0MyOTNjV2U1SWl5NUU9S0/>

What's Creepy and What's Not
In Your Consumer Tech
Hello,

*It's time for *Privacy Not Included's monthly round-up of consumer
technology news you can use to shop smart and protect yourself online.
Enjoy!*

------------------------------
What's Creepy? *Grindr Data Outs Priest — Why This Matters To You* *What
happened?*

Last month a high ranking Catholic priest in the US was outed without his
consent
<https://links.email.mozilla.org/els/v2/2d~8QevYWMx/dExKRzhIVDdJbVovV0dDazBpZzNwUjErTVBtOEx4Z0phYVg3Um9vY2xmajFMd2J4SE9MOW5rQlJpeWJpMWRScWprWVZkZGt2RDY0WUhvRWlXeHU2cnhhUW8wUEtLV0MyOTNjV2U1SWl5NUU9S0/>
by an online newsletter that reports on the Catholic church. The
publication — called The Pillar — used cell phone location data
<https://links.email.mozilla.org/els/v2/WY4WCp6WESy/dExKRzhIVDdJbVovV0dDazBpZzNwUjErTVBtOEx4Z0phYVg3Um9vY2xmajFMd2J4SE9MOW5rQlJpeWJpMWRScWprWVZkZGt2RDY0WUhvRWlXeHU2cnhhUW8wUEtLV0MyOTNjV2U1SWl5NUU9S0/>,
allegedly obtained from a data broker, to learn about the priest's use of
the gay dating app Grindr
<https://links.email.mozilla.org/els/v2/V70mHL-mRQ~v/dExKRzhIVDdJbVovV0dDazBpZzNwUjErTVBtOEx4Z0phYVg3Um9vY2xmajFMd2J4SE9MOW5rQlJpeWJpMWRScWprWVZkZGt2RDY0WUhvRWlXeHU2cnhhUW8wUEtLV0MyOTNjV2U1SWl5NUU9S0/>.
This data included "anonymized" location data they were able to de-anonymize
<https://links.email.mozilla.org/els/v2/b98DJ3LGpFV/dExKRzhIVDdJbVovV0dDazBpZzNwUjErTVBtOEx4Z0phYVg3Um9vY2xmajFMd2J4SE9MOW5rQlJpeWJpMWRScWprWVZkZGt2RDY0WUhvRWlXeHU2cnhhUW8wUEtLV0MyOTNjV2U1SWl5NUU9S0/>
by linking cellphone data to the priest's home and work locations and then
linking that to the use of Grindr. All of this was done legally, if
unethically
<https://links.email.mozilla.org/els/v2/jbArQ86gwf8/dExKRzhIVDdJbVovV0dDazBpZzNwUjErTVBtOEx4Z0phYVg3Um9vY2xmajFMd2J4SE9MOW5rQlJpeWJpMWRScWprWVZkZGt2RDY0WUhvRWlXeHU2cnhhUW8wUEtLV0MyOTNjV2U1SWl5NUU9S0/>.

*Why this matters to you*

*Never expect anonymized location data to ever be truly anonymized!* We are
under digital surveillance now more than ever. This story of the outed
priest highlights two big ways we are all at risk.

*First, there are no federal laws
<https://links.email.mozilla.org/els/v2/N-x4cAz4wcVy/dExKRzhIVDdJbVovV0dDazBpZzNwUjErTVBtOEx4Z0phYVg3Um9vY2xmajFMd2J4SE9MOW5rQlJpeWJpMWRScWprWVZkZGt2RDY0WUhvRWlXeHU2cnhhUW8wUEtLV0MyOTNjV2U1SWl5NUU9S0/>
in the United States that restrict the collection and use of your location
data.* Supposedly anonymized cell phone location data is collected and sold
freely. Yet, this story shows there is really no such thing as truly
anonymous location data. Our friends at the Electronic Frontier Foundation
say the US needs comprehensive data privacy regulations
<https://links.email.mozilla.org/els/v2/A-0Ac2k0wMa/dExKRzhIVDdJbVovV0dDazBpZzNwUjErTVBtOEx4Z0phYVg3Um9vY2xmajFMd2J4SE9MOW5rQlJpeWJpMWRScWprWVZkZGt2RDY0WUhvRWlXeHU2cnhhUW8wUEtLV0MyOTNjV2U1SWl5NUU9S0/>
to protect us from data brokers collecting and selling our personal
information. We agree.

*Second, apps like Grindr that collect location data — especially on
vulnerable communities like the LGBTQIA+ community — must do more to
protect their users' data.* Grindr has a well-known track record
<https://links.email.mozilla.org/els/v2/-Z~dQZYk6Q3/dExKRzhIVDdJbVovV0dDazBpZzNwUjErTVBtOEx4Z0phYVg3Um9vY2xmajFMd2J4SE9MOW5rQlJpeWJpMWRScWprWVZkZGt2RDY0WUhvRWlXeHU2cnhhUW8wUEtLV0MyOTNjV2U1SWl5NUU9S0/>
of not protecting its users' sensitive personal information
<https://links.email.mozilla.org/els/v2/XDLKhZAKdQw/dExKRzhIVDdJbVovV0dDazBpZzNwUjErTVBtOEx4Z0phYVg3Um9vY2xmajFMd2J4SE9MOW5rQlJpeWJpMWRScWprWVZkZGt2RDY0WUhvRWlXeHU2cnhhUW8wUEtLV0MyOTNjV2U1SWl5NUU9S0/>.
As former Mozilla Fellow and privacy expert Matt Mitchell told Motherboard
<https://links.email.mozilla.org/els/v2/pKA6Qxbmgs7/dExKRzhIVDdJbVovV0dDazBpZzNwUjErTVBtOEx4Z0phYVg3Um9vY2xmajFMd2J4SE9MOW5rQlJpeWJpMWRScWprWVZkZGt2RDY0WUhvRWlXeHU2cnhhUW8wUEtLV0MyOTNjV2U1SWl5NUU9S0/>,
"Grindr has been, will be, and forever continues to be warned about this.
They obviously don't care. The company should have done more from day one.
I mean they launched with no business plan, just a cool idea. Seems from
then to now, user cybersecurity, safety and privacy comes last."

If you're looking for dating apps to help you find that special someone,
some are better than others at protecting your data. *Check out our dating
app reviews
<https://links.email.mozilla.org/els/v2/KAWzCAkzXcw/dExKRzhIVDdJbVovV0dDazBpZzNwUjErTVBtOEx4Z0phYVg3Um9vY2xmajFMd2J4SE9MOW5rQlJpeWJpMWRScWprWVZkZGt2RDY0WUhvRWlXeHU2cnhhUW8wUEtLV0MyOTNjV2U1SWl5NUU9S0/>
to find the right one for you.*

------------------------------
What's (Kinda) Less Creepy? *The Good:* Google will require all apps in its
Play store to have a privacy policy
<https://links.email.mozilla.org/els/v2/rjAzQ_LKqB2/dExKRzhIVDdJbVovV0dDazBpZzNwUjErTVBtOEx4Z0phYVg3Um9vY2xmajFMd2J4SE9MOW5rQlJpeWJpMWRScWprWVZkZGt2RDY0WUhvRWlXeHU2cnhhUW8wUEtLV0MyOTNjV2U1SWl5NUU9S0/>
in April of next year. Yay!

*The Bad:* What?! Why on earth did it take Google so long to require
privacy policies for apps in its app store? It's been a requirement for
Apple's app store since 2018
<https://links.email.mozilla.org/els/v2/Ddg~QYbq8Fm/dExKRzhIVDdJbVovV0dDazBpZzNwUjErTVBtOEx4Z0phYVg3Um9vY2xmajFMd2J4SE9MOW5rQlJpeWJpMWRScWprWVZkZGt2RDY0WUhvRWlXeHU2cnhhUW8wUEtLV0MyOTNjV2U1SWl5NUU9S0/>.

*The Ugly:* Amazon still doesn't require privacy policies for connected
products sold through its website. We called on them
<https://links.email.mozilla.org/els/v2/N-x4cAz4wcy/dExKRzhIVDdJbVovV0dDazBpZzNwUjErTVBtOEx4Z0phYVg3Um9vY2xmajFMd2J4SE9MOW5rQlJpeWJpMWRScWprWVZkZGt2RDY0WUhvRWlXeHU2cnhhUW8wUEtLV0MyOTNjV2U1SWl5NUU9S0/>
to require privacy policies for connected devices back in 2019
<https://links.email.mozilla.org/els/v2/_Km_QVZ_9TV/dExKRzhIVDdJbVovV0dDazBpZzNwUjErTVBtOEx4Z0phYVg3Um9vY2xmajFMd2J4SE9MOW5rQlJpeWJpMWRScWprWVZkZGt2RDY0WUhvRWlXeHU2cnhhUW8wUEtLV0MyOTNjV2U1SWl5NUU9S0/>.

Did they heed our call? Nope. Connected products like this baby monitor
<https://links.email.mozilla.org/els/v2/yvVqJ~3_8QVV/dExKRzhIVDdJbVovV0dDazBpZzNwUjErTVBtOEx4Z0phYVg3Um9vY2xmajFMd2J4SE9MOW5rQlJpeWJpMWRScWprWVZkZGt2RDY0WUhvRWlXeHU2cnhhUW8wUEtLV0MyOTNjV2U1SWl5NUU9S0/>
are still listed for sale on Amazon with no privacy policy we could find
(we emailed the company and asked for it. Crickets). That means there is no
way to know how the baby monitor — that has a camera pointed at your baby
all night long — handles your personal data. Yikes!

*This is a good reminder to check and make sure any connected device or app
you use has a privacy policy.* Even if you don't read it, just knowing they
have it shows the company has made the smallest amount of effort to show
how they will handle your personal information.

------------------------------
We want to know what you think! We spend our days here at **Privacy Not
Included* thinking about how we can help you understand our growing world
of technology and privacy.

One thing we're seeing more of every day is artificial intelligence in our
smart homes, fitness trackers, dating apps, and more. We want to know how
best to help you understand this new AI technology. So we put together a
short survey to get your opinion
<https://links.email.mozilla.org/els/v2/E8YjQrkDwFq/dExKRzhIVDdJbVovV0dDazBpZzNwUjErTVBtOEx4Z0phYVg3Um9vY2xmajFMd2J4SE9MOW5rQlJpeWJpMWRScWprWVZkZGt2RDY0WUhvRWlXeHU2cnhhUW8wUEtLV0MyOTNjV2U1SWl5NUU9S0/>.
*Just three minutes of your time will help us make *Privacy Not Included
even better.*

  Take Our Survey
<https://links.email.mozilla.org/els/v2/8P~_JvLZGsp/dExKRzhIVDdJbVovV0dDazBpZzNwUjErTVBtOEx4Z0phYVg3Um9vY2xmajFMd2J4SE9MOW5rQlJpeWJpMWRScWprWVZkZGt2RDY0WUhvRWlXeHU2cnhhUW8wUEtLV0MyOTNjV2U1SWl5NUU9S0/>
Thank you,

Jen Caltrider
Lead, **Privacy Not Included*
Mozilla

Connect with us
[image: YouTube]
<https://links.email.mozilla.org/els/v2/zdjEQKP8xfe/dExKRzhIVDdJbVovV0dDazBpZzNwUjErTVBtOEx4Z0phYVg3Um9vY2xmajFMd2J4SE9MOW5rQlJpeWJpMWRScWprWVZkZGt2RDY0WUhvRWlXeHU2cnhhUW8wUEtLV0MyOTNjV2U1SWl5NUU9S0/>
[image:
Twitter]
<https://links.email.mozilla.org/els/v2/7P~pJ970vTYW/dExKRzhIVDdJbVovV0dDazBpZzNwUjErTVBtOEx4Z0phYVg3Um9vY2xmajFMd2J4SE9MOW5rQlJpeWJpMWRScWprWVZkZGt2RDY0WUhvRWlXeHU2cnhhUW8wUEtLV0MyOTNjV2U1SWl5NUU9S0/>
[image:
Instagram]
<https://links.email.mozilla.org/els/v2/a9KyJLmy2QY/dExKRzhIVDdJbVovV0dDazBpZzNwUjErTVBtOEx4Z0phYVg3Um9vY2xmajFMd2J4SE9MOW5rQlJpeWJpMWRScWprWVZkZGt2RDY0WUhvRWlXeHU2cnhhUW8wUEtLV0MyOTNjV2U1SWl5NUU9S0/>

*Thanks for reading!*
<https://links.email.mozilla.org/els/v2/yvVqJ~3_8QV/dExKRzhIVDdJbVovV0dDazBpZzNwUjErTVBtOEx4Z0phYVg3Um9vY2xmajFMd2J4SE9MOW5rQlJpeWJpMWRScWprWVZkZGt2RDY0WUhvRWlXeHU2cnhhUW8wUEtLV0MyOTNjV2U1SWl5NUU9S0/>
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