Tag Archive for: Privacy Expert

Is WhatsApp Privacy a Big Fat Facebook Lie? What You Need to Know.

WhatsApp privacy policy

WhatsApp Privacy: Facebook’s New “Data Use” Policy

I have been getting a ton of questions on the privacy of your personal data that is sent through WhatsApp. Is Facebook, who owns WhatsApp, sharing everything you write, including all of your contacts, messages and behaviors? It’s not quite that simple, but neither is Facebook.

Facebook announced a new WhatsApp privacy policy recently which created A LOT of confusion and user backlash. The changes caused such an uproar that they ultimately have decided to delay release of the new WhatsApp privacy agreement from Feb. 8 to May 15 while they sort themselves out. So let me give you a head start!

Behind all of this, WhatsApp is trying to break into the world of messaging for businesses (to compete with Slack and other programs). That way, when you communicate with a business, Facebook will see what you’re saying and use that information for advertising purposes.

Your Data That Can Be Accessed By Facebook

Facebook contends that your private messages will remain encrypted end-to-end, including to them, but Facebook & WhatsApp will have access to everything they’ve had access to since 2014:

  • Phone numbers being used
  • How often the app is opened
  • The operating system and resolution of the device screen
  • An estimation of your location at time of usage based on your internet connection

Purportedly, Facebook won’t keep records on whom people are contacting in WhatsApp, and WhatsApp contacts aren’t shared with Facebook. Given Facebook’s miserable history with our personal privacy, I don’t actually believe that they will limit information sharing to the degree that they promise. I think that this is one of those cases where they will secretly violate our privacy until it is discovered and then ask forgiveness and lean on the fact that we have no legislation protecting us as consumers. But please be aware that if you utilize Facebook, you are already sharing a massive amount of information about yourself and your contacts. WhatsApp may just add another piece of data into your profile.Watch The Social Dilemma on Netflix if you’d like to learn more about how you are being used to power their profits.

Highly Private Messaging Alternatives to WhatsApp

So, while it is mostly a “cosmetic change” to the WhatsApp privacy policy, if you are uncomfortable using it, you may want to consider the following:

    • There are alternative messaging apps, including Signal and Telegram, both of which have seen huge new user sign-ups since the announcement. I personally use Apple Messages (daily communications) and Signal (highly confidential communications).
    • WhatsApp says it clearly labels conversations with businesses that use Facebook’s hosting services. Be on the lookout for those.
    • The feature that allows your shopping activity to be used to display related ads on Facebook and Instagram is optional and when you use it, WhatsApp “will tell you in the app how your data is being shared with Facebook.” Monitor it and opt out.
    • If you don’t want Facebook to target you with more ads based on your WhatsApp communication with businesses, just don’t use that feature.
    • Trust the WhatsApp messaging app as much as you trust Facebook, because ultimately, they are the same company.

John Sileo is a cybersecurity expert, privacy advocate, award-winning author and media personality as seen on 60 Minutes, Anderson Cooper and Fox & Friends. He keynotes conferences virtually and in person around the world. John is the CEO of The Sileo Group, a business think tank based in Colorado. 

5 Disastrous Decisions that Destroy Small Business – and How to Avoid Them

Interactive Webinar, Sponsored by Deluxe Corporation, Featuring Privacy Expert John Sileo

ST. PAUL, Minn., Oct 04, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) — Cyber criminals sabotaged John Sileo’s business – and nearly landed him in jail. Now he’s determined to help small business owners prevent the disastrous mistakes that loom ever-larger in the age of identity theft, mobile computing and social media.

Sileo will share his story – and the lessons he learned – in an hour-long interactive webinar on Tuesday, Oct. 9 at 2 p.m. EST. Titled “5 Disastrous Decisions that Destroy Small Business,” the webinar is sponsored by Deluxe Corporation and designed to provide business owners with simple, actionable tools to help protect their operations and enhance their efficiencies.

To register for the 2 p.m. EST webinar, go to www.deluxe.com/highsecurity.

Sileo is the award-winning author of “Privacy Means Profit,” and has appeared on “60 Minutes” and “Fox and Friends.” He launched his career as a privacy consultant after thieves stole his identity and used it to embezzle nearly a half million dollars from his clients. The security breach destroyed his business and triggered a two-year legal morass.

Now, Sileo is America’s leading professional speaker on identity theft and information control. During the Deluxe’s interactive webinar, he will be joined by Susan Haider, executive director, high security product management, Deluxe Corp.

He will share insights gleaned from years of experience, including details on:

  • How Sileo’s business was destroyed by poor decision-making.
  • Mistakes other small business owners have made and how to avoid them.
  • Concrete, actionable steps you can take to minimize your risk now.Human, physical and digital threats to your business security.
  • Targeting skills you can use to design your plan of attack.We

Following the presentation, participants can get personalized advice from Sileo and Haider during a Q&A session. Participants also will receive a free copy of “Are Tax-time Identity Thieves Targeting Your Small Business? 5 Defense Strategies,” a white paper written by Sileo.

 

About John Sileo John Sileo is an award-winning author and privacy speaker on the dark art of deception (identity theft, data privacy, social media manipulation) and its polar opposite, the powerful use of trust, to achieve success. His clients include the Department of Defense, Pfizer, the FDIC and Homeland Security. Watch him on Anderson Cooper, 60 Minutes or Fox Business.

His satisfied clients include the Department of Defense, Blue Cross, Homeland Security, the FDIC, Pfizer, the Federal Trade Commission and corporations, organizations and associations of all sizes.

About Deluxe Corporation Deluxe is a growth engine for small businesses and financial institutions. Over four million small business customers access Deluxe’s wide range of products and services including customized checks and forms as well as website development and hosting, search engine marketing, logo design and business networking. For financial institutions, Deluxe offers industry-leading programs in checks, customer acquisition, regulatory compliance, fraud prevention and profitability. Deluxe is also a leading printer of checks and accessories sold directly to consumers. For more information, visit us at www.deluxe.com , https://www.facebook.com/deluxecorp or https://twitter.com/deluxecorp .

SCAM ALERT: Target Texting Scam

SCAM ALERT! There is a Target texting scam going around. The text looks similar to the one in the picture to the left, and generally says you’ve won a $1,000 gift card if you simply click on the link and collect the money. When you click on the link, it takes you to a Target-looking site that a criminal has set up to collect your private information. The information is then used to steal your identity. In other cases, clicking on the link installs a small piece of malware that takes control of your phone and forwards your private information to the criminals.

 

Where do the criminals get my mobile phone number to text me in the first place?

  1. They purchase it off of black-market sites on the internet
  2. You give your mobile number away to enter contests, vote on reality shows, etc.
  3. You post it on your Facebook profile for everyone to see
  4. Data hijackers hack into databases containing millions of mobile numbers
  5. Most likely, the thieves simply use a computer to automatically generate a text to every potential mobile phone number possible (a computer can make about a million guesses a second).
What can I do to protect myself and my phone?
  • If you receive a text from any number you don’t know, don’t open it, forward it or respond to it
  • Instead, immediately delete the text (or email)
  • If you accidentally click on the link, never fill out a form giving more of your information
  • Place yourself on the national DO NOT CALL list.
  • Stop sharing your mobile phone number except in crucial situations and with trusted contacts
  • Remember when you text to vote or to receive more information, enter sweepstakes or take surveys via text, they are harvesting your phone number.
  • Resist the urge to post your mobile number on your Facebook wall or profile

John Sileo is an award-winning author and international speaker on the dark art of deception (identity theft, data privacy, social media manipulation) and its polar opposite, the powerful use of trust. He is CEO of The Sileo Group, which helps organizations protect their mission-critical privacy. His clients include the Department of Defense, Pfizer, the FDIC, and Homeland Security. Sample his Keynote Presentation  or watch him on Anderson Cooper, 60 Minutes or Fox Business.

Google Maps Street View: Removing Your House

https://vimeo.com/248003552′ format=’16-9′ width=’16’ height=’9′ av_uid=’av-2aeoki’

According to Google CEO Eric Schmidt, if you are looking for more privacy, then you should move.

His callous remark came during a discussion on Google Maps Street View cars, which were found to be illegally collecting e-mails, passwords and surfing habits while photographing your neighborhood. Appearing on CNN’s Parker Spitzer a week ago, Schmidt made a bold statement that was eventually edited out of the broadcast. He said that said individuals who did not want the Street View cars to snap photos of their homes should “just move.” Schmidt then told The Hollywood Reporter, “As you can see from the unedited interview, my comments were made during a fairly long back and forth on privacy. I clearly misspoke. If you are worried about Street View and want your house removed please contact Google and we will remove it.” You can have your house removed from Google Maps Street View. Here’s how (see video):

  1. Go to www.google.com/maps
  2. Locate your house by typing its address into the search box and pressing Enter.
  3. Click on the small picture of your house that says Street View.
  4. Adjust Google Maps Street View by clicking the left and right arrows on the Street View image until you see your house.
  5. Click the Report a Problem link at the bottom-right corner of the Street View image or, depending on the device you are using, clic k on the three dots in the upper right-hand corner.
  6.  It will take you to a page to Report Inappropriate Street View.  Here you can ask to have any number of things blurred, including the picture of your house.
  7.  You will need to provide your email address and submit a CAPTCHA.

An investigation into Google’s accidental practice of collecting identity information has been opened in France, Germany,  Spain, as well as in the U.S. Google claims that it will delete the sensitive information as soon as possible, but in the meantime, victims remain helpless. John Sileo is an an award-winning author and keynote speaker on identity theft, internet privacy, fraud training & technology defense. John specializes in making security entertaining, so that it works. John is CEO of The Sileo Group, whose clients include the Pentagon, Visa, Homeland Security & Pfizer. John’s body of work includes appearances on 60 Minutes, Rachael Ray, Anderson Cooper & Fox Business. Contact him directly on 800.258.8076. [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VgwQPhpRPd0&rel=0]

Facebook’s Law Enforcement Phone Option | Sileo

Facebook: Press 2 For Law Enforcement

Click Here to reach Facebook’s Law Enforcement Page

PLEASE NOTE: WE DO NOT HANDLE ANY FACEBOOK COMPLAINTS OR QUESTIONS, AS WE ARE NOT AFFILIATED WITH FACEBOOK IN ANY WAY. THANK YOU. 

I received an email last night from a well-known TV anchor wanting my input on a new Facebook issue.  He’d read that when calling Facebook Headquarters, the automated attendant comes on and gives you options to reach each department, and the second option was to press 2 for “law enforcement.”

It could seem odd to many, but it’s true. If you call the Facebook Headquarters (650-543-4800) and reach the switchboard, the 1st option is “For customer support, press 1” and the second option is “For Facebook law enforcement, press 2”. Law enforcement comes ahead of business development, marketing, press, and employment verification in the list of options.  When you press 2, the next message says: “This message is only for members of law enforcement. Please note that due to a very large volume of incoming calls, the current call back time is two to four business days. For a faster response, please leave your work authorized email address… A member of Facebook’s security team will email in a timely manner.” Which means that Facebook is very busy fielding calls from law enforcement.

The anchor, and the rest of us, want to know why!

Facebook receives all kinds of requests by law enforcement, as it is essentially a diary of each and every user. Don’t confuse it with a typical diary of the pre Web 2.0 era. The modern diary (or dossier, as I more commonly refer to social networking profiles) is a photo journal, video log, friendship org chart, location status, written history, browsing analyzer, that is so effective because it can be so addictive. In other words, the Facebook activity of an average user is a digital representation of  that user’s identity. So, to net it out, here several reasons law enforcement officers call Facebook:

  • Tracking listed sex offenders for inappropriate use of the Internet
  • Civil dispute subpoenas (domestic cases, child custody, harassment, etc.)
  • Evidence used in the discovery process (establishing intent, state of mind, relationships, etc.)
  • Cases of libel or defamation
  • Terrorist activity tracking and fundraising
  • Background checks for local, regional and federal governmental positions
  • Background checks on potential jurors (see tomorrow’s story about a juror who was dismissed because of a Facebook post)

This is a fascinating and under-reported aspect of social networks – they are providing an open book on people (for good and evil) that used to take investigators (and scammers) weeks or months to collect. All you really need is a subpoena, or to friend the person on whom you are collecting data.

John Sileo is an an award-winning author and keynote speaker on identity theft, internet privacy, fraud training & technology defense. John specializes in making security entertaining, so that it works. John is CEO of The Sileo Group, whose clients include the Pentagon, Visa, Homeland Security & Pfizer. John’s body of work includes appearances on 60 Minutes, Rachael Ray, Anderson Cooper & Fox Business. Contact him directly on 800.258.8076.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VgwQPhpRPd0&rel=0]