Google, browsers and the illusion of choice

It’s Google’s world, which means we’re always leaking data to them. Some of us assiduously search for other options. But it’s not easy. Two reasons: We don’t have a firm grasp of the size of the elephant we’re confronting, and secondly, we don’t really understand what we’re doing when we’re online. What data are we … Read more

Employee snooping is big business. Expect it to get bigger

I wrote previously about how snooping on employees is going to become the norm as managers scramble to deal with a workforce that is reluctant — or unable — to return to the workplace. Enabling this will be a host of tools available for companies to do this. It’ll be impossible for a lot of … Read more

The Internet of Things Could Kill You, Or At Least Jab You With A Screwdriver

  Lucas and his killer robots. Photo: JW (This is the transcript of my BBC World Service piece which ran today. The original Reuters story is here.)  I’m sure you’ve seen those cute little humanoid robots around? They’re either half size, or quarter size, they look like R2D2, and if you believe the ads, they … Read more

Turn off location in iOS, and Uber doesn’t work

(Update: Uber say they are looking into it.)  Buzzfeed says Privacy Advocates Want Uber To Stop Tracking Users After Rides End but Uber responds that “by offering the option of manually entering pick-up locations, the company is giving users a choice to be tracked or not.” It quotes Kurt Opsahl, deputy executive director and general counsel at … Read more