The Tyranny of the Default

Marketing firms love to tell us that we control our privacy – you simply need to opt out of tracking! Like Dorothy, we’ve had the power all along. Just click your heels three times and uncheck all those pesky tracking options under Settings… somewhere. Which, statistically speaking, no one ever does. It’s the Tyranny of the Default. I’ll discuss why it’s so hard. (Spoiler alert, it’s on purpose.) Also in today’s show: Apple massively expands its bug bounty program; several “air gapped” US elections systems found on the internet; Instagram pulls a Cambridge Analytica move; watch out for fake Equifax settlement sites; another sex hook-up app exposes its user’s private information; and it’s time to update your Android devices (if you can). Further Info: Instagram data leak: https://www.businessinsider.com/startup-hyp3r-saving-instagram-users-stories-tracking-locations-2019-8 Election Systems exposed online: https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/3kxzk9/exclusive-critical-us-election-systems-have-been-left-exposed-online-despite-official-denials Official FTC/Equifax settlement site: https://ftc.gov/equifax or https://www.equifaxbreachsettlement.com/ Changing WiFi Router (and other IoT) default passwords: https://firewallsdontstopdragons.com/the-s-in-iot-is-for-security/ The Cop Out that is Opt Out: https://firewallsdontstopdragons.com