Do you enjoy experimenting with your smartphone? Are you looking for ways to improve it and find practical productivity applications?
Me, too.
I have recently come across an article that recommends using the Dragon Mobile Assistant. The company offers the application for free. The majority of users are pleased with the quality of voice commands and the app's functionality.
I would like to know if any of those happy users asked the question: why the company is so generous as to give the application away for free and not ask for an upgrade ($$)?
I found the answer when I attempted to install the app. Since it functions like a virtual assistant, similar to Google Assistant, it requires access to virtually every feature of the phone, including unrestricted access to your private data, such as location, Wi-Fi connection, your contact list and calendar, SMS, phone, call logs, Bluetooth, and more.
And it means that the Dragon folks know everything about you: who your contacts are, where you drive during the day, your usual location, who you have recently called to and for how long, the copies of your texts, where you prefer to shop, and many, many more details.
Guess what the company does with your personal data?
Correct! It sells it to anyone who pays top dollar. Would you happen to know who the buyers are?
The retailers, insurance companies, and the government. The only difference among them is that the government doesn't pay - it either hacks the data (like the NSA) or requests that they submit it for free. Location-targeted advertising is expected to reach an estimated $21 billion this year.
If you are comfortable with the lack of privacy, that app is for you. As for me, the convenience (that usually saves a few minutes a day on typing vs. voice recognition) cannot prevail over my privacy.
For instance, if you shop for some products to smoke, the health insurance company will have the data about you as a smoker. They even know how much of that stuff you are buying. Do not be surprised if you are inserted into their shareable database as a smoker, and your health policy premium will never be the same.
So, the next time you see that “cool” free application, understand that you are giving up a lot more than you might have bargained for.
I know some folks who have installed Google speakers in every room. They work similarly to Amazon's Alexa. Whenever you have any questions or desire to listen to the music, you say something like " OK, Google, play Beatles". And voila, it plays the music.
Those folks have dropped their jaws when I have explained that they have a spy in each room.
The speaker is listening to you!
Even if you are not talking to a speaker, it sends your conversations back to Google!
If you have discussed with your wife which dining table to buy, tomorrow your Google page might display ads about furniture at your location or online stores (a real story that happened with my friends, whose smartphone was not even using Google apps at that moment).
What if you have discussed some politics, your finances, or something you don't want anyone to know?
Hey, it is not up to you, but it’s up to Google! Google builds a complete profile on you, your buying habits, political preferences, health conditions, and even something you really don't want anyone to know (like your sexual orientation or habits,
or your frequent attendance at some private clubs).
Try using Google search for your first and last name, like “Jo Doe” in quotes, and you might be surprised that there is likely some database on the Internet that stores your home address attached to your name. You may be surprised to find out that Google knows all your family members ' home addresses. No big deal, right?
However, this is how a person interested in finding out more about your private life for any reason would typically begin. He can track you down by following your daily habits.
Today, your private life is an open book that any social media company or individual with despicable motives can exploit. With just a few dollars, a few clicks, and a phone call, almost everything someone wants to know about you can be quickly compiled into a complete profile.
I have recently booked the flights to the DR for a short vacation. I have received the email confirmation from Southwest Airlines via Google email. Guess what?
A few days later, Google (not Southwest) sent me an email with a reminder about my flights.
How did they know?
The answer is correct in front of your eyes: Google scans your emails WITHOUT your permission and collects even more data about you. The data is being sold. This is how they generate revenue from your personal data.
Amazon's Alexa is the same spy.
In fact, your smartphone, with its numerous applications, is also a walking spy that never leaves you alone, even during nighttime hours. You place it on the bedside table, don't you? If your installed application has access to your microphone, it can record the conversation even if you do not unlock the phone. Do you have the guarantee that it wouldn't?
When I talk to my kids about privacy, they argue that these companies will “just” use this data to advertise to you and monitor your buying behavior patterns. The problem with this thinking is that someone has access to the raw data, including the ability to identify your name and associate it with that data.
That “someone” is a real person whom you don’t know.
Perhaps this person notices that you have left for vacation, using your location data (your home versus your current location, such as in the Dominican Republic). Then they could decide to “keep an eye on your house,” seeing what kind of house you have by using Google Maps. They could use public records to find out who else is there. Then, who knows what could happen next?
Marketing and advertising aren’t everything that can be done or is being done in reality, with your location data.
No questions, an agency like the NSA won’t actively be looking for you if you didn’t do anything wrong. However, it is up to the agency to interpret what “doing something wrong” means. Again, it is not up to you to determine. Another danger is that it is possible that your activity could be located close to a person who is doing something wrong, or anyone you might know could do something wrong… and you could get caught up in their investigation.
There was an article in The New York Times in December 2018: “Your Apps Know Where You Were Last Night, and They’re Not Keeping It Secret.” According to the article, your apps know what you do 24/7/365, tracking your activity every 21 minutes on average.
What should you do if you want to protect your privacy?
Several steps can be taken to minimize the exposure of your private data.
#1. Get educated about computer security. Read the articles, posts, and fine print about privacy before activating any application.
#2. Avoid using Google as much as possible. Switch to another independent email provider. Choose the one that is not offering a freebie but is asking for a small fee. There is a better chance that the company will not sell your data because it generates revenue from subscription fees. Read what the company said about your privacy and shared data.
#3. Don't buy the “spy” devices from Google or Amazon (Alexa and Google speaker). If you have already purchased them, I recommend using the remote switch, which allows you to power your device on or off remotely. Power it up if you need to ask Alexa or Google about anything, but power it down immediately thereafter.
#4. If you are installing any apps on your smartphone, read the requirements for accessing your phone's permissions. Avoid installing any apps (even the best) if they request too much data from your phone.
Disable most of the Google apps on your smartphone. I have left only Google Maps, but I have restricted collecting data about my destinations. Google allows users to "pause" collecting the data. Thank you, Google, you are so generous!
As a reminder, if your GPS is constantly on, Google records your itinerary. Please turn it on only when you need the map. Also, note that the GPS is draining the smartphone's battery heavily.
#5. Create several disposable email addresses to be used for various forms with fake names (like Joe Google or Marta Booble). Use your primary email address for essential emails only. Do not read emails from unknown senders and never open attachments from them. Your curiosity may lead to significant trouble and expense.
#6. Get the encrypted emails. I personally prefer Proton email. I can send the password-protected email to my recipients and let them know about the password either by texting or calling.
#7. Use VPN (encrypted channel) as much as possible. Your ISP (Internet Service Provider) can also collect your data and track the websites you visit. Using a VPN, you can limit access to your browsing information and emails that are typically sent in plain text. You can find numerous low-cost VPNs that don’t collect data (such as Private Internet Access VPN).
#8. Now, let's delve a little deeper into the technical aspects. If you are not technically proficient in computer networking, could you find someone who can set up your home internet router?
Every home router must have the default DNS (Domain Name Server) settings. That setting allows the router to direct your request for a website address to the root DNS servers, which hold a massive table of worldwide website addresses.
When you request the correct address, the root DNS server responds with the correct address, which is then forwarded to your home router via several other routers on the way back.
The fact is that many home routers have the following default DNS settings:
8.8.8.8
What belongs to Google DNS servers? Google is here, too! As a habit, it keeps a log of your requests and, correspondingly, a list of websites you were interested in. Even if you don’t use Google’s Chrome browser, you still allow Google to collect your browsing history.
I recommend changing the default DNS settings to 1.1.1.1, which Cloudflare owns.
What am I doing now? Moving my email folders out from Google to Vivaldi.net email.
Man, never assume that the right thing is being done with your application data. If you have installed the app with extensive access rights to your phone, you have compromised the security and privacy of your phone. Anything can be done with that information. It may not happen today, or even in the next few months.
However, at some point, access to your private location data may be worth exploring by a company, an identity thief, or a government agency.
I have additional recommendations to help optimize your PC, smartphone, and social media accounts. Could you ask me?
Safe computing!