Updated April 21, 2021
The secret life of your data: What you need to know
For all the good we get from technology, it can also take a lot from us. The Post’s tech columnist Geoffrey A. Fowler examines the personal information streaming out of devices and services we take for granted.
Alexa: By default, Amazon keeps a copy of everything Echo smart speakers record.
Browser extensions: Add-ons and plug-ins can see and share everything you do on the Web.
Cars: Automakers use hundreds of sensors and an always-on Internet connection to record where you go and how you drive.
Credit cards: A half-dozen kinds of companies can grab data about purchases, from your bank to the store where you’re shopping.
Don’t sell my data: The California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) can help even residents of other states see and delete their data — and tell companies to stop selling it.
iPhones and Android phones: Hidden trackers in apps share personal information — even while you and your phone are asleep.
TVs: Once every few minutes, smart TVs beam out a snapshot of what’s on your screen.
Web browsers: Google’s Chrome loaded more than 11,000 tracker cookies into our browser — in a single week.
Have a question about data privacy? Ask The Post.
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