Every so often it's helpful to get back to the basics when it comes to protecting individual privacy. In light of the recent major data breach, potentially exposing the social security numbers of every American, we're revisiting the core elements of the "privacy problem." In this episode of Privacy Files, we speak with entrepreneur and software developer Bert Hubert. Bert has a decorated 30-plus-year career working in a variety of industries including: cybersecurity, telecommunications, intelligence and security services, DNA research, and global navigation satellite systems. Bert has even dabbled in a bit of hacking. But after spending three decades working in technology, the one issue that's always on the top of Bert's mind is privacy...or the absence of it. Bert discusses the prevalent surveillance that occurs online, especially by Google. In fact, Bert mentions that even Google employees complain about not being able to escape it. We also talk about how we arrived at this point where engaging in the most basic activities leads to extensive data sharing. And most of the time it occurs without our knowledge. Bert talks about who really runs the internet and why, despite promises to the contrary, we always seem to end up with a centralized model of data collection and management. In the end, Bert cautions us not to focus on how widespread the data privacy problem has become, but to spend more time understanding the downstream consequences of our day-to-day actions. To learn more about Bert Hubert: https://berthub.eu/ OUR SPONSORS: Anonyome Labs - Makers of MySudo and Sudo Platform. Take back control of your personal data. www.anonyome.com MySudo - The world's only all-in-one privacy app. Communicate and transact securely and privately. Talk, text, email, browse, shop and pay, all from one app. Stay private. www.mysudo.com MySudo VPN - No personal information required to sign up. You don't even need a username and password. Finally, a VPN that is actually private. https://mysudo.com/mysudo-vpn/ Sudo Platform - The cloud-based platform companies turn to for seamlessly integrating privacy solutions into their software. Easy-to-use SDKs and APIs for building out your own branded customer apps like password managers, virtual cards, private browsing, identity wallets (decentralized identity), and secure, encrypted communications (e.g., encrypted voice, video, email and messaging). www.sudoplatform.com Reclaim - Whether you're just beginning your privacy journey, or have been working at it for some time, Reclaim is the perfect tool for assessing the size of your digital footprint and then taking action to reduce it. It's an also an excellent way to see if your personal information was exposed in a data breach. https://mysudo.com/reclaim/

Since launching this podcast, we've covered a wide variety of privacy issues. But one topic we haven't addressed is the concept of "mental privacy." In this episode of Privacy Files, we talk to Dr. Nita Farahany about how advancements in neurotechnology are threatening to infringe on cognitive liberty. Dr. Farahany is a professor of law and philosophy at Duke University and the author of the book The Battle for your Brain: Defending the Right to Think Freely in the Age of Neurotechnology. With the rise of consumer wearables like watches, headphones and smart rings, and the desire to include in these wearables, sensors that record and decipher brain activity, we are quickly reaching a time where even our thoughts won't be private. Dr. Farahany calls mental privacy humanity's "last bastion of freedom." In this enlightening conversation, we discuss some disturbing scenarios for how neurotechnology can be used. From the micromanagement of employees by companies, to government surveillance, this is an episode that will make you reconsider adopting wearable technology. And as concerning as reading your thoughts might be, keep in mind that it's conceivable this technology could also be used to even alter human consciousness and thus manipulate individual behavior. A very scary topic indeed. To learn more about Dr. Farahany: https://www.nitafarahany.com/ Links Referenced: https://techcrunch.com/2022/03/23/snap-buys-mind-controlled-headband-maker-nextmind/ https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/wearable-brain-devices-will-challenge-our-mental-privacy/ https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/mckinsey-on-books/author-talks-can-you-use-your-brainpower-to-defend-cognitive-liberty https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2023-03-19/work-employment-jobs-tech-ai-brain https://www.patentlyapple.com/2022/03/apple-has-won-a-patent-for-an-all-new-airpods-related-eye-mask-device-that-promotes-rest-and-jammed-with-biometric-sensors.html https://www.nitafarahany.com/the-battle-for-your-brain OUR SPONSORS: Anonyome Labs - Makers of MySudo and Sudo Platform. Take back control of your personal data. www.anonyome.com MySudo - The world's only all-in-one privacy app. Communicate and transact securely and privately. Talk, text, email, browse, shop and pay, all from one app. Stay private. www.mysudo.com MySudo VPN - No personal information required to sign up. You don't even need a username and password. Finally, a VPN that is actually private. https://mysudo.com/mysudo-vpn/ Sudo Platform - The cloud-based platform companies turn to for seamlessly integrating privacy solutions into their software. Easy-to-use SDKs and APIs for building out your own branded customer apps like password managers, virtual cards, private browsing, identity wallets (decentralized identity), and secure, encrypted communications (e.g., encrypted voice, video, email and messaging). www.sudoplatform.com Reclaim - Whether you're just beginning your privacy journey, or have been working at it for some time, Reclaim is the perfect tool for assessing the size of your digital footprint and then taking action to reduce it. It's an also an excellent way to see if your personal information was exposed in a data breach. https://mysudo.com/reclaim/

In this episode of Privacy Files we explore a cybersecurity topic that is so obscure that according to our guest, 9 out of every 10 security professionals don't even know they're supposed to be managing it. If you've never heard about "secrets", you're not alone. We hope this interview sheds light on an extremely critical aspect of cybersecurity that can mean the difference between keeping your personal data safe and losing it to another breach. Brian Vallelunga is the CEO and Founder of Doppler, a company on a mission to protect consumers' sensitive personal information by securing the world's secrets. In short, Doppler helps companies securely manage, orchestrate and govern secrets at scale using a developer-first, cloud-hosted platform. Every digital product you come into contact with employs secrets to unlock permissions-based access to a company's databases and services. Secrets are the keys to a business' digital kingdom. They literally can unlock all the doors. And while they help organizations manage access to sensitive parts of a company's digital assets, poor secrets management can lead to a catastrophic data breach. While this interview is designed to provide you with a greater appreciation for the work that goes into protecting your data, this conversation might also make you reevaluate how much personal information you share in the future. To learn more about Brian: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vallelungabrian/ To learn more about Doppler: https://www.doppler.com/ OUR SPONSORS: Anonyome Labs - Makers of MySudo and Sudo Platform. Take back control of your personal data. www.anonyome.com MySudo - The world's only all-in-one privacy app. Communicate and transact securely and privately. Talk, text, email, browse, shop and pay, all from one app. Stay private. www.mysudo.com MySudo VPN - No personal information required to sign up. You don't even need a username and password. Finally, a VPN that is actually private. https://mysudo.com/mysudo-vpn/ Sudo Platform - The cloud-based platform companies turn to for seamlessly integrating privacy solutions into their software. Easy-to-use SDKs and APIs for building out your own branded customer apps like password managers, virtual cards, private browsing, identity wallets (decentralized identity), and secure, encrypted communications (e.g., encrypted voice, video, email and messaging). www.sudoplatform.com

The first step in someone's privacy journey is simply understanding the problem in the first place. Every time you share your personal information with companies, whether online or offline, that data often times ends up in the hands of third parties. In this episode we sit down with Jo, a member of Anonyome Labs' product team, to discuss Reclaim, Anonyome's newest product. Reclaim helps you identify companies that have your personal data, including those that have been breached. Then it empowers you to delete your personal information, thus reducing your digital exhaust. This conversation is a great primer for understanding the gist of the privacy and data protection problem. It's the first place to start for anyone beginning their privacy journey. To learn more about Reclaim: https://mysudo.com/reclaim/ OUR SPONSORS: Anonyome Labs - Makers of MySudo and Sudo Platform. Take back control of your personal data. www.anonyome.com MySudo - The world's only all-in-one privacy app. Communicate and transact securely and privately. Talk, text, email, browse, shop and pay, all from one app. Stay private. www.mysudo.com MySudo VPN - No personal information required to sign up. You don't even need a username and password. Finally, a VPN that is actually private. https://mysudo.com/mysudo-vpn/ Sudo Platform - The cloud-based platform companies turn to for seamlessly integrating privacy solutions into their software. Easy-to-use SDKs and APIs for building out your own branded customer apps like password managers, virtual cards, private browsing, identity wallets (decentralized identity), and secure, encrypted communications (e.g., encrypted voice, video, email and messaging). www.sudoplatform.com

There are approximately two million nonprofit organizations operating in the United States alone, accounting for one out of every ten private-sector workers. It's an industry that's literally measured in the trillions of dollars. Yet when it comes to business operations, due to shoestring budgets, many nonprofits run their entire operations using software like Google Workspace or similar low-cost (or free) tools. And they typically don't employ any IT staff. This leaves nonprofits extremely vulnerable to cyberattacks. In fact, according to Microsoft's 2021 Digital Defense Report, nonprofit organizations have become the second most-targeted sector by cyber criminals, accounting for 31% of all notifications of nation-state attacks against organizational domains (as detected by Microsoft). In this episode of Privacy Files, we speak to Kim Collier, Owner and Principal Consultant at COMO Solutions. Kim helps nonprofits grow funding and improve their cyber defenses. In our conversation, we cover a few examples of cyberattacks on nonprofits, including one food bank that lost one million dollars, and a hospital that was shuttered due to multiple attacks. We also address the top seven reasons why nonprofits must make cybersecurity a top priority. To close out the interview, we offer some tips on what nonprofits can do to better protect themselves against threat actors. To contact Kim at COMO Solutions: cybersecurity@comosolutions.com Links Referenced: https://thenonprofittimes.com/legal/blackbaud-settles-with-sec-for-3m-on-donor-data-breach/ https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/blog/2024/01/ftc-says-blackbauds-lax-security-allowed-hacker-steal-sensitive-data-thats-just-beginning-story https://www.statista.com/topics/1390/nonprofit-organizations-in-the-us/#topicOverview https://usafacts.org/articles/how-many-nonprofits-are-there-in-the-us/ OUR SPONSORS: Anonyome Labs - Makers of MySudo and Sudo Platform. Take back control of your personal data. www.anonyome.com MySudo - The world's only all-in-one privacy app. Communicate and transact securely and privately. Talk, text, email, browse, shop and pay, all from one app. Stay private. www.mysudo.com MySudo VPN - No personal information required to sign up. You don't even need a username and password. Finally, a VPN that is actually private. https://mysudo.com/mysudo-vpn/ Sudo Platform - The cloud-based platform companies turn to for seamlessly integrating privacy solutions into their software. Easy-to-use SDKs and APIs for building out your own branded customer apps like password managers, virtual cards, private browsing, identity wallets (decentralized identity), and secure, encrypted communications (e.g., encrypted voice, video, email and messaging). www.sudoplatform.com

Cryptocurrency has made many people very wealthy. There are more than 88,000 millionaires who got rich through crypto investing. In fact, there are even 17 "crypto billionaires." But for every person who makes it big in the world of cryptocurrency, there are many times more who either never grow their investment or who lose money. In this episode of Privacy Files, Brian Tillman returns to the studio to help Rich make sense of the extremely complex environment of cryptocurrency. Brian runs through some examples of cryptocurrency scams with the goal of pinpointing the red flags to watch out for. Rich takes a more holistic view by examining the common question of whether or not cryptocurrency is actually a decentralized Ponzi scheme. This is an episode that covers many angles. On the fraud side, we look at a variety of frauds, from pig butchering scams to phishing attacks. Globally, we break down how cryptocurrency actually works to better understand what it actually is. Is cryptocurrency really a currency? Is it an unregistered security? Or, is cryptocurrency just a decentralized Ponzi scheme? Links Referenced: https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnhyatt/2024/04/02/the-richest-crypto-and-bitcoin-billionaires-in-the-world-2024/?sh=1e04cfab726b https://dfpi.ca.gov/crypto-scams/ https://www.web3isgoinggreat.com/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORdWE_ffirg OUR SPONSORS: Anonyome Labs - Makers of MySudo and Sudo Platform. Take back control of your personal data. www.anonyome.com MySudo - The world's only all-in-one privacy app. Communicate and transact securely and privately. Talk, text, email, browse, shop and pay, all from one app. Stay private. www.mysudo.com MySudo VPN - No personal information required to sign up. You don't even need a username and password. Finally, a VPN that is actually private. https://mysudo.com/mysudo-vpn/ Sudo Platform - The cloud-based platform companies turn to for seamlessly integrating privacy solutions into their software. Easy-to-use SDKs and APIs for building out your own branded customer apps like password managers, virtual cards, private browsing, identity wallets (decentralized identity), and secure, encrypted communications (e.g., encrypted voice, video, email and messaging). www.sudoplatform.com

According to the United States Federal Trade Commission, Americans lost $10 billion to fraud in 2023 alone. In that same year, Americans were defrauded $4.6 billion via investment scams. In this episode of Privacy Files, we talk to Val Harkless, a government contractor who assists with fraud and analysis for the Securities and Exchange Commission's (SEC) Division of Enforcement. She works tirelessly to uncover a variety of crimes, including insider trading, pump and dumps, Ponzi schemes, unregistered soliciting entities, and cryptocurrency investment fraud. Val provides insight into how she investigates potential fraud cases, including going back to her time working with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. In all, Val is an extremely seasoned fraud investigator who has seen more than her fair share of scams. It's an enlightening discussion about the many dangers people face daily. It's also a reminder of why it's important to stay vigilant when protecting your personal information and financial assets. And if you're wondering what Val does to unwind from the realities of a stressful job...she sings and plays guitar! You can check out her music here: https://acaciagrace.com/home https://open.spotify.com/artist/47iXlfc6a21sIgHWawJA0D Links Referenced: https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2024/02/nationwide-fraud-losses-top-10-billion-2023-ftc-steps-efforts-protect-public https://www.linkedin.com/in/valehark/ OUR SPONSORS: Anonyome Labs - Makers of MySudo and Sudo Platform. Take back control of your personal data. www.anonyome.com MySudo - The world's only all-in-one privacy app. Communicate and transact securely and privately. Talk, text, email, browse, shop and pay, all from one app. Stay private. www.mysudo.com MySudo VPN - No personal information required to sign up. You don't even need a username and password. Finally, a VPN that is actually private. https://mysudo.com/mysudo-vpn/ Sudo Platform - The cloud-based platform companies turn to for seamlessly integrating privacy solutions into their software. Easy-to-use SDKs and APIs for building out your own branded customer apps like password managers, virtual cards, private browsing, identity wallets (decentralized identity), and secure, encrypted communications (e.g., encrypted voice, video, email and messaging). www.sudoplatform.com

In the United States, fraud and identity theft together result in tens of billions of dollars in losses annually. Contributing to this growing problem is the continued use of usernames and passwords stored in giant, centralized databases owned by large companies. These databases are often the target of hacking attacks. And this stolen data finds its way into marketplaces on the dark web. The good news is, there's a better way and it's being put to the test now. In this episode of Privacy Files, we welcome back Anonyome Labs CTO, Dr. Paul Ashley. Dr. Ashley provides an update on the topic of decentralized identity and how companies are using blockchain technology to develop reusable credentials, sometimes referred to as reusable digital identity. So much has happened in the world of decentralized identity since Dr. Ashley last appeared on Privacy Files. Many industries are now exploring ways to implement reusable credentials as a way to reduce fraud and improve the customer experience. From banking and healthcare to insurance and cybersecurity, industry leaders are pioneering the transformation of the way businesses secure information and protect their clients. Dr. Ashley covers many examples of how the concept of reusable credentials can work and proves that the best use case for blockchain technology is not cryptocurrency, but data verification. A future where clunky usernames and passwords are a thing of the past is just around the corner. OUR SPONSORS: Anonyome Labs - Makers of MySudo and Sudo Platform. Take back control of your personal data. www.anonyome.com MySudo - The world's only all-in-one privacy app. Communicate and transact securely and privately. Talk, text, email, browse, shop and pay, all from one app. Stay private. www.mysudo.com MySudo VPN - No personal information required to sign up. You don't even need a username and password. Finally, a VPN that is actually private. https://mysudo.com/mysudo-vpn/ Sudo Platform - The cloud-based platform companies turn to for seamlessly integrating privacy solutions into their software. Easy-to-use SDKs and APIs for building out your own branded customer apps like password managers, virtual cards, private browsing, identity wallets (decentralized identity), and secure, encrypted communications (e.g., encrypted voice, video, email and messaging). www.sudoplatform.com

When it comes to data privacy, the legal and regulatory environment is changing faster than ever. While in the United States, no federal privacy law exists, there's a growing sentiment from those who are watching closely that things are about to change. In this episode of Privacy Files, we talk to privacy law attorney Alan Chapell. Alan is the Founder of Chapell & Associates, a legal consulting firm that helps digital media companies navigate the challenges associated with regulations, public policy and the overall marketplace as it relates to privacy. From serving as Chief Privacy Officer for startups to transitioning into a general counsel role for more established organizations, Alan's primary goal is to help companies maximize opportunities while avoiding the major pitfalls. Alan is also the Chief Analyst and Publisher of The Chapell Report, a monthly research report focusing on the most important topics pertaining to digital media and privacy. To learn more about The Chapell Report: https://thisischapell.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/The-Chapell-Report-one-page-description-041821.pdf In this interview, Alan reflects on the significant changes that have taken place over the last twenty years in the digital media industry. We talk about the impact that artificial intelligence (AI) is having on digital media and privacy. Alan has consulted in more than 25 bankruptcy cases, including General Motors, Chrysler, Eddie Bauer, Atari and St. Vincent’s hospitals. Related to this topic, we discuss a little about the dangers involved with mergers and acquisitions and why it so critical for companies to conduct their due diligence before finalizing any agreements to ensure the company will be compliant with privacy laws and regulations. Alan is also a professional musician and talks about how his career in music inspired him to help the digital media industry raise its game in the privacy arena. To learn more about Alan's music: https://thisischapell.com/ To learn more about Chapell & Associates:k https://chapellassociates.com/ OUR SPONSORS: Anonyome Labs - Makers of MySudo and Sudo Platform. Take back control of your personal data. www.anonyome.com MySudo - The world's only all-in-one privacy app. Communicate and transact securely and privately. Talk, text, email, browse, shop and pay, all from one app. Stay private. www.mysudo.com MySudo VPN - No personal information required to sign up. You don't even need a username and password. Finally, a VPN that is actually private. https://mysudo.com/mysudo-vpn/ Sudo Platform - The cloud-based platform companies turn to for seamlessly integrating privacy solutions into their software. Easy-to-use SDKs and APIs for building out your own branded customer apps like password managers, virtual cards, private browsing, identity wallets (decentralized identity), and secure, encrypted communications (e.g., encrypted voice, video, email and messaging). www.sudoplatform.com

Ever since the release of OpenAI's ChatGPT in November 2022, artificial intelligence (AI) has dominated the news. AI is bringing a level of realism and human-like behavior to technology that just two years ago would have been considered unthinkable. But AI is also introducing new data privacy concerns. In this episode of Privacy Files, we examine the rising phenomenon of romantic AI chatbots and what these applications are doing with your personal data. Colin from Anonyome Lab's Security & Compliance team joined Rich to discuss the findings of the Mozilla Foundation's review of 11 romantic AI chatbots. Each one received Mozilla's notorious warning label "Privacy Not Included." Only one of the chatbot apps confirmed in their privacy policy that they don't share or sell personal data. Half of the chatbots reviewed won't even allow you to delete your personal data. 64% of the apps were not clear about encryption technology and whether or not they employ it. Overall, it's an interesting look into yet another AI-spawned industry where the security of personal data might not be a top priority. Links Referenced: https://foundation.mozilla.org/en/privacynotincluded/articles/happy-valentines-day-romantic-ai-chatbots-dont-have-your-privacy-at-heart/ https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-67012224 https://www.reuters.com/technology/what-happens-when-your-ai-chatbot-stops-loving-you-back-2023-03-18/ https://www.vice.com/en/article/pkadgm/man-dies-by-suicide-after-talking-with-ai-chatbot-widow-says OUR SPONSORS: Anonyome Labs - Makers of MySudo and Sudo Platform. Take back control of your personal data. www.anonyome.com MySudo - The world's only all-in-one privacy app. Communicate and transact securely and privately. Talk, text, email, browse, shop and pay, all from one app. Stay private. www.mysudo.com MySudo VPN - No personal information required to sign up. You don't even need a username and password. Finally, a VPN that is actually private. https://mysudo.com/mysudo-vpn/ Sudo Platform - The cloud-based platform companies turn to for seamlessly integrating privacy solutions into their software. Easy-to-use SDKs and APIs for building out your own branded customer apps like password managers, virtual cards, private browsing, identity wallets (decentralized identity), and secure, encrypted communications (e.g., encrypted voice, video, email and messaging). www.sudoplatform.com