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Category Archives: E-Commerce

Technology Can You Have Your Cookies and Eat (or Delete) Them, Too?

ABA: “Until recently, a “cookie” was just a popular baked treat commonly consumed with milk. Since the dawn of the internet, however, the term has taken on a different meaning, namely that of a small text file that is automatically stored on a user’s web browser when viewing a particular website. Although initially intended as… Continue Reading

Stop Before You Shop – Are Your Shopping Apps Sharing Access to Your Device?

incogni blog: “In a recent consumer survey, 88% of respondents reported having at least one shopping app installed on their mobile device. Given their popularity, you might think these apps are pretty harmless.  In our previous research, we already looked into the Google Play Store data safety section and how to determine the amount of… Continue Reading

How to tell real products from scams when shopping online

Washington Post: “Online shopping was supposed to make buying things easier and more convenient. But instead of giving you all the best options for, say, air fryers in one place, e-commerce sites like Amazon and Walmart can leave you lost and confused, wandering through page after page of strange-sounding brands and third-party sellers. This holiday… Continue Reading

Elon Musk’s ‘hardcore’ management style: a case study in what not to do

Via LLRX – Elon Musk’s ‘hardcore’ management style: a case study in what not to do: Professor Libby Sander explains why as a case study in how to implement organisational change, Elon Musk’s actions at Twitter will go down as the gold standard in what not to do. Among other things, the evidence shows successful… Continue Reading

It’s not your imagination: Shopping on Amazon has gotten worse

Washington Post: “Amazon is the first app many of us think about to buy things online. But is it actually a good place to go shopping? When you search for a product on Amazon, you may not realize that most of what you see at first is advertising. Amazon is betraying your trust in its… Continue Reading

Apple Device Analytics Contain Identifying iCloud User Data, Claim Security Researchers

From the, “There is really no privacy on every technology, application and device you use,” via BeauHD: “A new analysis has claimed that Apple’s device analytics contain information that can directly link information about how a device is used, its performance, features, and more, directly to a specific user, despite Apple’s claims otherwise. MacRumors reports:… Continue Reading

Senators to FTC: Twitter’s willful disregard for the safety and security of its users

Six Senator’s wrote to FTC Chair Khan: “We write regarding Twitter’s serious, willful disregard for the safety and security of its users, and encourage the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to investigate any breach of Twitter’s consent decree or other violations of our consumer protection laws. In recent weeks, Twitter’s new Chief Executive Officer, Elon Musk,… Continue Reading

Lawsuit, Citing EPIC, Alleges Amazon Locks Customers Into Prime Subscriptions With Dark Patterns

EPIC: “A recent class action filed in Washington alleges that Amazon used dark patterns to make cancelling customers’ Prime subscriptions more difficult. Dark patterns “are design features used to deceive, steer, or manipulate users into behavior that is profitable for an online service, but often harmful to users or contrary to their intent.” The lawsuit… Continue Reading

Apple Is Tracking You Even When Its Own Privacy Settings Say It’s Not, New Research Says

Gizmodo: “An independent test suggests Apple collects data about you and your phone when its own settings promise to “disable the sharing of Device Analytics altogether. For all of Apple’s talk about how private your iPhone is, the company vacuums up a lot of data about you. iPhones do have a privacy setting that is… Continue Reading

Data Cartels

Data Cartels The Companies That Control and Monopolize Our Information. Sarah Lamdan is Professor of Law at the City University of New York School of Law: “In our digital world, data is power. Information hoarding businesses reign supreme, using intimidation, aggression, and force to maintain influence and control. Sarah Lamdan brings us into the unregulated… Continue Reading