May 2025

Popular Privacy Myths

Common Privacy Myths...Debunked

I hear a lot of crazy stuff related to online privacy. For example, does turning off GPS makes your phone untrackable? Do strong passwords make your accounts safe? Let me explain what I mean:

​7 Privacy Myths People STILL Believe (do you?) →​

Go Deeper: there are what I consider to be different "levels" of privacy and security. Most of these myths exist in that very top level. Here are ways to graduate to higher levels:

Password Manager Here are 6 hacks to help you level up how you use a password manager. ​Password Manager Hacks →​

The "One" Habit YOU are the greatest threat to your own privacy & security, but with this one habit... ​Adopt the Habit →​

What are "Myths" anyway?

Hi [CORRECTED_NAME GOES HERE], like I said earlier, I hear a lot of crazy stuff related to personal privacy and security. Some of it comes via conversations with random people while a lot of it comes via comments on the YouTube channel.

All of it boils down to one thing: we are lazy humans.

I'm not calling YOU out in particular. This is something that all of us have to deal with. When we're balancing between "better privacy" and "more convenience," the biggest obstacle is our own laziness.

This is never more apparent than when you're trying to convince a friend or family member to adopt better privacy/security measures.

Just trying to get my mom to use a password manager has been unbelievably hard. Perhaps you know the feeling? If there's no external motivation (i.e. a data breach or imminent harm), we tend to put it off for "later."

As I created this list of common myths, the common denominator in all of them is that it's easier to believe the myth than to take the time to fix the real problem.

Hopefully I can not only convince you that these are myths, but also motivate you to make the necessary changes. Or perhaps you should just share this with somebody else you know who might believe them?

This Week in Privacy News

​Was Siri Eavesdropping on You?​

Apple just settled a $95 million lawsuit alleging that Siri listened to private or confidential conversations without your knowledge. Apple denies all wrongdoing, of course.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/apple-siri-settlement-95-million-lopez-how-to-file-claim/

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​Google Rolls Out On-Device AI Scam Detection​

Google on Thursday announced it's rolling out new artificial intelligence (AI)-powered countermeasures to combat scams across Chrome, Search, and Android. It's unclear whether you can opt out of using "Gemini Nano."

https://thehackernews.com/2025/05/google-rolls-out-on-device-ai.html
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​Withdrawn Crackdown on Data Brokers​

A US government consumer protection agency has withdrawn a proposal to force data brokers to abide by stricter rules and reporting, a move that has been widely criticized.

https://thehill.com/business/5300712-cfpb-withdraws-proposed-rule-cracking-down-on-data-brokers/

Be Safe Out There

Summer is upon us (at least in the northern hemisphere), so whether you plan to stick at home or go on vacation, be safe!

✌️

Josh

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3824 Cedar Springs Rd #801-8170, Dallas, TX 75219
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