Did you also struggle to comply with the rules of the new European Data Protection Act (GDPR) before 25 May? Rest assured, because a new research shows that the privacy policies of none of 14 large tech companies, such as Facebook, Google or Amazon, meet the new law.
The research was carried out by the European organization BEUC, which used artificial intelligence (no human being can analyse all those privacy statements so quickly), to scan the texts on vague terms, unclear texts or conditions that are not in accordance with the law.
In 11 percent of the cases there was unclear language use, so that you as a consumer can not understand the text properly. Almost 40% of the texts contain 'possibly problematic clauses' or did not provide enough information.
In addition to Google, Facebook and Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, WhatsApp, Twitter, Uber, AirBnB, Booking, Skyscanner, Netflix, Steam and Epic Games were investigated. According to the BEUC, the companies must improve their privacy policy.
App developers have access to your mail
How important the privacy of users is, becomes clear from the news that apps had access to the personal messages of millions of Gmail users. Last year, Google reported to stop scanning Gmail inboxes, but now it appears that app developers still have access to the messages.
This concerns apps (or so-called 'add-ons') for which users have registered themselves and where the (often very long and never read) 'terms of use' also state that the apps can read along with e-mails.
It appears that employees of the companies have personally read messages. This is shown by a message from The Wall Street Journal.
For example, two years ago, the marketing company Return Path (what's in a name?) read and entered some 8,000 emails from Gmail users in order to train their program. In this way it is possible that employees of apps have read some of your personal messages.
Also worried what happens to your personal data?
Then come on Thursday, September 27th to the 'Do Worry, be happy' evening 'Designing personal data ownership', in which we will look at different ways in which you can gain more control over your personal data.
