Privacy Information
Privacy Information is a project of Consumer Action, a national non-profit consumer advocacy and education organization. The legal right to privacy has been recognized in the U.S. since the late 1890s, but its roots go back to this country’s founding. The Privacy Information Project focuses on personal privacy and why it is important to be careful about who has access to your personal information.
News
- September 18, 2019 These apps may have told Facebook about your sex life
- September 17, 2019 There’s a reason we don’t know much about AI
- September 12, 2019 California homeowners can get cyber protection insurance - preventing hackers demanding ransom (Chinese)
- September 10, 2019 Equifax adds extra step to claim $125 damage award
- September 09, 2019 Facebook, Google face off against state attorneys general
CA News & Special Reports
Consumer Action INSIDER - September 2019 The September 2019 issue of the Consumer Action INSIDER details a FinTech pilot grant program that Consumer Action helped lead, which resulted in participants saving a combined $22,000; reveals what consumers can do when they face TV blackouts due to disputes between pay-TV and programmer companies; lists the newest class action settlements; updates readers on the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's work; and more. (Sunday, September 01, 2019)
Five Recent Publications
Just Say No to Scams (Chinese).
每年許多毫無戒心的消費者被欺詐騙取高達數百萬元，儘管如此，我們仍有辦法幫你避免成為詐騙受害者。這本指南將協助消費者瞭解騙子誘騙受害者的手段，認清並迴避掉入詐騙陷阱，同時學習如何預防受騙，以及知道如何向相關部門報案。
Scammers cheat unsuspecting consumers out of millions of dollars each year, but there are ways to avoid becoming a scammer’s next victim. This guide will help consumers understand how crooks reel in their prey, recognize and evade scam attempts, and learn about scam prevention and reporting resources.
Freeze Your Credit File (Spanish) Leave ID thieves out in the cold.
El “congelamiento de seguridad” es una herramienta para ayudarle a prevenir el robo de identidad y evitar que impostores utilicen su información personal para establecer crédito. Esta publicación explica cómo “congelar” su crédito, lo cual previene que se establezca crédito nuevo a nombre suyo hasta que usted suspenda provisionalmente el congelamiento o le retire de forma permanente.
Freeze Your Credit File Leave ID thieves out in the cold.
A credit file “security freeze” is a preventive tool to help you avoid identity theft and to block impostors from using your personal information to establish credit. This publication explains how to “freeze” your credit file, which prevents new credit from being established in your name until you temporarily or permanently lift the freeze.
This publication answers common questions about how a credit report security freeze can protect you from ID theft, the pros and cons of a security freeze, and how to place, lift and remove a freeze. (It has been updated to reflect changes implemented on Sept. 21, 2018, under new federal law.)
Just Say No to Scams A guide to protecting yourself from liars, cheats and crooks.
Scammers cheat unsuspecting consumers out of millions of dollars each year, but there are ways to avoid becoming a scammer’s next victim. This guide will help consumers understand how crooks reel in their prey, recognize and evade scam attempts, and learn about scam prevention and reporting resources.
Recommended Publications
Thursday, January 29, 2015
Preparing Millennials to Lead in Cyberspace. Young adults, also known as millennials (ages 18 to 26), hold the key to close the cyber talent gap. Having grown up in a digital environment, millennials are well positioned for these cybersecurity careers, since they are at the stage when they need to choose a profession and will be in the workforce for several decades. This survey reviews U.S. millennials’ career interests, level of career preparedness and their online attitudes and behaviors.
Monday, December 19, 2011
Chronology of Data Breaches. Privacy Rights Clearinghouse has been tracking breaches since 2005 and publishes a Chronology of Data Breaches.
Wednesday, June 03, 2009
EPIC Alert. The EPIC Alert, a bi-weekly publication of the Electronic Privacy Information Center in Washington DC, covers issues related to privacy and civil liberties in the information age.
Wednesday, June 03, 2009
Privacy on the Web: Is It a Losing Battle?. Privacy on the web is the topic of this article which examines online tracking, data mining and behavioral advertising.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Patient’s Guide to HIPAA. This guide explains how you can use the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) to protect your medical privacy.
More recommended publications »
Quick Menu
Support Consumer Action
Join Our Email List
Privacy Menu
Help Desk
- Help Desk
- Submit Your Complaints
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Links to Consumer Resources
- Consumer Services Guide (CSG)
- Alerts