In a world dominated by Internet Facebook and Google, most people understand the phrase "If you do not pay for it, you are the product." what people do not understand is that this concept has also landed on the shores of privacy industry. History has proven that the industry is "hot" marketing will inevitably enter. Companies that have shown little respect for privacy are now using misleading marketing messages to tout their free confidential services, while supporting by advertising and selling user data. This leads to important questions, such as why Facebook will pay $ 0 million to buy a free application VPN? Why a popular free proxy browser has turned its free users into a botnet for hire? And, what's next?
To remain protected users need to provide access to information, resulting in privacy paradox .
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the privacy paradox
arrival of marketing in the privacy industry is particularly worrisome because products privacy require a closer relationship with users and other free products. Users must relinquish control for suppliers to protect against external threats. To remain protected users need to provide access to information, resulting in
Think of it this way "paradox of privacy". You rent a house sitter to enable them to protect your home. you have to give them additional access to it (keys, alarm codes, valuables in the house). There is a level of trust involved, as expected, they will not steal your things or throw a party.
VPNs are an excellent example of the paradox of privacy. VPN users must send all their network traffic over the VPN provider to be protected against malicious third party. But as a result, VPN providers can see a lot of information about you, including:
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Every website you visit -
content of the email Unencrypted -
Who you are emailing -
what are the applications you use -
When you're online -
How time you're online -
Who you talking -
your position
How is your privacy Worth?
In a new popular market as the privacy industry, most new businesses are looking for the fastest way to build market share and sell high. Build a large user base with free applications is a quick way to gain market share, but to justify the value of the company for sale (not service) user must make money. If the user does not pay now, the only other value they bring is their data. Accordingly, in the online private life industry, you can become the product of several ways, including the handling of the network, sales of domestic and advertising. Is this the price you pay in the data, it worth to you?
Handling the user's network
These sites offer free services Privacy and manipulate the activity of network users.
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Hola
Hola claims it offers "Safe Browsing" to its 55 million users, but was recently revealed to be selling the bandwidth of its free users without their knowledge. As explained LifeHacker, "the company sells bandwidth users Hola anyone with money to buy, effectively turning its users into a botnet for hire."
If Hola user confidence in a company that security researchers say is a "shaky" service? Others say Hola allows you to "be followed through the Internet, no matter what you do," and they allow "someone to run programs on your computer." If users trust company which promises to change his ways, but only after an outcry from the general public?
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proxies Free
most users do not understand that web proxies do not encrypt your connection entire Internet and they see (and perhaps save) each URL visited. Many proxies also change the Web code to inject ads, and some even prohibit the HTTPS traffic "could be because they want you to use . HTTP so they can analyze your traffic and steal your credentials "a recent survey examined 443 free proxies and found that 79% of them were" shady "with proxies you get what you pay for -.. sometimes more
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Opera
Opera is a browser that provides quick and secure access to the web. Opera has recently started offering a free VPN integrated for users, which is advertised as a This feature is marketed as a "VPN browser" but as github stresses in fact a proxy "improving life important private. "". This opera "VPN" is just a pre-configured HTTP / S proxy protecting all traffic between the Opera and the proxy, nothing else is not a VPN "proxies are inherently less secure than networks virtual private and Help Net Security expressed concern over this messaging deceptive marketing: "While Opera may have made this little tweak definitions with the best intentions, end users need to understand that this free service by Opera is far. be the security provided by a true VPN solution. "
Opera also has SurfEasy a VPN company out of Canada. Their approach to advertising and the lack of transparency highlights the importance of going beyond the marketing message in order to understand the product of privacy and the business model of the company.
Free VPN applications :. "Sell Interiors"
companies that acquire VPN applications to collect analyzes on free users is a worrying trend in the VPN industry
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Facebook - Onavo
Facebook has purchased a VPN app called Onavo in 2013. Why Facebook buy a VPN application? As stated on All Things D, Facebook gives insight into the use of application data: "The way applications work Onavo basically requires information on all the activities of your smart phone. So in summary, if Facebook can extend this kind of deep analysis for users billion-plus on its network, it will give the company a massive amount of understanding how people are using their smartphones. "
VPN functionality gives visibility on Facebook network connection for the entire phone, including URL and application traffic. Therefore, Facebook can examine user activity for their own purposes. Onavo is one of the most flagrant examples of the paradox of privacy. the free users expect the VPN to protect them, but probably are not aware of the business model of the VPN application compromises their expectation of privacy
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App Annie. - VPN Defender
VPN Defender regularly ranks in the 10 downloaded app VPN in App Store, but it is the property of App Annie, a business intelligence company and analysis. Why a company analysis applications backed by Silicon Valley venture capital would own a VPN application? TechCrunch speculated that app Annie via VPN Defender "could become the go-to resource for data to mobile applications that was otherwise impossible to collect via a third following the release of Onavo, which left a gaping hole in the market. "
users think they have found a free way to protect themselves online, but may have exposed data from their applications, websites visited, unencrypted e-mail and other network traffic through the VPN servers App Annie. Presumably App Annie integrates this user data to sell the analytical data to third parties, including Venture Capitalists who are looking for the next big application to invest. Consumers should be wary of free VPN applications that collect, analyze and share your data with third parties -. "Sale inside" a practice known as
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AVG - Hide My Ass
AVG is the third largest antivirus company in the world. AVG has recently updated its privacy policy to sell data from their free users "[s] ecurity AVG company can sell web search history and browser data to advertisers to" make money "from her Free antivirus software, change its privacy policy confirmed. "
what is more worrying is that AVG recently bought Hide My Ass!, VPN provider offering users' privacy and total protection. "If the antivirius AVG product is called" spyware "can Hide My Ass! VPN user trust AVG to respect their privacy
Consumers should be wary of free VPN applications that collect, analyze and share data with third parties - a practice known in the industry analysis as sell within
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It is private ... we Announce
Some of the free services of the business models are based on selling advertisements and show these ads to users.
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Hotspot Shield
Hotspot Shield is a VPN provider that displays ads in its free users as part of its business model. However, advertisers generally want to be able to target particular sets of users, and do not require the advertising platform to monitor user activity. The privacy policy of Hotspot Shield has ominous statements, and Hotspot Shield does not consider the IP addresses or the collection a unique identifier as "personal information". They also "can automatically use the information collected to identify your general location, improve service, optimize or advertisements displayed by the service."
Ouch. Hopefully the free users understand that their privacy is compromised when using a product advertising. But not free VPN product users expect their privacy to be compromised?
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Betternet
Betternet is a free VPN service that says they are "a free service and will be free forever. "They support their business by asking user to install" free apps that are recommended within the Betternet application [which] covers the cost of maintaining our lives in service. "
A VPN is" free forever, "and they seem to be transparent about their business model. Sounds good, right? But if you dig deeper, it seems that Betternet is owned by another VPN company, VPN in Touch, although this fact is not advertised on their site. It seems they have changed their information in the Android and iOS app stores in January 2015, removing all references to that affiliation. Amazon registering Betternet includes an email address VPN in Touch, which also indicates the companies are affiliated.
Betternet seems to be transparent about its business model supported by advertising, but does not include information about who they are, their experience or their location. free users should try to understand who is behind the product before you trust him.
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AdBlock
AdBlock is a popular service ad blocking with over 0 million downloads. A contestant criticized AdBlock to move from an open source project to closed source, recording the unique ID and user settings and monetize users through a partnership with the Disconnect.me Privacy society. AdBlock was recently sold, but "will not disclose who it was sold to why it was sold, or how much it was sold for." AdBlock also started allowing advertisers to release ads to display to its user base.
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avast
In 2014, it was reported that Avast, an extension of antivirus vendor and a leading browser, spying on its users. Although the company says "The gold standard in PC security, keep you safe online and off-line" and services that prevent spyware, the company revealed in spying on the user navigation (recording every site you visit) and ad insertion - without the knowledge and consent of the user. This vulnerability has been modified since.
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Ghostery
"Ghostrank" The function of Ghostery allows users to block ads and online tracking associated with them. Ghostery is a positive example in that they are transparent about their practices and Ghostrank is opt-in. If you choose this function, however, Ghostery will sell data on what the ads that you block.
Ghostery is owned by Evidon (formerly Better hint). As pointed MIT Technology Review, Ghostery sells information to the correct industry it claims to protect users: "Yet some of those who advocate Ghostery as a way to escape the clutches of the industry of the online advertising can not realize that the company behind it, Evidon, is actually part of the same industry. "
it is free. It is social. But it Private.
Social networks want to be the anti-Facebook, but can free users trust their business models?
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Yik Yak
Yik Yak is a messaging application that allows you to share "your opinion with people around you while keeping your privacy. " Ars Technica revealed that several people were arrested for statements published on the application. It turns out that Yik Yak recorded an alarming amount of data, including your IP address, GPS coordinates, time and date of the message, the unique ID and sometimes your phone number. It can be free and social, but it does not protect the privacy of the user.
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Ello
Ello is a privacy-oriented social network, with a clear, including the line "you are not the product." However, the CS Monitor points out that Ello 'Ello catalogs pages users access, IP address, sites that refer users to Ello, general location, email and username for each account, and user device users information, "causing CS Monitor to assert that" many of these data can be used to identify users and their online activities. "
Ello may be trying to be anti-Facebook, but seems to have a long way to go to protect its free users.
is your supplier trustworthy privacy?
There are some things you can do to avoid becoming the product, be the most important to determine if your supplier is trustworthy . Just as you would not hire a stranger on the street to watch your home, you should not engage an unknown company or shady privacy know your business means doing research and asking the following:.
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If it is free, what is the business model
investigate how the company makes money to support? itself, especially if they offer free products. If their business model is not clear, then its likely "you" they sell.
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Who is society?
It is important to know who you do business with, so you can assess their policy of confidentiality and reliability. Is it clear who you are doing business with, or is the company actually owned by someone else? Is what the city or hidden knowledge? If the company is dubious about their ownership or hidden guard, there may be a reason why they do not want you to know.
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Is it their understandable privacy policy?
Beware of policies that are vague or convoluted, or if you can not clearly understand the information they collect from you.
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do their marketing messages contradict their privacy policy and business model?
do the marketing claims aligned with the text in the company's privacy policy? Often brilliant marketing messages not not accurately reflect the company's practices.
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Do they allow you to opt-out their data collection?
Or are you automatically opt-ed in (a practice called implicit opt-in)? It is important to understand how the company will use your data from the moment you register -. And what control, if any, you have on this data collection
This is all about transparency and confidence
transparency builds trust. suppliers of privacy trust exist so it is critical to take the time to learn about the confidentiality of company you do business with. A Golden Frog we confirm a high level of transparency and trust, and we are very clear about what information we collect and how we use them. Golden Frog is working on a "freemium" business, which allows us to offer products to both free and paid without selling user data. We never sell your data to third parties. Our free maps available so that users can try our services and determine for themselves if they want to buy a paid plan. A Golden Frog you are never, ever, the product
Please read our book Vision: .. "Peace, prosperity, and the case for Open Internet" or visit our About for more
further reading
- Hola
- Hola Better Internet selling your bandwidth Turning Its VPN in a Botnet
- Adios Hola: the researchers say it is time to nix the "poorly secured" Service
- users Hola Free VPN vulnerable to hacking, researchers warn
- recent events on the Hola network - blog by Ofer Vilenski, CEO Hola
- free proxies
- Analysis 443 free proxies - only 21% are not the shadow
- Facebook - Onavo
- Facebook $ 0 Million Onavo Buy comes with many Upside
- App Annie - VPN Defender
- App Annie Fills the void left Onavo Acquisition by Facebook with its new Smart Sense society
- AVG - Hide My ass!
- AVG can sell your navigation and historical research to advertisers
- AVG acquires Privax, a world leader in privacy Personal Solutions
- Hotspot Shield
- Hotspot Shield Privacy Policy
- betternet
- works How betternet
- Amazon Ad: Unlimited Free VPN by betternet
- Adblock plus
- This which is better, Adblock or Adblock plus?
- the Adblock extension with 40 million users sold to mystery buyer refuses to name the new owner
- avast
- Avast Antivirus with spying You Adware (Up 'this week)
- Avast Antivirus Was Spying on users?
- Ghostery
- Ad-Blocker Ghostery Advertisers actually helps if you "Support" He
- A Popular Ad Blocker also helps the Ad industry
- Yik Yak
- do you want attention and jail time? Post a violent threat Yik Yak
- Yik Yak - Imprint
- Ello
- Ello online ads targeting pan. Here's what experts say about its privacy practices
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