Hello, I get called the Grinch a lot at this time of year. That’s because I have to be the bearer of bad news during the holidays when we roll out our *Privacy Not Included holiday buyer’s guide with reviews of connected gifts like smart thermostats and fitness trackers for their privacy and security. It’s my job to warn people that fun gadgets on their wish list might spy on them or sell their data to anyone and everyone. It’s no fun being the Grinch. So, my colleagues said I could write you all an email and share some non-Grinchy things that happened this year. Thank you in advance for helping me fight the end-of-year blahs with some highlights from 2022. - Better Privacy Policies
Our *Privacy Not Included research into mental health and reproductive health apps forced at least ten companies – including the meditation app Calm, the fertility tracking app Glow, the AI-chatbot Woebot, and the business-centered wellness app Modern Health – to update their privacy policies to offer users better protections. - Better Elmo Apps
We worked with the good folks at Sesame Street to help them update their privacy policy and security practices so that they now have a way to report any security vulnerabilities in all of the apps they make for children. They also now have a working email to answer any privacy-related questions parents might have about their child’s data when using Sesame Street learning apps. - Changed the Conversation
Talking about privacy and getting people to care isn’t always easy. Changing the privacy conversation from “it’s terrible” to “there’s something companies can do to make products better” is even harder. *Privacy Not Included drove nearly 800 news stories across at least 18 countries talking about the privacy concerns with mental health apps, reproductive health apps, and the privacy concerns of popular consumer devices. We were mentioned in the Washington Post and on Good Morning America, in the UK’s The Guardian, German publication Süddeutsche Zeitung, and France’s Les Numeriques. - Pushed Policy Makers to Make Better Policy
Our research and reporting on the huge issues with data collection and security and mental health apps pushed policymakers to look into these apps and hopefully hold them accountable to do better.
Thanks for reading that. I feel less Grinch-y now. I hope you do too. Because you’ve supported this work in the past. If you’d like to keep supporting this work heading into 2023, you know the drill! Donate a little or a lot. Hopefully donating will help your heart grow three sizes today. Thank you so much, and good luck with your holidays! Jen Caltrider *Privacy Not Included
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