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Prying Eyes
Release 3 of 3
Companies claim they collect data about you ‘anonymously’. But that’s not really possible.

Companies claim they collect data about you ‘anonymously’. But that’s not really possible.

Companies say they make user data "anonymous" before they share or sell it to a third party. But is that even possible?

Australia’s privacy watchdog is ‘woefully’ and ‘criminally’ underfunded

Australia’s privacy watchdog is ‘woefully’ and ‘criminally’ underfunded

Privacy laws aren’t being enforced, and there’s a tiny budget to do the job.

How Facebook creates a dossier of your most private activities

How Facebook creates a dossier of your most private activities

Why on earth do they need so much information about you?

The mess we’re in

The mess we’re in

Could 2018 finally be the watershed year, when the narrative shifts against the surveillance economy?

Nine steps you can take to protect yourself online

Nine steps you can take to protect yourself online

Take control of your digital hygiene, in the same way that you would take control over your health, or your savings, or your right to vote.

Release 2 of 3
No matter where you go, you’re never alone

No matter where you go, you’re never alone

Your movements often reveal your buying habits. Which is why companies follow you around and use that information to try to sell you stuff.

Every word you type, every move you make, they’ll be watching you

Every word you type, every move you make, they’ll be watching you

So-called “session replay scripts” not only record everything you type, they track every mouse movement, and even what you’re looking at on the web — including personal information.

‘It made me feel sick’: how Optus is monetising your web browsing history

‘It made me feel sick’: how Optus is monetising your web browsing history

If you think that Optus just provides telephony and internet services, think again. They’re also selling their customers.

Here’s how much you’re worth to an advertiser

Here’s how much you’re worth to an advertiser

Online surveillance is driven by a single commercial imperative: to gather data and sell it to advertisers.

Why political parties have a file on you, but you don’t get to see what’s in it

Why political parties have a file on you, but you don’t get to see what’s in it

Australian political parties collect vast troves of data about voters, and they're legally entitled to do so.

Are Facebook and Google eavesdropping on your conversations? No, it’s far creepier than that.

Are Facebook and Google eavesdropping on your conversations? No, it’s far creepier than that.

Stories abound of people who mentioned a subject while their phone was sitting idle, then got bombarded with online ads about that subject.

Release 1 of 3
Welcome to a world where your privacy is being sold for billions

Welcome to a world where your privacy is being sold for billions

A new Crikey series, edited by technology writer Stilgherrian.

Australians are concerned about their online privacy but do little to protect it

Australians are concerned about their online privacy but do little to protect it

Australians are deeply worried about how their personal data is used by online companies -- but struggle to know how to protect themselves, polling from Roy Morgan shows.

They know where you live, work, play, shop, eat and a hell of a lot more

They know where you live, work, play, shop, eat and a hell of a lot more

Location-based advertising companies lurk in the background, collecting data about us from wherever (and whomever) they can get it.

An A-Z of the jargon companies use while spying on us

An A-Z of the jargon companies use while spying on us

From "beacons" to "probabilistic matching", this is the language of the surveillance economy, compiled by Chris Woods.

Here’s what you won’t know if you don’t read the terms and conditions

Here’s what you won’t know if you don’t read the terms and conditions

Google and Facebook hook you into their vast data collection and advertising networks when you press ACCEPT.

Dark patterns: the tricks and traps used to lure you into handing over personal data

Dark patterns: the tricks and traps used to lure you into handing over personal data

How do websites and apps make you buy or sign up for things that you didn't mean to? It’s duplicitous, but all too easy.

We read a bunch of popular companies’ privacy policies to find out how (and why) they monitor your data

We read a bunch of popular companies’ privacy policies to find out how (and why) they monitor your data

What does that fine print really mean? We dig into the big companies' privacy policies to find out.