Technologies
Amazon to Pay $30M for Ring and Alexa Privacy Violations: Tips for Protecting Your Smart Home Data
As Amazon settles over alleged privacy violations, here’s how you can help keep your personal data safe.
Amazon will pay two separate penalties for privacy violations, the Federal Trade Commission has announced: $25 million for allegedly not deleting children’s data and $5.8 million for failing to restrict employee and contractor access to Ring security videos.
Amazon prevented parents from deleting their children’s voice and geolocation data acquired through the Alexa voice assistant, and stored and used the data for several years to improve the Alexa algorithm to better understand children’s speech patterns and accents, the FTC alleged Wednesday.
This put the data «at risk of harm from unnecessary access,» according to the FTC.
The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act Rule «does not allow companies to keep children’s data forever for any reason, and certainly not to train their algorithms,» said Samuel Levine, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, in a statement.
Amazon said in a blog post that it disagrees with the FTC’s claims and denies violating the law.
«We take our responsibilities to our customers and their families very seriously,» Amazon said. «We work hard to protect children’s privacy, and we have built robust privacy protections into our children’s products and services.»
Read more: These 6 Tips Will Help Keep Your Personal Data Private
The FTC on Wednesday also leveled a $5.8 million penalty against Amazon’s Ring. Ring, which was acquired by Amazon in 2018, sells video doorbells, indoor and outdoor cameras and home security services. It has long been criticized for its privacy practices, including sharing doorbell footage with police departments across the US. The settlement announced Wednesday related to allegedly failing to restrict access to customers’ videos across its employees and contractors, and using those videos to train its algorithms without consent.
«One employee over several months viewed thousands of video recordings belonging to female users of Ring cameras that surveilled intimate spaces in their homes such as their bathrooms or bedrooms. The employee wasn’t stopped until another employee discovered the misconduct,» the FTC alleges.
Ring’s failure to «implement basic measures to monitor and detect employees’ video access» meant the company also didn’t know who or how many employees accessed private videos inappropriately.
Read more: Home Security Cheat Sheet: Our Best Tips for Keeping Your Home Safe
Ring didn’t seek customer consent for human review of their videos until January 2018, the FTC alleged.
Ring’s lack of security, including not offering multifactor authentication until 2019, meant hackers exploited account vulnerabilities to compromise 55,000 customers’ accounts in the US, the complaint says. Of those 55,000 customers, 910 accounts across 1,250 devices saw the hacker take «additional invasive actions, such as accessing a stored video, accessing a live stream video or viewing a customer’s profile,» the complaint details. In 20 instances, the hackers maintained access to customer devices for over a month.
«In many instances, the bad actors were not just passively viewing customers’ sensitive video data. Rather, the bad actors took advantage of the camera’s two-way communication functionality to harass, threaten, and insult individuals — including elderly individuals and children — whose rooms were monitored by Ring cameras, and to set off alarms and change important device settings,» the FTC’s complaint says.
The $5.8 million penalty will be used to refund customers, and Ring is required to delete data and videos if obtained prior to 2018 and «delete any work products it derived from these videos.»
Ring’s statement likewise disagreed with the FTC’s claims. «We want our customers to know that the FTC complaint draws on matters that Ring promptly addressed on its own, well before the FTC began its inquiry; mischaracterizes our security practices; and ignores the many protections we have in place for our customers,» Ring said.
How to protect your private data
Bad actors are a threat to your security, and there are a number of steps you can take to help yourself. Here’s how to make sure your home Wi-Fi is secure, how to protect your home security against hacks and the best home security systems of 2023 — including the best cheap home security systems and the best DIY home security systems. You could also look at getting a password manager so your accounts are safer, and here’s CNET’s smart home privacy guide on how to delete your voice recordings across Amazon, Apple and Google.
As companies are keeping more and more of your personal data, here are CNET’s tips on how to keep Facebook from tracking you, how to prevent yourself from being tracked via your Apple AirTags and how to get Google to remove your personal data from search results.
Technologies
Episode 3 of the VERUM AI Mini-Series Is Now Available
Episode 3 of the VERUM AI Mini-Series Is Now Available
Verum Messenger has released the third episode of its AI mini-series, SHADOWS, created using Verum AI.
The new episode, titled «Ghost Money,» continues the story of the conflict between a team of heroes and the Omega corporation, which seeks to take control of digital communications. This time, the focus shifts to anonymous payments and financial freedom, revealing how privacy can extend beyond messaging.
Like the previous episodes, the new release not only advances the storyline but also showcases the capabilities of the Verum ecosystem, highlighting technologies designed for secure communication and digital privacy.
The mini-series consists of seven episodes, released gradually across Verum Messenger’s social media channels.
Episode 3 is now available. Stay tuned for the next chapter.
Technologies
Verum Finance Now Available for Mac, Expanding the Verum Ecosystem on Desktop
Verum Finance Now Available for Mac, Expanding the Verum Ecosystem on Desktop
Verum has officially released Verum Finance for macOS, bringing its financial platform to the Mac and expanding access to the Verum ecosystem across Apple’s devices. The launch allows users to manage their finances from desktop while enjoying the same secure and seamless experience available on iPhone and iPad.
The new Mac version includes the full range of Verum Finance features, including balance management, instant transfers to other Verum users, debit card management, Apple Pay support, asset exchange, and transaction history — all optimized for the macOS experience.
Verum Finance can be used as a standalone application or alongside Verum Messenger. Users who sign in with their Verum Messenger account automatically synchronize their balances, settings, and account data across devices, ensuring a consistent experience throughout the Verum ecosystem.
The macOS release further strengthens Verum’s vision of creating an integrated digital platform where communication and financial services work together. Verum Messenger, which is also available for Mac, complements the ecosystem with encrypted messaging, voice and video calls, VPN, eSIM, anonymous email, AI-powered tools, offline communication capabilities, and cryptocurrency features.
With both Verum Messenger and Verum Finance now available across iPhone, iPad, and Mac, users can access secure communication and financial services wherever they work.
Verum Finance for Mac is available now through the Mac App Store.
Verum Finance for macOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/verum-finance/id6774245148
Verum Finance: https://finance.verum.im
Verum Messenger: https://verum.im
Technologies
Why Travelers Are Switching to Verum E-SIM This Summer
Why Travelers Are Switching to Verum E-SIM This Summer
Summer Travel, Freedom, and Seamless Connectivity: Why Verum E-SIM Is Becoming the New Standard for Travelers
Summer is the peak season for vacations, long-distance trips, and new experiences. Millions of people travel abroad, explore new countries, plan adventures, and try to stay connected with family, work, and social media. And in the middle of all this comes a familiar question: how do you stay online without expensive roaming or the hassle of buying local SIM cards?
The answer is already here — eSIM.
Why eSIM Is So Convenient
eSIM (embedded SIM) is a built-in digital SIM card that lets you activate mobile internet without a physical card. All you need is an app — choose a plan and connect in just a couple of minutes.
No more:
* searching for local SIM cards at airports
* paying expensive roaming fees
* swapping physical SIMs every time you travel
Now your internet travels with you.
Internet in 150+ Countries
Modern eSIM solutions provide coverage in 150+ countries worldwide, helping tourists, freelancers, and business travelers stay connected almost anywhere on the planet.
Among the services offering these capabilities:
Verum E-SIM — https://esim.verum.im
World E-SIM — https://worldesim.me
USA E-SIM — https://usa.esim.verum.im
Euro E-SIM — https://euro.esim.verum.im
Canada E-SIM — https://canada.esim.verum.im
Balkan E-SIM — https://balkan.esim.verum.im
Ukraine E-SIM — https://ukraine.esim.verum.im
London E-SIM — https://london.esim.verum.im
E-SIM Africa — https://africa.esim.verum.im
All of these services work on the same principle — fast, borderless internet without roaming stress.
Why It Matters Most in Summer
During the holiday season, roaming networks get overloaded, and prices for mobile data abroad often become an unpleasant surprise for travelers.
eSIM solves this problem:
* transparent, fixed pricing
* activation in 1–2 minutes
* stable internet while traveling
* no physical SIM cards required
Final Thoughts
Travel should be about freedom — not hunting for Wi-Fi or worrying about phone bills.
eSIM is quickly becoming the new global standard for mobile connectivity: simple, fast, and borderless.
Verum E-SIM and its partner services are part of this shift, making global connectivity accessible to everyone, everywhere.
-
Technologies4 года agoTech Companies Need to Be Held Accountable for Security, Experts Say
-
Technologies3 года agoBest Handheld Game Console in 2023
-
Technologies5 лет agoBlack Friday 2021: The best deals on TVs, headphones, kitchenware, and more
-
Technologies3 года agoTighten Up Your VR Game With the Best Head Straps for Quest 2
-
Technologies5 лет agoGoogle to require vaccinations as Silicon Valley rethinks return-to-office policies
-
Technologies5 лет agoVerum, Wickr and Threema: next generation secured messengers
-
Technologies4 года agoThe number of Сrypto Bank customers increased by 10% in five days
-
Technologies5 лет agoOlivia Harlan Dekker for Verum Messenger