Oakland Privacy

You’ve probably heard a lot about AI tools lately, like ChatGPT, Gemini, or Perplexity. Maybe you’ve seen a friend use them or even tried them yourself to do everything from finding the best Chinese restaurant in your neighborhood to figuring out creative ideas for your 10 year old’s birthday!

These AI tools are like super-powered versions of Google that you can have a conversation with, almost like a real person who can answer almost any question you can think of.

However, there is a catch: when you use these AI tools, you aren’t just searching for a quick answer. You are giving information to a digital program that remembers everything you tell it. Because of this, you should be careful about what you share! !

There are three big issues with using these AI tools:

1. The “Memory” Risk

Most AI tools are set to “remember” whatever you tell them. If you tell an AI your private medical symptoms or a secret about your job, that that information is now stored with the company providing the AI Assistant.

2. The “Stranger” Risk

Sometimes, real people (employees at the AI tool company) read through chats to make sure the AI isn’t being rude or broken. You should assume that anything you type could eventually be seen by a human eyes.

3. The “Confused” Risk

AI tools are great, but they aren’t always right. They can “hallucinate,” which is a fancy way of saying they can sound very confident while saying something that is completely untrue. Never use AI tools for important (medical, legal, financial) advice without double-checking whether that information is correct.

Here are general tips to stay safe:

• Don’t share personal or sensitive data: Don’t share your full name, your kids’ names, your home address, or your specific health/financial information.
• Keep it General: Instead of saying, “Why does my elbow hurt after hitting it on my door at 123 Main St?” just ask, “Why would an elbow hurt after hitting a door?”
• Check the Settings: Most of these apps have a “Privacy” or “Data” section in the settings. Look for a switch that says “Don’t use my data for training” and turn it on! (Or, why not, ask the AI Assistant how to do it!)

HERE is a longer video about the privacy of AI tools.

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—- Published January 2026 —-

A “data breach” happens when a company or organization that holds your personal information gets hacked or leaks information by mistake. This can include things like:

• your name, address, phone number
• Email and passwords
• Social Security number
• Credit card or bank account details
• Health or insurance records

Once this information is out there, it can be used (sometimes months or even years later) for identity theft or credit fraud.

What to Do If You Hear About a Data Breach

You might get an email or news alert saying your data was part of a breach. Even if it’s just your email and password, it’s smart to take the alert seriously. Two of the most important steps are:

(1) Freeze Your Credit

Freezing your credit means no one can open new accounts in your name (not even you) until you unfreeze it. It’s free to do, and you can turn it on and off anytime.

Freezing your credit does NOT affect your current credit cards or loans. It protects you from someone taking out a credit card, loan, or apartment lease using your identity.

You need to freeze your credit with each of the three major credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, TransUnion.

This is one of the strongest steps you can take to stop identity theft before it happens.

(2) Obtain Your Free Weekly Credit Report from These Three Credit Bureaus

AnnualCreditReport.com is the official site established by the 3 major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion) to comply with the federal law requiting them to offer at least 1 free credit report annually. These 3 credit bureaus now voluntarily offer weekly credit reports. You just have to register!

Do I Also Need to Pay a Company to Monitor If My Personal Information is Online?

Probably not. Most people can stay safe without paying for an identity or credit monitoring service, as long as they take a few basic steps to secure their digital security and privacy, including:

• freezing their credit
• checking their credit reports from AnnualCreditReport.com
• setting up alerts on their bank and credit cards to receive texts when there is suspicious activity
• using strong passwords and Two-Factor Authorization (2FA), especially for email, bank, or shopping accounts. Click HERE to read more about 2FA

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—- Published January 2026 —-

Smart assistants like Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple Siri can be handy. You can ask them to play music, set a timer, or check the weather, all by just talking. But the way they work comes with real privacy risks.

These devices are always listening for their “wake word” (like “Hey Siri” or “Alexa”). That means they’re constantly monitoring sound in your home, waiting to be activated. Sometimes, they start recording by accident, like when you say something that sounds like their name.

Companies say these recordings are safe, but in many cases:

• The recordings are stored and can be reviewed by employees
• Some voice clips are kept unless you delete them manually
• The data may be shared with other companies or law enforcement

Our Advice: Don’t Use Speech-Activated Smart Assistants

Devices that are always listening are not great for privacy. You don’t need to give up smart tools altogether, but we recommend skipping voice-activated assistants and using apps or devices that put you in control!

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—- Published January 2026 —-

Health apps can help you track your steps, workouts, heart rate, sleep, or even your menstrual cycle. They’re built into many phones (like Apple Health, Samsung Health, and Google Fit) or downloaded separately (like Strava and Flo). These apps are super convenient, but they also collect some of the most private and sensitive information about you!

And here’s the thing: not all health data is protected, especially if you’re using a regular app instead of visiting a doctor. That means your information (like how often you run, when you ovulate, or how much you sleep) can be stored, shared, or even sold by the company who owns the app.

HERE is a review of the privacy of common reproductive health apps (for periods, pregnancy, fertility, etc.)

What You Can Do to Protect Your Health Data

• Turn off cloud backups for health and fitness apps if you don’t want your data stored online.
• Use a strong phone passcode and/or password for the app if the option is offered.
• Review app permissions (Does your step counter really need access to your microphone or contacts? Probably not. Click HERE for how to change iPhone settings. HERE for Android.)
• Avoid logging very sensitive health data in the apps.

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—- Published January 2026 —-

When you sit down to watch a video, the last thing you want is to be watched back! But that’s exactly what happens when you use YouTube, streaming services, and smart TVs.

These tools are designed for convenience, but they also collect a lot of personal data. What you watch, how long you watch it, what you click on, what you pause on—they track it all. That information can be used to build a profile on you, show you targeted ads, or even shape your online experience.

Let’s go a bit more into YouTube, which is free to use, but it’s not free from tracking. Google (which owns YouTube) uses your video history, searches, and likes to:

• Target you with ads
• Share data with advertisers and other partners
• Link your activity to your Google account

If you’re signed into your Gmail account, the tracking gets even more personal information from you. Your YouTube behavior is connected to your Gmail, location, and search history.

Private Alternatives to YouTube

If you like watching YouTube videos but don’t want to be tracked, try these two tools:

	Newpipe.net: a free, open-source Android app that provides a lightweight, privacy-focused way to watch and listen to videos from YouTube and some other platforms without using Google’s official YouTube app or services
	FreeTube.com: an open-source, desktop third-party app focused on privacy and ad-free viewing. It lets you browse and watch YouTube content with more privacy.

You can also watch Youtube videos in Incognito mode on your browser or using a VPN. (We talked about VPNs and how they can be used to hide what you do on the Internet previously HERE.) [[LINK PAGE HERE]].

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—- Published January 2026 —-

You’ve probably heard the phrase “the Cloud.” But what does that really mean?

The Cloud is a way to store your files (like photos, documents, or backups) on someone else’s computer that has much more memory than yours, most often some big company’s computer (e.g. Amazon, Microsoft). You can then access your files on that other computer via the internet.

When something is in the Cloud, you can open it from anywhere. You don’t need to carry a flash drive or worry about your computer crashing.  All you need is an Internet connection. The Cloud is fast, easy, and used by billions of people every day.

But like anything online, the Cloud comes with privacy risks.

Common Cloud Providers You May Already Be Using

iCloud (Apple): If you have an iPhone, you’re probably using iCloud. It automatically backs up your photos, texts, notes, and more. Apple says it encrypts* (see definition below) your data, but Apple holds the keys to your Cloud, which means they can still access your data in the Cloud if required by the police or the law. To prevent this, you have to turn on Advanced Data Protection.

Dropbox: Dropbox is a popular cloud storage service for sharing files and backing up work or personal documents. It’s easy to use and works on any device. But Dropbox does not offer full end-to-end encryption* by default.

OneDrive: OneDrive is Microsoft’s cloud storage system, built into most Windows computers. It backs up your documents, photos, and desktop folders online so you can reach them from anywhere. Microsoft holds the keys to your data, so they can read your files if needed. Files may be scanned for “policy violations,” and your information could be shared with law enforcement or other third parties.

GoogleDrive: Your files are not end-to-end encrypted*, which means Google can access the contents if it wants to. Google can scan your files, link your activity to your personal profile, and hand over your data to authorities if asked.

What can I use?

If you want more control over your data, there are cloud tools built specifically for privacy:

I need to delete a file on my computer. How can I make sure that it’s really gone?

Most people don’t realize that when you “delete” a file, it often isn’t really gone from your computer. It just gets marked as “okay to overwrite.” That means, until that memory space in your computer gets reused to save something else, someone could still recover the deleted file.

If you’re using Windows, a free program called Eraser can actually shred files, making sure they’re completely electronically erased and can’t be recovered. Think of it like a digital paper shredder.

If you’re using MacOs, you should enable FireVault or you can use the free program called Permanent Eraser.

So What’s the Bottom Line When It Comes to Using the Cloud?

(1) Be careful about what you upload to the “Cloud.”

(2) Use a more secure “Cloud” whenever possible. 

*encryption explained in the “Introduction” article HERE

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—- Published January 2026 —-