10 Privacy Hacks That Show You're Never Alone, Not Even On The Toilet

Privacy has been flushed down the toilet it, right? But who is operating your loo seat, do you know? 'There’s a huge gap between what is technically possible and what most of understand is happening' when it comes to privacy' says James Bridle at London Social Media Week. 10 privacy hacks that suggest that that cuddly toy may not be all that you think it is.

1. Who hacked my toilet?

slashgear.com / Via slashgear.com

Imagine your loo seat lifting up and down, or randomly flushing under the control of a remote hacker. It seems anyone using the MySatis app can control any Satis 'smart toilet' within range. Top revenge or harassment tool?

2. Who hacked my bunny?

voidwarranties.be / Via networkworld.com

Web-enabled toys, like the Karotz plastic bunny, can be hacked. A smartphone app can take control of embedded cameras, microphones, RFID chips and speakers. Creepy...

3. Is that payphone following me?

The Payhone Project / Via nydailynews.com

Beacons that can track smart phones (and their owners) had to be removed from up to 500 Manhatten payphone booths recently after people complained about invasion of privacy and lack of public discussion.

4. Who's in my bin?

The Guardian / Via theguardian.com

In 2012 a dozen London 'smart bins' were fitted with gadgets designed to recognise and track passing phones, identify whether they were going the same way as last time they passed, how fast, and their route. And yes, without permission or knowledge of the phone owners. Smells a bit off.

5. Police fishing in the Facebook pond

The Sun Herald / Via forbes.com

Facebook handed over the accounts of over 381 disabled retirees to police in 2014: photos, private messages, likes, the lot. 62 account holders were then charged with fraud. Facebook wants the data back or destroyed. And to know whether police 'fishing expeditions' violate the Constitution.

6. Can I trust Siri?

Kirsten Lees / Via wired.com

Every time you speak to Siri, it ships your voice off to Apple's data farm. They 'anonymise' the data (change your name to a number) and keep it for 6 months. Then they get rid of the number and just keep the message for up to 18 more months.

7. You are never alone

Via telegraph.co.uk

Your always-on voice activated like Moto X responds to your voice to switch on. Useful. But that means, even off, your phone is listening in. Hackable? Exploitable?

8. Play real-life cops and robbers

Facebook: video.php / Via techdirt.com

in 2010 'Internet Eyes' launched a service that rewarded Jo(anne) Public to scan real time retail CCTV online and spot shoplifting. 'Players' who caught a thief could win cash prizes up to 1000 pounds. Internet Eyes closed at the end of 2013. Just too creepy, perhaps?

9. Dob-in-a-baddy

london24.com / Via content.met.police.uk

After the 2013 London riots the London Metropolitan Police introduced 'Facewatch ID', an app to crowd sourced identity parades by posting pics of suspects caught on CCTV.

"My hope is that the two-thirds of Londoners ... (will) help us identify people we still need to speak to. We need Londoners to browse through the App every week or so as new images will appear regularly." said MPS Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley.

10. God-damn-it, it's everything

Chappattee, International Herald Tribune / Via ecadforum.com

Now that the Internet of Things can connects everything, we can remotely manage our lives, our locks, our thermostats. The risk of hacks, security and privacy breaches is enormous.