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*Privacy Not Included helps consumers shop for trustworthy connected products while shining a light on products with poor privacy and security practices. We also uplift companies who get it right. If you’re looking for inspiration for your company’s own privacy policy, start here.
Are you a journalist researching connected products or a member of the press covering privacy?
*Privacy Not Included can help inform your research. Let the product guide assist you in incorporating privacy—and not just price and performance—into your consumer technology coverage.
Have questions for the *Privacy Not Included team? Email [email protected] at [email protected]. Our researchers can answer questions about specific products, or speak to broader trends in the realm of privacy, security, and trustworthy AI. We can also provide high-resolution graphics and gifs from our guide.
The people have spoken! Mozilla’s *Privacy Not Included won two Webby awards in 2023: the “Responsible Information” award in the Inaugural Responsible Technology category and the “People’s Voice” award. This win marks their second “People’s Voice” win since 2020.
Since launching 2017, *Privacy Not Included has reached millions and garnered hundreds of stories around the world. The guide’s groundbreaking product reviews scrutinize the privacy features and flaws of connected gifts, sex toys, dating apps, reproductive health apps, mental health apps, and cars.
BBC Top Gear: Modern cars branded a ‘privacy nightmare’ by Mozilla
Published September 2023. “First up, Mozilla says every car brand collects “too much personal data”... Secondly, the survey concluded that 84 per cent of motor manufacturers share your data and a worrying 76 per cent sell drivers’ personal data.”
For generations, the car in America has come to symbolize freedom… And for many, freedom and privacy go hand in hand. It's hard to have one without the other. But according to a new report, your car could be worse than your phone when it comes to privacy.
— Scott Detrow,
NPR
The Washington Post: Carmakers fail privacy test, give owners little or no control on personal data they collect
Published September 2023. “Cars are getting an “F” in data privacy. Most major manufacturers admit they may be selling your personal information, a new study finds, with half also saying they would share it with the government or law enforcement without a court order.”
Gizmodo: If You've Got a New Car, It's a Data Privacy Nightmare
Published September 2023. “Mozilla found brands including BMW, Ford, Toyota, Tesla, and Subaru collect data about drivers including race, facial expressions, weight, health information, and where you drive.”
Los Angeles Times: Mental health apps may put your privacy at risk. Here's what to look for
Published May 2023. “Jen Caltrider, director of Mozilla’s Privacy Not Included work, said it’s important to read an app’s privacy policy before downloading it because some of them start collecting data from users moments after they’re activated.”
The Verge: Mental health app privacy language opens up holes for user data
Published May 2022. “Mozilla researchers said this week that mental health apps have some of the worst privacy protections of any app category.”
VICE: Period-Tracking Apps Won’t Say Whether They’ll Hand Your Data Over to Cops
Published August 2022. “In total, of the 25 apps and products Mozilla reviewed, 18 were slapped with its ‘Privacy Not Included’ label, indicating that people should be cautious of using them.”
The Guardian: How private is your period-tracking app? Not very, study reveals
Published August 2022. “Experts at internet research non-profit Mozilla studied more than 20 pregnancy and period tracking apps for privacy and security features and said the results were grim.”
Daily Dot: These sex toys and dating apps may jeopardize your privacy, Mozilla warns
Published February 2021. “Mozilla’s new Privacy Not Included report looks at 50 sex toys and dating apps and ranks them based on how they respect users’ privacy. And the answers aren’t sexy.”
Mashable: Privacy experts reviewed popular video-chat apps, and *yikes*
Published April 2020. “[Mozilla] researchers combed through privacy policies, sifted through app specifications, and looked at critical questions.”
NPR: Mozilla’s Latest “Privacy Not Included” Buyer’s Guide
Published December 2019. Ashley Boyd, Mozilla’s VP of Advocacy and Engagement, spoke with host Steve Inskeep about the surveillance features that are often built into consumer technology.
Here’s a warning that should be on some of the items on your holiday shopping list—*Privacy Not Included. That’s the point of a shopping guide put out by the Mozilla Foundation.
— Steve Inskeep,
NPR
USA Today: Before you buy, consider privacy, please
Published November 2019. Mozilla researcher Becca Ricks spoke with technology columnist Jefferson Graham about the privacy and security flaws of connected doorbells.
WIRED: Mozilla Makes a Naughty List of Gifts that Aren’t Secure
Published November 2018. “In its second annual Privacy Not Included guide, the nonprofit highlights internet-connected items that value your privacy—and the ones that may not.”
New York Times: Don’t Give Kids Holiday Gifts That Can Spy on Them
Published December 2017. Writes Ashley Boyd in this print and digital op-ed: “During the holiday season, my husband and I tend to offer suggestions to those who are generous enough to insist on buying presents for our kids. This year we’re adding a new rule to our list: No toys that can spy.”