Our hugely popular ‘Privacy Files’ podcast sits in the top 1% of podcasts worldwide for longevity in the market.
Listeners love it because it makes privacy approachable for everyone.
Every week, Privacy Files’ host Rich interviews an expert about a different revealing angle of data privacy—oftentimes, these are hidden or little known risks to our personal privacy and safety.
Of our 70+ Privacy Files episodes, here are top 10 most popular. Get them in your ears!
Ep. 41: The Snowden Leaks: 10 years later
It’s hard to believe but 10 years have passed since former government contractor Edward Snowden shocked the world by disclosing that the United States National Security Agency (NSA) was collecting data from the electronic communications of millions of American citizens, all without a warrant. Go inside this fascinating period of history and its impacts now known as the “Snowden Effect.” You might also like our blog article, This is Why MySudo is Essential, Even 10 Years After Snowden.
Ep. 53: Eliminating Digital Exhaust
When it comes to the topic of privacy, there are a few terms that are freely used but poorly understood. Terms like digital footprint, digital exhaust and compartmentalization are examples.
In this episode we look at one of the best ways to minimize your risk exposure: compartmentalizing your life. The more you compartmentalize your digital life, the more you reduce your digital exhaust and the more you boost your privacy and safety. You can also read our blog article for more on digital exhaust. This podcast ep also looks at the MySudo web browser extension.
Ep. 46: Confessions of a Former Intelligence Agent
Social engineering attacks exploit the weakest link in cybersecurity: the human. In this episode we talk to a former US Army intelligence officer who once served as an interrogator. For years he interviewed detainees and informants during a time of war. While he functioned as a good actor, he also leveraged many of the social engineering strategies that the modern threat actor employs. You will hear real accounts of interrogations and how an intelligence officer navigates difficult interactions to collect vital information that can save lives.
Ep. 23: Inside the Mind of a Private Investigator
Why is fraudulent activity rising so rapidly? The digitalization of businesses means that today virtually any type of fraudulent activity can be carried out from the comfort of home, sitting in front of a laptop computer.
In this episode, we speak with Tom Chavez, co-founder of Dark Horse Intelligence, to hear firsthand the challenges facing today’s private investigator. With more than 25 years in investigations, hacking and social engineering, Tom understands the challenges in truly remaining private. He covers some of the main concerns people have around privacy and then highlights ways you can better protect your personal data. Tom understands all the tricks of the digital world and, as a privacy advocate, he will give you the knowledge you need to limit your exposure to bad actors.
Ep. 50: Cars and Privacy
In this episode we look at the rise of the software-defined vehicle (any vehicle that manages its operations, adds functionality, and enables new features primarily or entirely through software) and how this evolution in automobiles is putting your privacy at risk.
In September 2023 Mozilla released its study of 25 car brands and what they do with owners’ personal data. Every car brand earned Mozilla’s “Privacy Not Included” warning label. It is the worst category of products for privacy that Mozilla has ever reviewed. GPS trackers, cameras, microphones, and sensors are all capturing your every move. And that data is being collected, shared and sold. Find out more in this fascinating episode.
Ep. 29: VPNs: What You Need to Know
The Virtual Private Network (VPN) business is hot. What was once the domain of the corporate world is now a ubiquitous phenomenon. Today there are 1.5 billion VPN users worldwide, making this a nearly $50 billion global market. In this episode we take a hard look at the world of VPNs. What’s driving the growth in VPN adoption? Who’s using VPNs, for what and why? Are all VPNs the same? What about free VPN services? Are all VPNs truly private?
You might also like to check out MySudo VPN, the most private VPN on the market, and our blog articles, The #1 Reason MySudo VPN Is the Most Private VPN on the Market and What is a VPN – and 4 Other Questions About Virtual Private Networks.
Ep. 35: Dark Web 101
The dark web conjures up images of a deep recess within the web where anything goes. A place where so-called “red rooms” live stream the torture and murder of innocent people. A shadowy digital world where hitmen sell their services for as little as $5,000. But is the dark web really this evil?
In this episode we kick off a multi-part series on the dark web by laying the foundation for what the dark web really is and how it came about. We explain the differences between the surface web, the deep web and the dark web, then we dive into the origins of the dark web by looking at its history and evolution. In all, we give you an objective look at the good and the bad of the dark web. Our conclusions might surprise you. They surprised us. Don’t miss this one.
Ep. 3: Protect Your Privacy Without Being Extreme
Seventy-five per cent of Americans want to live more privately, but just don’t know where to begin, so in this early episode we present some simple ways to live your digital life a little more privately without being extreme. We cover some easy changes you can make today to protect your personal information without turning the effort into a full-time job. Spoiler: Using MySudo and MySudo VPN are great actions to take today, but tune into the ep for plenty more. You might also like, How MySudo Lets You Control Who Sees Your Personal Info Online and in Real Life and How Sudos Can Give You a Second Chance at Digital Privacy.
Ep. 62: Search Engines and Privacy
In 2015, Dr. Robert Epstein, a psychologist at the American Institute for Behavioral Research and Technology, made world news. Dr. Epstein was one of the authors of a groundbreaking study that found that Google’s search ranking algorithm could influence how people vote. Even more shocking, according to Dr. Epstein, “We estimate, based on win margins in national elections around the world, that Google could determine the outcome of upwards of 25 percent of all national elections.” And just exactly how could Google do this? By simply changing the order of positive and negative stories appearing in search results.
In this episode we talk to someone who is trying to give the world a more “honest search engine”—Kristin Jackson, co-founder and president of Freespoke Search. You might also like our blog article, How to Spot an Honest, Private Search Engine.
Ep. 27: OSINT: Who’s Watching You?
Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) has been receiving a lot of press. There is so much data freely accessible online today that many experts say spy agencies like the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the National Security Agency (NSA) should focus their research efforts on OSINT sources first, long before employing covert techniques like wiretapping or reading an adversary’s mail. In other words, OSINT isn’t just about stalkers and other bad actors using publicly available information on you to do you harm. Today, corporations and governments use OSINT to track people and even predict the future.
In this episode, we try to make sense of the rapid rise of OSINT. Given the voluminous amounts of information the public is routinely sharing, how can corporations and governments leverage that data to make critical decisions? From predicting crime in America’s largest cities to analyzing consumer app data to locate secret American military bases around the world, the power that OSINT harbors for society’s future is just now being discovered. Find more in this fascinating episode.
We’ve racked up loads of great episodes of Privacy Files and we’ve got no intention of stopping! What’s your favorite episode?
Privacy Files is available on all major podcast platforms and is sponsored by Anonyome Labs, the makers of MySudo. Don’t miss a minute.
