There’s No Such Thing as Free Email

September 19, 2024 Andersen Leave a comment

You’ve been happily using free email for years, and haven’t thought much about it. The problem is that it’s not truly free—you’re paying with your privacy. In the world of digital communication, you become the product. Let’s dive into what it means.

1. Free is not free

With countless services offering “free” email accounts, it’s easy to assume that we can communicate without any cost. But companies that offer free email typically rely on advertising revenue, which means they collect vast amounts of data about our habits, interests, and communications. They use this information to tailor advertising, and that’s how they make money.

(more…)

Continue Reading →

Plus-addressing lets you create an alias on the fly

September 5, 2024 Andersen Leave a comment

Email aliases are great – they help organize emails, reduce spam and protect our identity. But sometimes we need a quick way to create an alias without having to log in to our account to set it up. That’s when we can use plus-addressing, or subaddressing.

You simply add a + to your email address followed by a tag.

For example, if your email address is bob@nullrunbox.com, you can create a tag bob+shopping@nullrunbox.com, or bob+news@nullrunbox.com. You can use any tag, and make up as many as you like.

Any email sent to a plus-address is delivered to your account as usual. The message is still addressed to the plus-address, and you can use this in various ways to manage your email.

Plus-addressing benefits

Make up addresses on the fly without having to set anything up in your Runbox account.
Works with any email address, alias or domain.
Use a plus-address to identify sites where you used your email address.
Plus-addresses can help hide your main email address.
Use a different tag for each site so that if one has a data leak you know which one it is.
Filter email to specific folders based on the plus-addressing.
Create a filter to delete email to that particular plus address if it starts receiving spam.

Plus-addressing and email aliases are great tools to manage your email. With a Runbox account you get unlimited plus-addressing and 100 email aliases. If you have your own domain name, you get unlimited aliases. Check out this post for more info about aliases.

You can get more details about plus-addressing here.

To learn about how to create email aliases, check out this blog post.

If you need help, contact Runbox Support.

Continue Reading →

Using Email Aliases to Combat Spam and Protect Your Identity

August 29, 2024 Andersen Leave a comment

Do you use email aliases? Aliases are a great tool that can help protect your identity, reduce spam, and organize your inbox.

Aliases are alternative email addresses that you can use to separate emails. Instead of using the same address for everything, you set up different aliases for online subscriptions, registrations, newsletters, social media, business contacts and so on. Any category that works for you. You can use your main address for friends and family, or create another alias.

All your aliases are set up under your main email account, and is delivered to your primary inbox. You can even set up filters so that mail is separated into specific folders in your account.

Not only will aliases give you another layer of anonymity, it also gives you control over your information and makes online tracking more difficult. Having aliases can help prevent someone hacking your main email account, and helps protect you from phishing attacks. If one of your aliases starts to receive lots of spam, you can easily delete the alias and set up a new one.

Benefits of using email aliases

(more…)

Continue Reading →

The Grindr case illustrates how Norwegian authorities fight against misuse of personal information

August 25, 2024 Åge BA Leave a comment

Oslo District Court has found Grindr’s sharing of personal data illegal as a result of the Norwegian Consumer Council complaint from 2020. Accordingly, Grindr has to pay EUR 5 million, as fined by the Council.

Our guardians of personal data and privacy: NDPA, NPAB, and NCC

As we have written multiple times in our blog series about GDPR and consequences of this EU-regulation, Norway has a long history of protecting citizens’ personal information. It started out with the first Personal Data Act implemented in 1978 with the purpose of protecting the individual against privacy being violated through the processing of personal data. The law was updated with GDPR clauses in the year 2000.

In 1980, the Norwegian Data Protection Authority (NDPA) was established as an independent authority whose task is to monitor compliance with the Personal Data Act. It is important to note that the NDPA has two roles: supervisory authority and ombudsman.

The NDPA decisions may be appealed to NPAB, Norwegian Privacy Appeals Board (Personvernnemda), whose decisions are final.

During recent years, another Norwegian governmental public body, the Norwegian Consumer Council (NCC), whose role is to protect consumers’ interests, has become involved in privacy, more precisely the misuse of personal data that big tech companies are involved in. As a governmental-independent agency, the NCC is free to chose the cases they want to work on.

Sharing of personal data is illegal without specific consent: The Grindr case

Recently, the NCC has put effort into the task of preventing the big tech companies from using personal information for surveillance-based marketing that the users have not consented to. Neither have users given consent to how personal data is transmitted to the companies’ partners.

The figure below, from https://noyb.eu/en/eu-58-million-fine-grindr-confirmed, illustrates the problem.

(more…)

Continue Reading →

AdobeStock 385093447 copy scaled e1737145582649

Privacy Matters – How Our Personal Data Is Used

August 17, 2024 Andersen 1 Comment

When we go online or use apps, we are being tracked. Companies collect our personal data by tracking us across the web sites we visit. They build profiles on us based on our browsing history and online behavior. They want to sell us their products and services, and the more they know about us the better they can use this data to manipulate our behavior.

You know those ads that pop up everywhere after you looked up something? After you’ve looked up a new car, car ads follow you around all day. You research a vacation to Alaska, and travel ads show up everywhere. This is the result of targeted advertising, which is based on data they collected on you. Some call it surveillance capitalism, and it’s big business.

Privacy is about how your data is collected, processed, stored and used. It’s about maintaining control over your personal information and your identity. Privacy isn’t about hiding secrets, it’s about keeping your personal information safe from people who can do harm.

(more…)

Continue Reading →

Got hacked? What to do if your email account has been compromised.

July 27, 2024 Andersen Leave a comment

Suddenly you are noticing strange things happening with your email. You’re receiving email messages about login attempts, password resets and two-factor authentication codes, and your friends and family are wondering why you’re sending them weird emails. You can’t even log in to your own email account and you’ve been bumped out of your social media accounts. What is going on? Your email might have been hacked.

Don’t panic… but act quickly. You can minimize a lot of damage if you act fast and methodically. Because your email is a gateway to all your online accounts, like banking, shopping, social media and streaming, it can potentially be a goldmine for a cyber criminal if they gain access. Here’s what you can do.

The signs that your email has been hacked

(more…)

Continue Reading →

hands typing on laptop and emails floating

Why am I getting so many spam emails?

July 15, 2024 Andersen Leave a comment

You may have noticed that you’re getting a lot more spam email lately, which is frustrating and annoying. You diligently go through these emails and add them to your Spam filter, you block the sender, unsubscribe from mailing lists and so on. The spam emails keep coming…

Why it’s happening

When we sign up for web sites we effectively give them permission to use our email. These companies may sell your email address to other companies who will in turn send you spam.
Whenever there is a data breach on a website where you have subscribed to something, email addresses can be repeatedly sold to other spammers. You can check if your email has been been in a breach here: https://haveibeenpwned.com
Spammers use mechanisms that allow their emails to go through the spam filter. They will use valid email addresses such as a @gmail account, create look-alike domains that will look like a legitimate company, or even spoof your own email address because many people whitelist their own address.
Because of AI, spammers and phishers can very quickly create mass campaigns. Previously, spam was often easily spotted because of bad grammar and lack of personalization (goodbye Nigerian prince). Now, spammers use artificial intelligence to make spam and phishing more convincing, and they use social media, online behavior and public information to generate personalized campaigns. The result is that we are bombarded with spam.

What you can do

(more…)

Continue Reading →

Environmental and Climate Report Card of 2023: A Year of Accelerating Challenges

December 31, 2023 Geir Leave a comment

The year 2023 was marked by significant environmental and climate-related events that underscored the urgent need for collective global action. From escalating greenhouse gas emissions to unprecedented weather extremes, the planet experienced alarming signs of environmental degradation and climate disruption. This blog delves into the most pressing issues of 2023, accompanied by illustrations and sourced data to shed light on the state of our environment.

Rising Carbon Emissions

Despite global efforts to curb carbon emissions, 2023 saw a continued increase in atmospheric CO₂ levels. According to the Mauna Loa Observatory, CO₂ concentrations peaked at 424 parts per million (ppm) during the year, a stark reminder of the relentless upward trajectory.

Illustration: Graph showing the rise in atmospheric CO2 concentrations over decades.

Key Contributors:

Energy Sector: Fossil fuels continued to dominate global energy production, with coal consumption hitting record highs in some regions.
Deforestation: Large-scale deforestation in the Amazon and Southeast Asia contributed significantly to carbon emissions.
Industrial Activities: Rapid industrialization in emerging economies exacerbated emissions, outpacing efforts to transition to cleaner technologies.

Source: NOAA Climate.gov

Unprecedented Weather Extremes

2023 was a year of extreme weather events that affected millions of lives and ecosystems:

Heatwaves: Record-breaking heatwaves scorched parts of Europe, the United States, and Asia. Southern Europe saw temperatures surpassing 48°C, severely impacting agriculture and water resources.

Illustration: Map showing global heatwave hotspots in 2023.

Flooding: Catastrophic flooding displaced millions in Pakistan, Nigeria, and Italy, with damages running into billions of dollars.
Wildfires: Uncontrollable wildfires ravaged forests in Canada and Greece, releasing massive amounts of carbon and destroying biodiversity hotspots.

Source: World Meteorological Organization

Biodiversity Under Siege

Biodiversity loss reached critical levels in 2023, with numerous species teetering on the brink of extinction. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) reported that:

28% of species assessed were threatened with extinction.
Coral reefs, which host 25% of marine species, suffered extensive bleaching due to rising ocean temperatures.

Illustration: A timeline of coral bleaching events with images of affected reefs.

Melting Ice and Rising Seas

The Arctic and Antarctic regions continued to lose ice at alarming rates in 2023. The National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) reported:

The Greenland ice sheet lost an estimated 400 gigatons of ice, contributing significantly to global sea level rise.
Antarctic sea ice reached its lowest extent in recorded history during the winter months.

Illustration: Comparison of Arctic ice coverage in 2000 and 2023.

Source: NSIDC

The Plastic Pollution Crisis

Plastic pollution remained a critical issue, with over 8 million tons of plastic waste entering the oceans annually. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch expanded further, threatening marine life and ecosystems.

Efforts to Combat Plastic Waste:

Legislative Actions: Countries like Canada and the EU implemented bans on single-use plastics.
Innovative Solutions: Startups and NGOs developed ocean-cleaning technologies and biodegradable alternatives.

Illustration: Infographic on the journey of plastic from production to ocean pollution.

Source: Our World in Data

Hope Amid the Crisis

While 2023 underscored the severity of the environmental crisis, it also brought encouraging developments:

Renewable Energy Growth: Solar and wind energy installations surged globally, with India and the U.S. achieving record capacity additions.
Global Agreements: COP28 fostered new commitments to phase out coal and reduce methane emissions.
Community Initiatives: Grassroots movements played pivotal roles in restoring ecosystems and advocating for climate justice.

Illustration: Solar farms and wind turbines symbolizing a renewable future.

Source: International Renewable Energy Agency

Conclusion

The environmental and climate challenges of 2023 serve as a stark reminder of the fragility of our planet. While progress was made in renewable energy and policy initiatives, the pace of degradation continues to outstrip solutions. Addressing these challenges demands an unprecedented level of global cooperation, innovation, and commitment from all sectors of society.

What can you do? Educate yourself, advocate for sustainable policies, and make environmentally conscious choices in your daily life. The fight for our planet’s future requires all hands on deck.

Continue Reading →

Special Holiday Offer from Runbox

December 19, 2023 Geir Leave a comment

We are feeling extra merry this month and would like to make the holidays brighter with a special limited time offer:

Throughout December you get a FREE YEAR with main account renewals on the Medium plan or larger!

This means that your existing account plan will be immediately upgraded for TWO YEARS if you purchase the Medium, Max, Max100, or Max250 plan now.

The additional subscription time will automatically be added to the end of your current subscription.

Just go to Plans & Upgrades and log in, and then select the Medium plan or larger. Finally, proceed to the shopping cart in the top right corner and complete your payment.

Happy Holidays from all of us at Runbox!

Continue Reading →

Update: Meta’s behavioural advertising vs GDPR

December 10, 2023 Åge BA Leave a comment

This is blog post #20 in our series on the GDPR and is a continuation of the blog post # 19 which ended with this:

After the Norwegian (NO) DPA (Data Protection Authority) imposed a ban on Meta’s behavioral advertising and put a fine on Meta, the company brought the case to Oslo District Court asking for provisional injunction – and lost.
Starting om August 14, the fine of NOK 1 million per day could last until November 3, unless the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) decided otherwise, as requested by the NO DPA.

And the story continues, currently in (at least) three different processes:

Scroll down and find that the noyb has on 28 November filed GDPR complaint aganst Meta’s “Pay or Okay”.

1. Enforcement notice against Meta from Ireland’s High Court

Following the request by the NO DPA, the EDPB published on 27 October their conclusion and adopted an urgent binding decision, and instructed the Irish (IE) DPA to take, within two weeks, final measures to stop Meta’s processing of personal data for behavioral advertising across entire European Economic Area (EEA), arguing that reference to the user contract and legitimate interest is not valid legal basis for using personal data for behavioral advertising.

The GDPR states that consent for processing of personal data is not freely given when it is bundled to accessing a service, and when the processing of personal data is not necessary to that service.

The Irish (IE) DPA notified Meta on 31 October the EDPB binding decision, giving Meta two weeks to comply.

Ahead of this, Meta announced on 30 October the new subscription model where users can pay monthly for ad-free Facebook and Instagram services in the EEA and Switzerland, but NO DPA has informed Meta that they have strong concerns regarding Meta’s “consent” mechanism. EDPB is evaluating, and (according to our knowledge) has not concluded yet. NO DPA is of course active in this process. [source]

The Irish (IE) DPA took action 10 November and served Meta with an enforcement notice saying that the company has seven days to cease processing data for behavioral advertising. If not, the company will be fined.

However, Meta has brought a High Court challenge, resulting in a permission for Meta to bring its judicial review action, and later also to grant Meta a temporary stay on the enforcement notice from coming into effect. When the matter will return to court is unclear.

2. Meta is taking a new case against the Norwegian Data Protection Authority

Following up on the decision from 14 July this year, where Meta was notified that they may impose a fine of up to NOK 1 million (approximately USD 100 000) if Meta did not comply with the GDPR regarding consent from users of Facebook and Instagram when the company use personal data for behavioral advertising, the fine started rolling from 14 August.

The NO DPA confirms that they have sent a claim of NOK 82 mill against Meta to the State Collection Agency, a unit within The Norwegian Tax Administration.

Meta claims that the ban is invalid, and for the second time, Meta is taking the case to Oslo District Court. They also claim that the compulsory fine has to be abolished.

However, Meta has later requested that the case be dismissed, and the NO DPA has agreed to this. But the case is not laid dead, because Meta kept open the possibility to raise the matter again, awaiting the outcome of the proceedings in the EDPB [source].

NO DPA (Datatilsynet) write in an email to a Norwegian newspaper (6 December 2023), that Meta has now reluctantly paid the fine. But it is not hard to guess that the last word is not said,

3. noyb files GDPR complaint against Meta over “Pay or Okay”

Recently (28 November), the Noyb – European Center for Digital Rights, a non-profit organization based in Vienna, Austria, filed a complaint against Meta with the Austrian data protection authority, on behalf of an anonymous complainant, who is unemployed and receives benefits, and lacks the financial means to pay Meta’s subscription fee €20.99 a month to access Facebook and Instagram. [source; source]

The noyb claims that paying up to €251.88 a year to retain their fundamental rights to data protection on Facebook and Instagram is unacceptable, and in addition, if such arrangement is not stopped, other tech companies will soon follow, according to noyb. [source].

With this, noyb opened up a wider concern and perspective on the matter, which may deserve another blog post. So, stay tuned.

4. Another complaint process: Meta’s “pay-or-consent” model contravenes consumer legislation

The European Consumer Organization (BEUC, Bureau Européen des Unions de Consommateurs), organizing Forbrukerrådet (The Norwegian Consumer Council) and similar organizations in Europe, has filed a complaint against Meta’s changes to its service in the EU, saying that the “pay-or-consent” model is “… an unfair choice for users, which runs afoul of EU consumer law on several counts and must be stopped.”

The complaint is filed with the network of Consumer Protection Authorities (Consumer Protection Commission, CPC) “on the grounds of Meta engaging in unfair commercial practices in multiple ways.”

Further, the BEUC press release contains a very to-the-point list of issues that are identified under consumer protection law, and put Meta in trouble: Aggressive practice; sense of urgency; misleading consumers to believe in less tracking an profiling, and to believe that not paying then the service is “free” while they are paying through the provision of their data; the consumers do not have a real choice, because quitting the service means losing their contacts and interaction history.

In Norway it is Forbrukertilsynet (The Norwegian Consumer Authority) that is entitled to impose a compulsory fine if the consumer legislation has been breached.

In addition, BEUC is also assessing whether Meta is infringing the GDPR.

Wrapping up the whole thing

There is an intense battle going on: The power of the big technology companies over people and society, versus democratic principles and how they are embodied in European legislation.

Because we at Runbox have the privacy flag hoisted, we will continue to follow what is happening in the field, and continue to keep our customers updated.

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter, and Runbox take no responsibility for its accuracy. It is advised that when using the information for any purpose other than personal that the sources provided are verified. Expert advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.

Continue Reading →