As part of the core privacy team at WordPress.org, Heather played a significant role in developing a suite of GDPR and privacy tools now used by over 30% of websites on the open web. She has also spearheaded efforts to create a cross-project open source privacy coalition, collaborating with privacy teams from platforms like WordPress, Drupal, Joomla, Umbraco, Typo3, and others.

In this first part of our two-part interview, Heather shares her journey into the privacy space, her views on privacy, the evolution of privacy over the last year, and what it’s like being a privacy advocate in the open-source technology world.

Andy: Tell us about yourself – how did you end up in the privacy space?

Heather: It all started back in high school when I read a book about American consumer privacy. This was back before the web really took off in the 1990s. I learned things that shocked me, like how a photographer in a maternity ward could use your newborn’s first professional photo to put you on a dozen marketing lists while you were still recovering. That moment really hit me—the sheer entitlement people have to invade others’ privacy without permission. That was when the seed for privacy advocacy was planted in me.

I’ve always had a strong interest in human rights, which led me to study international politics at university. During that time, I also began building websites for clubs and friends’ projects, back in the days when we were coding raw HTML. It was the early days of the web, and it was an exciting time to have even a little knowledge of how things worked, especially when it meant you became the go-to person for running websites—something I ended up doing for many years.

I went on to work in international cultural diplomacy in Washington DC, but after a series of events, I found myself back in Scotland as a freelance web designer. Despite the change in direction, my interest in politics never faded. I found myself speaking at conferences about the impact of various laws on web designers and developers, especially around privacy issues. Over time, I realized that I was much more passionate about discussing policy than dealing with clients asking about sidebar colors.

So, I made the decision to leave web design behind and focus entirely on tech policy and regulation for digital businesses and policymakers. It feels like everything came full circle—from my early interest in human rights to my work on privacy and now advocating for privacy on the open web. In a way, I did become the human rights activist I set out to be when I was 15, just in a much different way and through a very different medium than I had imagined.

Stay tuned for the second part of our interview with Heather Burns, where we’ll explore more about her work on privacy in open-source software and the challenges she faces in this ever-evolving field.

The post Heather Burns on Being a Privacy Advocate in Open Source Software (Part 1) appeared first on Tapmydata.

This guide is tailored for iPhones and iPads, but don’t worry—similar instructions for Android devices are coming soon!

Steps to Prevent Instagram from Collecting Your Data

1. Turn Off Location Tagging for Your Photos

Every photo you take contains location metadata unless you disable geotagging. This data can be used to track your whereabouts, so it’s a good idea to turn it off entirely in your camera settings.

Here’s how to remove location tagging from all your photos:

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Tap Privacy → Location Services → Camera.
3. Select Never to completely stop your camera from adding geolocation data to pictures.

2. Disable Instagram’s Access to Your Location

Instagram uses your location to enhance its services and sell targeted ads. To keep your location private:

1. Go to Settings → Privacy → Location Services.
2. Scroll down to Instagram and tap it.
3. Choose Never to stop Instagram from accessing your location.

3. Revoke Instagram’s Access to Your Photo Library

By default, Instagram has access to your entire photo library. Limiting its access can give you more control.

1. Open Settings.
2. Scroll to the Instagram app.
3. Tap Photos → None (or select Selected Photos if you want to allow access to specific pictures only).

When you want to post a photo, manually share it to Instagram:

1. Open the Photos app.
2. Select the photo you’d like to post.
3. Tap the Share button and choose Instagram from the options.
4. Add your caption and tap Share in the upper-right corner.

4. Enable Limit Ad Tracking

Even with restricted photo and location access, advertisers can still try to track you. By enabling “Limit Ad Tracking,” you make it harder for apps like Instagram to create advertising profiles about you.

To enable this feature:

1. Go to Settings → Privacy → Tracking.
2. Toggle off Allow Apps to Request to Track.

This won’t stop all tracking, but it’s an important step toward reducing how much of your data is collected for advertising.

Stay Tuned for More Tips

By following these steps, you’ve already made great progress in protecting your privacy on Instagram. Keep an eye on our blog—we’ll soon share more guides, including how to enable “Limit Ad Tracking” in detail and tips for Android users.

Take control of your data today. Every step you take matters!

The post Protect Your Privacy: Stop Instagram from Collecting Your Data appeared first on Tapmydata.

Why Pre-Register?

Pre-registering ensures you’ll receive all the latest updates and detailed information about the TAP Token Distribution Event directly to your email. This includes timelines, guidelines, and exclusive insights into the process. By signing up, you’re not committing to participation—registration is completely optional, and you can make your decision at any time.

Privacy You Can Trust

Your privacy is our priority. The information you provide during registration will be used solely for communication related to the TAP Token Distribution Event. We guarantee that your data will not be shared with third parties under any circumstances.

What’s Next?

To complete your journey to becoming a part of the TAP Token ecosystem, you will need to undergo a full Know Your Customer (KYC) verification process before the distribution event. This is a standard procedure to ensure compliance and protect the integrity of the event.

Join the Movement

The TAP Token Distribution Event is designed to empower individuals and foster a thriving community. Don’t miss the chance to take part in this innovative initiative.

Register today, and take the first step toward joining the future of decentralized finance!

The post TAP Token Pre-Registration: Secure Your Opportunity appeared first on Tapmydata.

1. Etherscan Updates Pending: Critical information about our token hasn’t yet been fully populated on Etherscan. To ensure your safety, it’s crucial that the community interacts with the correct contract address.
2. Whitelist Approval: The whitelist for Balancer is still under review. This step is essential to ensure only verified participants can engage with the process securely.
3. Balancer LBP Optimization: We are refining the final calculations for our Balancer Liquidity Bootstrapping Pool (LBP). This modeling ensures a smooth and fair launch that prioritizes human investors over bots.(If you’re unfamiliar with Balancer LBPs, check out this guide to Perpetual Protocol’s first IDO on Balancer for more insights—special thanks to Perpetual for sharing this resource.)
4. KYC and Token Bonuses: The Know Your Customer (KYC) process and bonus token distribution are still being finalized, ensuring participants benefit fully from these rewards.

A Few Days for a Better Launch

Our priority is to make this IDO successful for everyone in our community. This short delay ensures we meet our commitment to a secure, fair, and seamless experience for all participants.

Thank you for your understanding and patience. We look forward to seeing you join us on December 17th for the launch of the TAP Token IDO.

The post TAP Token IDO Rescheduled to December 17th appeared first on Tapmydata.

Your Right to Make a Subject Access Request

Previously, under the Data Protection Act 1998, organizations could charge a fee of £10 to provide you with the data they held. However, with the implementation of the GDPR in 2018, subject access requests are now free of charge. This right of access empowers you to verify the lawfulness of the processing of your personal data. You may want to make a request if you have doubts about how a company is handling your data or if you wish to understand any automated decisions affecting you.

How to Make a Subject Access Request

There is no specific format for making a subject access request, and you can approach the organization in various ways, such as by email, written letter, phone call, direct message (DM), or even a tweet. The request should be directed at the organization asking for all the personal data they hold about you, who they share it with, and any additional relevant information.

Organizations should provide multiple ways for you to submit your SAR, but many only offer a web form. This is not ideal practice. Be sure to check their privacy policy, typically found at the bottom of their website, for details on how to send your request.

If the organization attempts to charge you a fee, remind them that under the GDPR (as of May 25, 2018), subject access requests must be processed for free.

Steps for Making a Subject Access Request

Follow these steps to effectively make a subject access request:

1. Identify the right department: Look for the contact details for the organization’s Data Protection Officer (DPO), often available on their website (usually as a dpo@ email address).
2. Prepare the required details: Collect all the necessary information you need to request. This might include your full name, address, contact number, and any unique identifiers (e.g., account numbers or unique IDs) to distinguish you from others.
3. Write the request: Include your full details and specify the data you’re requesting. Make sure to reference any specific dates if relevant.
4. Mention the deadline: Remind the organization that they have one month to respond to your request as required under the Data Protection Act 2018.
5. Reference the GDPR: Confirm that your SAR is free under the Data Protection Act 2018, ensuring they understand that there should be no charge.

Record and Copy Everything

To protect your rights, it’s essential to keep a record of your request and any correspondence with the organization. Sending your SAR via recorded delivery or email ensures you have proof of your request. Keeping copies of all materials exchanged will be important if you need to escalate the issue later or file a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).

Simplify the Process with Tools

Managing SARs can be time-consuming and complex. To make the process easier, we recommend using a tool that streamlines the task. The Tapmydata app is a free, secure, and easy-to-use platform for submitting SARs, and it ensures that your data remains private. Available on both Apple and Android, this tool allows you to submit requests without the hassle of paperwork, and without any collection or storage of your personal data.

By using the Tapmydata app, you can make your SARs faster and more efficiently, without worrying about losing control of your personal information.

In a world where personal data is increasingly valuable, decentralized solutions like Tapmydata offer individuals a straightforward way to manage and protect their data. Take control of your data and ensure your privacy rights are respected with minimal effort.

The post Right of Access: How to Make a Subject Access Request – A Guide for Decentralized Solutions appeared first on Tapmydata.

Andy: Ruben, what got you interested in data privacy?

Ruben: My journey into data privacy started with my work on open data, particularly in the medical sector. During that time, I realized that data could be used more effectively if machines were able to understand and analyze it. This led me to research at Stanford University, focusing on biomedical data. Around December 2016, significant events like the Brexit vote highlighted the growing concerns over data usage, and that’s when I began diving deeper into data privacy.

During my time in Silicon Valley, I saw firsthand the influence of Facebook and other tech giants. Facebook was already shaping how personal data was collected, used, and controlled. That experience made me realize the importance of taking control of personal data, which later became my mission.

Andy: How did your experience with Facebook shape your views on data ownership?

Ruben: Living near Facebook HQ during a pivotal time in tech history made me realize how little control users had over their own data. Facebook’s shift from human editors to algorithmic news feeds, as well as their eventual focus on combating fake news, were eye-opening moments. Facebook and other tech companies made it clear: they were not concerned with user autonomy over personal data.

When I decided to leave Facebook, it wasn’t just about deleting my account—it was about retrieving all the data they had on me, including the data they had collected that I never explicitly provided. Facebook’s data export tool only gives users access to data they’ve uploaded, not everything Facebook has gathered through tracking, analysis, and algorithms. I wanted to know exactly what data they held, including sensitive data like my geographical locations, spending habits, and behavioral patterns.

Andy: How did you approach getting your data from Facebook?

Ruben: The process is ongoing, and I haven’t received any of the data I requested yet. What I found is that Facebook has an internal GDPR department that is supposed to handle data requests, but their approach seems to be one of delay and confusion. They often misinterpret requests and provide vague responses. It’s clear that their strategy is to make it as difficult as possible for people to retrieve their data, hoping that users will give up.

This is where the need for decentralized data solutions becomes critical. If users had more control over their own data—stored in secure, decentralized vaults—they wouldn’t have to rely on tech giants like Facebook to grant them access. Instead of collecting data in centralized silos, we could leverage decentralized technologies to ensure that individuals own and control their data.

Andy: Why do you think companies like Facebook resist sharing user data?

Ruben: Facebook and similar companies are afraid of setting a precedent. If they release my data, others will start requesting theirs, and the floodgates will open. The current model of centralized data storage and control works in their favor. By making it difficult for users to retrieve their data, they prevent mass awareness of how much personal information is being collected and misused. But if decentralized solutions were more widely adopted, it could change the entire data ecosystem, allowing individuals to take back control.

Andy: How do you see decentralized technologies impacting data ownership?

Ruben: The future of data ownership lies in decentralized systems like Solid, where individuals store their data in personal vaults, known as “data pods.” These decentralized solutions ensure that you are the sole owner of your data. You decide what to share and with whom, while maintaining control over the structure of your data. The semantic web plays a key role in making this data interoperable across different platforms, which is essential for creating a seamless experience where users can maintain control without sacrificing convenience.

Andy: Do you think the public is ready for this level of control over their data?

Ruben: Empowerment is key. Not everyone may want to manage their own data, and that’s okay. But we need to give people the option. Right now, users are forced to surrender their data to centralized platforms like Facebook if they want to use their services. By shifting to decentralized solutions, individuals can control their data without the need to rely on these platforms. It’s about giving people the freedom to choose what data to share, when to share it, and with whom.

In conclusion, the decentralized web offers a promising solution to the ongoing challenges of data ownership and privacy. By putting data back into the hands of individuals, we can begin to shift the balance of power away from centralized corporations and create a more user-centric internet.

The post Data Ownership and Decentralized Solutions: Interview with Professor Ruben Verborgh (Part 1) appeared first on Tapmydata.