Consumer Rights

Chrome Is Secretly Installing a 4GB AI Model on Your PC – Here’s How to Remove It Recent reports have revealed that Google Chrome has been silently downloading a 4 GB AI model onto users’ computers—and, in some cases, automatically restoring it even after deletion. The move also came with a quiet change to Chrome’s privacy policy, removing earlier language that suggested it would not do this without explicit consent. If you value control over your device’s storage and background behavior, here’s what happened, why it matters, and how to take back control. ...

Privacy Groups Warn: HUD’s AI Tool Could Expose Your Sensitive Data – What to Know If you receive housing assistance from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), an experimental AI system could soon analyze your personal information – without clear privacy safeguards. That’s why two leading digital rights organizations, the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) and the Center for Democracy & Technology (CDT), are urging HUD to abandon the tool before it goes live. ...

Why Your Privacy Can’t Keep Up With AI — and What to Do About It A new global survey from TrustArc, published today, has confirmed what many privacy watchers have suspected for a while: the companies rolling out AI tools are not keeping up with the privacy protections consumers expect. The report, covering thousands of organizations worldwide, finds that privacy capabilities are struggling to match the speed of AI adoption. For the average person, that gap means your personal data may be more exposed than you realize. ...

Why Data Privacy Is Shoppers’ #1 AI Fear—And How to Protect Yourself If you’ve used an AI shopping assistant lately—a chatbot that recommends products, a tool that compares prices across stores, or a virtual try-on feature—you’ve likely noticed how convenient it can be. But a new survey from eMarketer shows that convenience comes with a growing worry: data privacy. ...

What Scammers Don’t Want You to Know: Timeless Safety Lessons from Consumer Protection Week Every year, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) dedicates a week to arming the public against fraud. National Consumer Protection Week (NCPW) for 2026 is no different, serving as a focused reminder that while technology and tactics change, the principles of self-defense remain constant. It’s a call to action, not for a single week, but for building lasting habits that protect your money and your identity. ...