Arjun Mehta
Articles (20)
Your car is now a data broker — what to do about it
California's record GM privacy settlement made it official: modern cars are quietly selling your driving data. Here's what they collect, who buys it, and how to push back.
Your smart TV is fingerprinting your screen — including your games
Through ACR, many smart TVs fingerprint everything on screen — including your game console — to build an ad profile. Here's what it collects and how to switch it off.
Canvas fingerprinting: how a hidden drawing identifies you
A website can ask your browser to draw an image you never see — and the result is distinctive enough to track you.
Browser fingerprinting vs hardware fingerprinting
Same word, two layers. One is about what your browser tells websites; the other about what your machine tells software.
Kernel anti-cheat and privacy: the real debate
Kernel-level anti-cheat runs with full system access. What that means for privacy and security, beyond the hype.
Why fingerprinting replaced cookies
As browsers kill third-party cookies, tracking shifted to fingerprinting. Why the new method is harder to escape.
What incognito mode does and doesn't hide
Private browsing is widely misunderstood. What it actually protects, what it doesn't, and why fingerprinting ignores it.
How to reduce your browser fingerprint
You cannot delete a browser fingerprint, but you can make yours less unique. Practical steps that actually help.
How fake-account farms get caught
Bot and fake-account farms create accounts by the thousand. Fingerprinting is a big part of how they get found.
Device fingerprinting beyond games: fraud prevention
Banks and online stores fingerprint devices too — not to ban cheaters, but to catch fraud and account takeover.
Anti-cheat and mods: an awkward relationship
Mods extend the games we love; anti-cheat exists to stop unauthorised changes. The two are often in tension.
Privacy law and device fingerprinting
Fingerprinting is not a loophole around cookie rules. How privacy law treats it, and why regulators say so.
What is telemetry, and should you worry about it?
Your operating system and apps send back usage data. What telemetry is, what it is for, and where the line sits.
What data do games collect about you?
Modern games gather more than your score. A clear, non-alarmist look at what is collected and why.
Using email aliases to protect your accounts
One email everywhere is a single point of failure. Aliases give each account its own address — and real advantages.
Do you really own your digital games?
You bought the game, but did you buy ownership? Digital games are licensed, and that distinction has real consequences.
Biometric login and your privacy
Your fingerprint and face unlock your devices. Where that biometric data actually goes is the part worth understanding.
How voice chat moderation works in games
In-game voice chat is increasingly moderated. How games handle it, and the privacy trade-off behind it.
Protecting your privacy while streaming
A live stream broadcasts more than your gameplay. The small leaks that matter, and how to close them.
Privacy and fingerprinting: how websites track your hardware
How websites track your hardware even without cookies — and what you can do about it.