Posted on 07/13/2023 1:07:44 AM PDT by Libloather
Three of America's largest tax preparation companies have been accused of sharing tens of millions of taxpayers' sensitive financial data with tech giants Google and Meta without their consent.
A seven-month congressional probe, led by Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren, alleges H&R Block, TaxAct and TaxSlayer used visitor tracking technology embedded in websites to share the information.
In a potential violation of federal law, the investigation found data was in some cases misused by Facebook parent company Meta for targeted advertising.
According to the report, alongside sharing data such as addresses and phone numbers, companies also shared details about taxpayers' filing status, income, approximate refund amount, and names of dependents.
They even allegedly shared information about which buttons and text fields customers clicked on when filling out a tax form - which could reveal which tax breaks they may have claimed or if they are using any government programs.
'On a scale from one to 10, this is a 15,' David Vladeck, former consumer protection chief at the Federal Trade Commission, told CNN of the alleged data breach.
'This is a five-alarm fire, if what we know about this so far is true,' Vladeck, who is now a law professor at Georgetown University, added.
Tax preparation companies help people file their federal and state taxes online through their websites.
The bombshell report, released on July 11, said webpage titles in online tax software was allegedly being collected and shared using a tracking technology known as a tracking pixel.
An aide to Senator Warren told CNN that this information can reveal what forms taxpayers have accessed.
During the probe, Meta told investigators it used the taxpayer data it received for targeted third-party adverts and to train its artificial intelligence algorithms.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
Just an open question....when have you ever been targeted while browsing and actually hopped in to buy something?
For the past ten years....there’s not a single instance that I clicked on something that popped up. I usually already had an idea in my mind (like buying a dryer, or a weekend stay at some hotel).
Are there really that many impulsive buyers out there?
In this instance Elizabeth Warren is doing good work. Tax preparation software companies should not be selling customer tax data and personal information to big social media companies for any reason.
Where are Republicans on this issue?
What a relief! I’ve used Turbotax for 27 years! Uh, wait. That will probably be on the list next week.
“ What a relief! I’ve used Turbotax for 27 years…”
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I felt the same sense of relief when I didn’t find TurboTax in the article.
Great news. Looks like I’ll be calling taxact next week.
WOW...my telepathic deep state neurological mind hack woke me up at 2.30AM and directed me to the Daily Mail article on H@R Block.
I agree, but if you look closely at their terms and conditions I would venture to guess that one of them gives the company the right to share your data with third parties.
I ended a 10 year relationship with Tax Act.
And I recently switched from Tax-Act to Turbotax because of issues with the bank Tax-Act uses to handle your refund.
Never used tax software, but got suspicious when I tested a version and they demanded my SS Number to print out a draft. Not a very good security ‘feature’ as I know my SS Number, and so I don’t need it on my drafts or copies, only the version that I eventually submit...but I guess we now know why they needed it.
I’ll stick to snail mail.
If so, why is she doing it.
"A truth that's told with bad intent is, Beats all the lies you can invent." William Blake
I'd keep that quote in mind
The RATS make the problem and campaign on fixing it. They never do good works. Don’t let this fraud of a woman fool you.
This was a disgusting betrayal
Been using HR Block for 20 years and most of it via their website/app. Guess I won’t be starting next year.
I’m with you in that thought. Now I can send the summer considering which of the many, many class action suits I should join.
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