The popular crime-reporting app Citizen, designed to keep you safe by sending alerts about “public safety,” is again under fire after releasing the private home address of Grammy-award-winning pop star Billie Eilish.
CLICK TO GET KURT’S CYBERGUY NEWSLETTER WITH QUICK TIPS, TECH REVIEWS, SECURITY ALERTS AND EASY HOW-TO’S TO MAKE YOU SMARTER
This is not the first time the app has been criticized for major mistakes, and people are beginning to worry about whether the app is safe.
Billie Eilish’s home addressed was released on the Citizen app.
(@billieeilish)
Eilish’s Los Angeles residence was broken into on Jan. 5. Shortly after the incident, the Citizen app notified users of a burglary in the Highland Park area as a safety precaution for those nearby.
HOW TO UNLOCK AN ANDROID DEVICE AND WINDOWS PC WHEN THE OWNER DIES
However, the message was then updated at 9:41 p.m., stating that the home belonged to the famous singer and posted the exact address. The app did remove the exact address the following morning and replaced it with a nearby cross street.
According to the stats posted to the Citizen app, the news reached up to 178,000 people, and at least 78,000 people viewed it. However, the person responsible for the burglary was caught and arrested by the LAPD that same night.
The Citizen app needs access to a user’s location data to function properly and notifies them when a crime is committed nearby. They have a lengthy privacy policy on their website.
NEW WIRELESS 55-INCH TV RUNS ON BATTERIES FOR A MONTH, STICKS TO WALL WITHOUT MOUNTING HARDWARE
They explain that they only use your geolocation data to “send you safety notifications for incidents reported near you, share your locations with friends you are connected to on the platform, and provide and improve our services.”
However, this is only supposed to apply to users on the app, not victims involved with reported crimes. So, it needs to be clarified why or how Eilish’s address was made public. Although it is common for celebrity addresses to be searchable on the internet, it hasn’t been pushed on a popular app to thousands of people before.
SMALLER VS. LARGER TABLETS: IS BIGGER BETTER?
Eilish’s home is blurred on Google Maps, suggesting she does want to maintain some semblance of privacy.
Read on to learn how to stay safe on the Citizen app.
We understand why people would want to keep using Citizen because it does have some very helpful features (get it here: iOS | Android). The whole point of the app is to warn people of dangerous situations happening around them while also urging people not to get themselves involved and allow law enforcement to do their job. With that said, here are some ways you can keep yourself safe on the Citizen app:
Under ALLOW CITIZEN TO ACCESS select Location
Toggle off the Precise Location option.
Under ALLOW CITIZEN TO ACCESS select Location
Select While Using the App.
What do you think of the Citizen app, and what has your experience been like using it? We’d love to hear from you.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
For more of my Security tips, head over to CyberGuy.com and be sure to subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by clicking the “Free newsletter” link at the top of my website.
Copyright 2023 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved. CyberGuy.com articles and content may contain affiliate links that earn a commission when purchases are made.
Over a year ago, National Public Data (NPD) made headlines for one of the largest…
What if stopping life-threatening bleeding could be as simple as injecting a gel? That's the…
Home Wi-Fi networks are the backbone of how most people get online, connecting laptops, phones,…
The Navy, working with Skydweller Aero, just reached a major milestone in clean-energy aviation. Its…
Downsizing should feel like a fresh start. A smaller home, less upkeep, maybe even a…
One of the biggest hurdles in developing humanoid robots is the sheer amount of training…