Do you feel like you’re no longer in control of your personal data? If so, you’re not alone. Many others have that same suspicion and for good reason. There are plenty of ways your personal information can be compromised these days, many of which are legal, if not always ethical.
Don’t Take Things for Granted
Consumers expect that their personal data will be used for the intent for which it was given by the companies they gave it to unless otherwise stated in the company’s terms and conditions or privacy policy. But most people don’t read those documents before agreeing to the arrangement. They just click through the screens to get signed in, handle their transaction, and cross the task off their to-do list.
This begs the question: What happens when they discover that a company that handles sensitive financial data — like a tax software preparation company — has transmitted their personal information to a third party?
Tax Software Companies Aren’t Always Trustworthy
Users of several tax preparation software applications, including H&R Block, TaxAct, and TaxSlayer, find themselves in this situation. These three companies have been accused of quietly collecting and sending client information to Google and Facebook (Meta) when taxpayers file their tax returns electronically, according to a July 2023 Congressional report.
This shared data is supposedly anonymous, but data experts believe that by stringing certain characters together, it’s possible to determine the users’ identities. In some cases, the data includes income, filing status, tax refund amounts, dependents’ names, and approximate federal taxes owed, according to an article on TechRadar.com.
Facebook receives this information through tracking pixels. According to Facebook’s website, the Meta Pixel is a piece of code that businesses can put on their websites to collect information about the actions taken on the website. The collected data is then transmitted to Facebook to be used in targeted advertising. Google collects information similarly through Google Analytics, which many companies use to track traffic to their website and monitor their ranking in Google search results.
Needless to say, this practice of collecting and sending taxpayer data to third parties is both unethical and illegal. Legislation states that “a tax return preparer may not disclose or use a taxpayer’s tax return information prior to obtaining a written consent from the taxpayer.” Failure to comply may result in fines of up to $1,000 and a one-year prison sentence for each case.
What Can You Do?
If you must file your taxes online, use an anonymous browser. A quick Google search (ironic, yes) will bring up several free ones. All you have to do is download the browser and install it on your laptop. Once complete, you can safely take care of business without the fear of being tracked or having your information sent elsewhere. Remember to change your browser settings on your computer so that the new browser is the default.
Another benefit of using an anonymous browser is that it gets rid of all the junk ads that typically pop up during web searches.
Here’s An Even Better Option: Adams Accounting Solutions
Even better than an anonymous browser are the tax professionals at Adams Accounting Solutions. We take your privacy seriously. We don’t use tracking pixels on our website, nor do we ever share our clients’ information with anyone else.
If you want a safe and secure tax-filing experience, give us a call. We’ll never sell you out. Your financial data is safe with us!
