Meta and Google both quietly rewrote their terms and conditions this year — and it's not just about ads anymore. Your data is now training the AI models themselves, and that's a much harder thing to undo. Eric and Vada break down what actually changed (with Microsoft's own privacy language as the tell), why "not used for ads" isn't the same as "not used at all," and how filter bubbles and echo chambers quietly shape what you see online.
Then the conversation turns to something you can actually do about it: California's new DROP platform (Delete Request and Opt-out Platform). One free, state-run request now reaches every data broker registered in California — over 600 of them — and as of August 1, 2026, brokers face real deadlines and real fines ($200/day) if they ignore it. Eric shares his own results five months into using it: 651 brokers notified, 26 deletions, 2 opt-outs, and hundreds still pending — an honest look at what this tool can (and can't) do for you.
Whether you're in California or just want to understand how your data fuels AI, this episode gives you the context and the concrete next step.
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A production of AnewVista Community Services, a digital skills-building workshop series.