# Are Privacy Opt-Outs Useless?

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/this-week-in-privacy-6761897/are-privacy-opt-outs-useless
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/this-week-in-privacy-6761897/are-privacy-opt-outs-useless.md
Podcast: [This Week in Privacy](https://stenobird.com/podcast/this-week-in-privacy-6761897)
Published: 2026-04-18T01:21:40+00:00
Episode link: https://www.thisweekinprivacy.net/episodes/are-privacy-opt-outs-useless
Audio file: https://op3.dev/e/media.transistor.fm/220228fe/6921f321.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/this-week-in-privacy-6761897/episodes/are-privacy-opt-outs-useless
Duration seconds: 8156

## Resource

An independant privacy audit of Microsoft, Google and Meta has found that privacy opt outs didn’t have an effect, Cal.com has moved from open-source to closed-source, Netgear has been exempt from the FCC’s non-US made router ban, and more! Join us for This Week In Privacy #49. (00:00) - Intro (00:45) - Start of podcast (01:19) - Google, Microsoft, Meta All Tracking You Even When You Opt Out, According to an Independent Audit (18:05) - Sovereign Tech Agency funding (Mastodon) (32:45) - Cal.com is going closed source. Here's why. (39:26) - Discourse is Not Going Closed Source (52:21) - Site updates (58:16) - Republican Mutiny Sinks Trump's Push to Extend Warrantless Surveillance (01:13:50) - 'No more excuses': Von Der Leyen says EU age checking app is ready (01:26:40) - Gottheimer Announces Bipartisan "Parents Decide Act" to Protect Kids Online (01:40:50) - Forum updates (01:57:53) - Q&A (02:14:13) - Outro ★ Support this podcast ★

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## Transcript

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