High-Profile Venmo Accounts and Privacy Risks in Politics
The rise of digital payment platforms like Venmo has transformed how individuals manage transactions. However, recent discoveries indicate that some high-profile users, including political figures, may inadvertently expose sensitive information through their account settings.
Notable Users and Privacy Oversights
Investigations have revealed that several politicians, including U.S. Representative Dan Crenshaw from Texas and a former mayor of Deltona, Florida, have accounts on Venmo that could potentially expose their connections and relationships. This issue extends to various influential individuals, including Christian Brose, the president of Anduril, a defense technology firm. Notably, Crenshaw’s office and Anduril did not respond to inquiries regarding these findings.
One particularly significant account reportedly belongs to Michael Waltz, a close advisor to former President Donald Trump. The 182 accounts associated with Waltz’s friend list include several prominent political figures, such as Pam Bondi, a former U.S. Attorney General, and Hope Hicks, who served as the White House communications director during Trump’s administration.
Privacy Settings and Public Exposure
Although Venmo transactions linked to accounts like those of Waltz, Wiles, or Barrett were not publicly accessible, their friend lists remained visible to the public. It appears that these individuals had not opted to hide their contact lists, leading to privacy risks. Following communication from WIRED, both Waltz and Wiles swiftly adjusted their privacy settings to make their friend lists private.
Erin Mackey, a spokesperson for Venmo, emphasized the platform’s commitment to user privacy, stating, “We take our customers’ privacy seriously, which is why we let customers choose their privacy settings on Venmo for both their individual payments and friends lists—and we make it incredibly simple for customers to make these private if they choose to do so.” This statement mirrors a previous communication made by Venmo regarding other public figures, including now-Vice President JD Vance, who faced similar scrutiny due to his own visible account.
Historical Context and Design Flaws
The current issues surrounding Venmo user privacy stem from its design. When the app was introduced in 2017, it prompted users to sync their phone contacts, automatically generating a list of friends from existing contacts. Critics, including privacy advocates from the Electronic Frontier Foundation, have voiced concerns about this default setting, arguing that it unnecessarily exposes users’ connections, which could lead to security vulnerabilities.
In 2021, following reports where then-President Joe Biden was easily discoverable on the app, Venmo eventually introduced an option for users to hide their friend lists; however, activating this feature is still not automatic.
Potential Risks of Public Networks
The connections visible on public Venmo accounts are not limited to high-profile figures and can include ordinary individuals such as medical professionals, real estate agents, and other everyday contacts. Experts warn that these “soft targets” can be vulnerable to exploitation as they may possess information that can be utilized against more prominent individuals, such as revealing concerns regarding health or other personal matters.
In summary, while Venmo offers convenience, the potential for risk due to exposed social networks—especially among public figures—cannot be overlooked. As users navigate the complexities of digital payment systems, being proactive about privacy settings is essential.