The rise of online banks and how Facebook and Google trick consumers into giving up privacy

Happy Thursday, MarketWatchers! Hope you are having a wonderful week. Don’t forget to check out today’s top personal finance stories.

Thursday’s top personal finance stories

Facebook, Google privacy settings trick consumers into giving up data, consumer groups allege

More than 30 groups took action against the tech giants on Wednesday.

What’s behind AT&T’s $800 million ‘administrative fee’ increase?

The company has quietly doubled a fee that it charges customers over the past year.

This is why you’re getting all those emails about your online privacy

Privacy experts say the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation is ‘the beginning of a new era.’

Harvard University is fighting to keep its secretive admissions process under wraps

The school says releasing the information could put it at a competitive disadvantage.

Hiring a nanny for summer child care? Don’t forget a W-2 form

It only takes a few months of employment to trigger the ’nanny tax.’

My ex-wife stopped payments on our home and racked up credit-card debt in my name

This man says his credit score was damaged by his former partner’s shenanigans.

Do more people want online-only banks? Chase thinks so

The bank is rolling out a new online checking account nationwide.

You can avoid—or fix—these 20 common money mistakes

Whether you’re saving, investing, or paying off debt, these common pitfalls can cost you big.

5 smart ways to handle a financial windfall

Your financial outlook is drastically improved, but sudden wealth can also leave you stressed and confused.

Foxconn factory in Wisconsin expected to bring 13,000 jobs — and environmental concerns

President Trump will visit Foxconn on Thursday. The factory is another example of smartphone’s toll on the environment.

Elsewhere on MarketWatch

We’re probably at peak housing. Here’s what that means.

It’s 10 years after the housing crisis, and economists think the housing market is likely running out of steam. Sales will probably start to flatline soon, and prices may start rising at a slower pace.

Anthony Kennedy’s Supreme Court legacy: Support for both flag-burners and Citizens United

In the culture wars, “sometimes we must make decisions we do not like,” Kennedy wrote.

Mortgage rates slump as trade fears weigh on a housing market that’s running dry

Rates for home loans clocked their fourth decline in the last five weeks as trade war concerns pushed bond yields lower and the supply dynamic held back a stronger pace of sales in the housing market.

Why stocks still look cheaper than bonds, in one chart

The recent losses and volatility in the U.S. stock market likely has some investors wondering they should swap their exposure to equities in favor of bonds, but by one metric, such a move could be premature.