Tag: privacy
468 articles
UK Watchdog Secures AI Firms' Data Protection Pledges
The UK's data watchdog has secured pledges from AI firms to prioritize data protection, reassuring people that their personal info will be safeguarded as AI innovation continues to advance. This move aims to build trust, with the watchdog ensuring companies meet four key tests to guarantee responsible data use.
Apple Unveils Image Verification System to Protect Photo Integrity
Apple's new Reference Image system verifies that an image is genuine and exactly as taken by an iPhone, without revealing the photographer's identity or linking the image to a specific device. This innovative tool protects both the image and the photographer's anonymity, giving creatives peace of mind.
Anthropic Seeks Voice Data for AI Model Training
Anthropic wants to supercharge its AI models with real-life voice conversations - and it's turning to you, its Claude users, for help. By sharing your voice chats, you'll be helping the company create smarter, more responsive AI that can understand and react to speech like a real person.
Securing the Individual Takes Center Stage in National Resilience Efforts
We pour billions into safeguarding networks, only to send our most critical personnel home, vulnerable and exposed. The everyday devices we rely on - from cars to smartwatches - are creating a detailed blueprint of our lives, putting sensitive information and national security at risk.
Hackers Reverse-Engineer Flock Cameras, Expose Surveillance Capabilities
In a fascinating hack, experts got their hands on a Flock camera and uncovered a treasure trove of data, including over a million images captured over several weeks, revealing the surprising extent of its surveillance capabilities. The recovered data showed that the camera's software can detect not just license plates, but also people, vehicles, and bicycles.
Google Fined €403m for GDPR Breach on Location Data Handling
The Irish Data Protection Commission has fined Google a whopping €403m for mishandling users' location data, violating the EU's strict General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) rules. This hefty penalty comes after a two-year investigation into how Google handled location information from 2018 to 2020.
Apple Watch Enables Secret Conversation Snippets
The latest Apple Watch feature, Live Rewind, can secretly record and transcribe 15 seconds of nearby conversations, sparking concerns in 11 US states where all-party consent is required for recordings. This new capability, part of Apple's Audio Intelligence package, is easily activated with a double-press of the Digital Crown.
Microsoft Unveils Age-Awareness APIs to Enhance Youth Protection in Windows Apps
Microsoft's new Age-Awareness APIs help keep young users safe in Windows apps by providing age ranges without revealing sensitive info like birthdays. This clever tech shares just the right amount of info, so apps know if you're a kid, teen, or adult, without exposing your personal details.
Wyden Presses NSA on Commercial VPN Security Risks
Senator Ron Wyden is raising a red flag about the security risks of commercial VPNs, warning that they may not be as protective as users think against sophisticated online threats. He's pressing the NSA for clearer guidance on the potential dangers of relying on standard consumer VPNs for online security.
Brave Browser Introduces Email Aliases to Block Tracking
Protect your inbox from data breaches and tracking with Brave's new Email Aliases feature, which lets you generate disposable email addresses to keep your real inbox private. This game-changing update in Brave browser 1.94 helps prevent your personal info from being leaked or sold to data brokers.
Glassbox Exposes Browser Fingerprinting Tricks
Meet Glassbox, a tool that shines a light on browser fingerprinting tricks, allowing you to see how easily trackers can single out your browser and device from the crowd. By mirroring live fingerprinting, Glassbox gives you a glimpse into the raw data that can be used to identify you online.
Police Conceal Use of Flock Surveillance Cameras
In Wapello County, Iowa, police are instructed to keep their use of Flock surveillance cameras under wraps, with a usage policy explicitly telling officers not to mention the technology to vehicle occupants or in official reports unless absolutely necessary. This secretive approach raises questions about transparency and accountability.
Flock Faces Backlash as Calls to Vandalize ALPRs Intensify
A wave of online fervor is urging people to take a stand against Flock's automated license plate readers (ALPRs), with over 36,500 social posts on X alone calling for a coordinated effort to disable the cameras. The movement, dubbed "De-Flock America," has sparked a trending campaign that's putting the company and its surveillance network under intense scrutiny.
UK Watchdog Warns Police on Facial Recognition Data Governance
The UK's Information Commissioner's Office warns that police use of facial recognition technology poses significant risks to privacy and individual rights if not governed properly. A recent audit of five police forces revealed inconsistent compliance with data protection laws, highlighting an urgent need for improved data governance.
WebKit Flaws Compromise Apple iCloud Private Relay
Researchers have discovered a sneaky way for hackers to bypass iCloud Private Relay's protections and expose your real network address, putting your online privacy at risk. This vulnerability lets malicious actors send traffic directly from your device, revealing your hidden IP address.
Senate Targets Online Safety with Sweeping Bills on AI, Privacy
As social media giants face mounting criticism nationwide, a coalition of nearly 100 organizations is urging lawmakers to take bold action, arguing that current laws aren't doing enough to protect users' wellbeing. The Senate Commerce Committee is now taking a major step forward with a package of five bills aimed at overhauling online safety, privacy, and AI regulations.
MSG Facial Recognition System Flags Activists, Spares Celebrities
The MSG facial recognition system is a stark example of a disturbing double standard, where activists are flagged and scrutinized, while celebrities and wealthy elites are spared, fueling concerns about a surveillance state that's increasingly out of touch with the rights of ordinary people. This biased approach perpetuates a worrying future where the privileged enjoy privacy, and the rest are left vulnerable to corporate monitoring.
DEF CON Targets Wearable Recording Devices with New Ban Policy
DEF CON is cracking down on sneaky surveillance tech, announcing a ban on wearable recording devices like smart glasses at its upcoming conference in Las Vegas. Pack your non-recording specs, attendees - no exceptions will be made, even for prescription lenses.
EU Parliament Paves Way for Chat Control Reintroduction
The EU Parliament's move to revive Chat Control, despite opposition from most MEPs, has sparked concerns about democracy and mass surveillance. This development has left many questioning the integrity of the process.
FCC Proposes Sweeping Phone Data Collection to Curb Burner Phones
The FCC is taking aim at burner phones with a new proposal that would require telecom carriers to collect and store personal info on virtually all customers, effectively ending anonymity for prepaid phone users. If implemented, this rule would revolutionize how phone plans are obtained and used across the country.
Meta Expands Data Use for AI Personalization and Feed Content
Meta is expanding its use of data from other businesses to not only show you more relevant ads, but also to personalize your Feed and interactions with its AI chatbot. You'll still have control over your data, and Meta is working to make those controls easier to manage.
Signal Warns UK Plan to Scan Devices for Nude Images Threatens Global Surveillance
Signal is sounding the alarm on the UK's plan to scan devices for nude images, warning that it threatens global surveillance and undermines the trust that underpins private communications. The encrypted messaging platform is urging caution, saying the proposed mechanism is not only ineffective in keeping children safe, but also dangerously dystopian.
Meta Reverses Instagram Encryption Stance
Meta has backtracked on its plan to introduce end-to-end encryption for Instagram messages, leaving direct messages stored and transmitted in plaintext, giving the company access to user conversations. This move reverses years of promotion for enhanced messaging security.
UK Age-Gating Plans Threaten Internet Openness, Privacy Groups Warn
Privacy groups, including EFF and Mozilla, are warning that UK age-gating plans could threaten the openness and freedom of the internet, stifling opportunities for individuals, businesses, and society as a whole. The proposed measures have sparked a joint public pushback from leading advocates for civil liberties and online rights.