Privacy
How I tracked down my online friend – with only open-source clues
Seems like we’ve got used to treating online anonymity as a guaranteed safe harbor. We share secrets, opinions, and photos,...
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Privacy on steroids: Phone automatically changes its identifier every 24 hours to prevent tracking
Cape, the privacy-focused mobile carrier, has opened its IMSI rotation feature to all subscribers starting Wednesday. Now, every 24 hours, phones will automatically change the hidden identifier that networks have long used to track them.
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TikTok and Grindr face complaint over sensitive data sharing
A privacy advocacy group, noyb, filed complaints to Austria's data protection authority on Wednesday against TikTok, Grindr and AppsFlyer, alleging these companies breached regional privacy laws, risking exposure of sensitive data.
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Texas is suing five major TV companies for spying on its users
Texas State Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a lawsuit against five major smart TV manufacturers for illegally processing what consumers watch in their own homes.
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Dutch DPA warns users: TikTok continues to send personal data to China
The Dutch data protection authority (DPA) is warning TikTok users in the Netherlands that TikTok will continue to send user data to China. In doing so, the social media platform is defying a joint decision by European privacy regulators, who have determined that the transfer of this information is unlawful.
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Reddit begins legal battle with Australia over social media age law
Message board website Reddit on Friday filed a lawsuit in Australia's highest court seeking to overturn the country's social media ban for children, calling it an intrusion on free political discourse and setting the stage for a protracted legal battle.
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US Army gynecologist accused of filming 44+ patients, storing 500GB sensitive data
A US Army gynecologist at Fort Hood, Texas, has been criminally charged for secretly recording 44 patients during routine medical exams and hoarding more than half of 1TB worth of victim data – exposing a slew of privacy violations and tech vulnerabilities across multiple military medical facilities.
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FTC upholds ban on stalkerware company CEO Scott Zuckerman
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has been strict in its ruling and refused to nullify a ban imposed on Scott Zuckerman, the founder and CEO of a spyware company, several years ago.
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Australia to social media companies: be aware of substantial fines
Starting December 10th, Australia’s social minimum age restriction rules will go into effect. Companies that haven’t taken reasonable steps to ban children under the age of 16 from having social media accounts will be subject to hefty fines.
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No tracking, no Google: Jolla’s new Linux phone promises true privacy for Europeans
A new Linux phone, the Jolla Phone, supports Android apps, features a dedicated physical privacy switch, and promises no tracking, no calling home, and no hidden analytics, all for a price tag of €549 ($639). The initial batch was sold out in hours, and the project is now fully funded.
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UK launches Proactive Notifications Service to warn businesses of security vulnerabilities
The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), the United Kingdom’s cybersecurity agency, has announced its Proactive Notifications Service, a new initiative to alert businesses and organizations about vulnerable systems.
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Facial recognition too dangerous for deployment by the police, EFF argues
The Edmonton Police Department is collaborating with Axon Enterprise to explore the integration of facial recognition technology into body-worn cameras. According to the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), that’s a terrible idea.
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Woman’s sex-ad nightmare triggers landmark CJEU ruling
The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), Europe’s top court, has ruled that online marketplaces are considered data controllers under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), even if an ad is placed by a user.
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Avast busted: FTC orders $15.3M payout over privacy violations
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is handing out $15.3 million to more than 100,000 consumers affected by deceptively marketed antivirus software from Avast.
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Your gut waste may be used to train AI
AI may be just as interested in learning about your gut health as you are.
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India mandates non-removable cyber security app on all new phones, Apple likely to push back
India's telecoms ministry has privately asked smartphone makers to preload all new devices with a state-owned cyber security app that cannot be deleted, a government order showed, a move likely to antagonise Apple and privacy advocates.
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Russia threatens blocking WhatsApp amid intensifying censorship clash
Roskomnadzor, Russia’s media regulator, is threatening to impose new restrictions on WhatsApp for supposedly failing to comply with new requirements.
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France slaps €750,000 fine on Vanity Fair magazine for placing cookies without consent
The French data protection authority, CNIL, imposed a €750,000 ($869,000) fine on the publisher of Vanity Fair magazine in the country for placing cookies on user devices without proper consent.
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EU Member States agree to law that allows voluntary scanning of content
Representatives of the EU member states have reached an agreement on a law that is designed to protect children from online abuse.
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(Not) Secret Agendas: who is behind recent social media bans and age verification laws
Something is happening with our privacy on the internet – namely, it seems to be disappearing, fading away into the...
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