Privacy
Should she pay more than he just did? Why a $3 pair of Walmart shoes has reignited consumer fears of surveillance pricing
A $3 pair of children's shoes from Walmart has sparked viral outrage, thrusting the shadowy practice of AI-driven surveillance pricing – where retailers use hidden personal data to charge different customers different amounts – into the spotlight.
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Renting a smart apartment? Your landlord may have access to your cameras and locks
In the analog days, arriving at a holiday rental property used to involve awkwardly coordinating key handovers and hoping that the host would answer their phone. All that changed when the digital transformation of everything paved the way for Airbnb and smart home technology.
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California sues 23andMe over genetic data breach affecting 6.9 million users
California is suing 23andMe over the DNA testing company’s 2023 data breach, accusing it of ignoring warnings and exposing sensitive genetic information tied to nearly 7 million Americans.
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Netherlands blocks US firm Kyndryl from buying national ID system provider
The Netherlands has blocked US IT giant Kyndryl from acquiring Solvinity, which hosts the DigiD national ID system and serves 16 million Dutch citizens. The decision comes after a security investigation warned the deal could put people’s personal data at risk of falling into US hands.
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California considers exempting open-source systems like Linux from age verification requirements
While multiple jurisdictions have begun pushing for stricter, controversial age-verification rules for online users, California lawmakers are considering possible exemptions.
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British doctors say social media is as dangerous to children as smoking
Social media ranks alongside smoking as a danger to children, senior British doctors said on Tuesday, as they urged lawmakers to tackle the harm that they say excessive screen time is causing to young people.
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Austria orders broadcaster to make “reject’ as prominent as “accept” on cookie banners
The Federal Administrative Court ruled that the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation (ORF) must revise the cookie banner on its website.
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British police support mandatory age verification on social media: “The longer we wait, the more children we fail”
The National Crime Agency (NCA) and the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) feel that social media platforms should have stricter access rules to protect under-16s from harmful content and online predators.
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Bodycam footage exposes ICE’s use of facial recognition in violent Oregon farm worker arrest
Newly released body camera footage left the internet in shock after videos revealed how US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) used facial recognition tech during a violent arrest of farm workers in Oregon. Smashing windows, breaking phones, and detaining seven people based on inaccurate AI matches were later ruled unlawful by a judge.
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Texas sues Meta, WhatsApp for falsely claiming messages are encrypted while allegedly accessing private communications
The Texas Attorney General’s Office on Thursday sued WhatsApp and its parent company Meta Platforms Inc alleging they misled consumers about the strength and scope of WhatsApp's encryption measures, which a Meta spokesman denied.
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Disney hit with $5M lawsuit over facial recognition scans at Disneyland
A visitor to Disneyland is suing the theme park for $5 million for failing to properly inform him of the use of facial recognition technology.
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Discord makes voice and video calls more private by default, but what about text messages?
Starting today, end-to-end encryption is now standard for every voice and video call on Discord, except for so-called stage channels. No opt-in is required.
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Mozilla’s latest update lets you choose your VPN location and turn off AI features on mobile
Firefox is adding location selection to its built-in VPN and is offering more controls over AI features on mobile. Firefox 151 also adds a one-click button to instantly clear all private browsing data.
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Microsoft promises to keep saved passwords out of Edge browser until needed
Microsoft Edge will no longer load saved passwords into its memory as soon as the web browser is launched.
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VPN restrictions and age verification could harm the open web, Mozilla warns
Mozilla has expressed concerns about the UK government’s plans to introduce mandatory age verification for VPN providers.
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Tech companies control your digital legacy – even after death
Tech companies now control your digital legacy after death, leaving families locked out of emails, photos, and financial accounts despite probate law. Access depends on platform rules, not inheritance.
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California hits General Motors with $12.75M privacy settlement over driver data
Car manufacturer General Motors (GM) has settled a case in the United States over the illegal collection and sale of driving behavior and location data from hundreds of thousands of motorists for $12.75 million.
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Israeli spy firms double down on new data methods to uncover Starlink users
Cyber intelligence firms linked to Israel have reportedly developed systems capable of locating and identifying Starlink users without breaching the Elon Musk-owned satellite network, according to reports.
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Meta and Google paid Sesame Street and Girl Scouts to teach 6-year-olds to "put smartphones to bed"
Meta and Google enlisted trusted children's brands such as Sesame Street, Girl Scouts and Highlights magazine to teach kids to use technology in moderation - even as the companies designed apps that made it difficult for those same young users to unplug, public statements and internal documents show.
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UK to relaunch digital ID scheme, King’s Speech confirms
The UK government will relaunch its controversial digital ID program as a voluntary scheme, according to the King’s Speech delivered by King Charles III at the State Opening of Parliament on Wednesday.
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