December 7, 2023 at 06:06AM U.S. Senator Ron Wyden revealed that governments have demanded mobile push notification data from Apple and Google. Such notifications pass through Apple and Google’s systems, potentially exposing app usage. Apple and Google confirmed receipt of requests but lacked transparency. Wyden urged them to disclose aggregate request statistics and inform affected … Read more
December 6, 2023 at 02:59PM U.S. Senator Ron Wyden disclosed that governments worldwide request mobile push notifications from Apple and Google to surveil users. Wyden urged the DOJ to allow tech companies transparency regarding these demands. Both companies have voiced support for informing users about such government data requests in their transparency reports. Meeting Takeaways: … Read more
December 5, 2023 at 05:27AM Ofcom proposes age verification methods like credit card checks and facial recognition to protect children online under the UK’s Online Safety Act. Privacy activists are concerned, while service providers face challenges balancing these checks with privacy laws. Final guidance is expected by early 2025. Key Takeaways from Meeting Notes on … Read more
December 4, 2023 at 04:13PM 23andMe reported a data breach affecting 0.1% of users, resulting from a credential-stuffing attack. Compromised data included personal genetic information. The company has since increased security measures and faces class action lawsuits, expecting to spend $1-2 million due to the breach. Security experts emphasize the need for robust cybersecurity. Clear … Read more
December 1, 2023 at 06:10PM Interpol’s new “Biometric Hub,” collating fingerprint and facial data, aided in capturing a wanted smuggler in Bosnia. While promising improved security, its centralized data poses risks of cyberattacks and privacy breaches, with concerns about the system’s vulnerability to hacking and data leaks highlighted by security experts. Meeting Takeaways: 1. Interpol’s … Read more
December 1, 2023 at 09:07AM Researchers demonstrated that by repeating specific words, ChatGPT can inadvertently reveal snippets of its training data, including personal and sensitive information. This vulnerability was revealed through certain trigger words, which when used repeatedly, caused the chatbot to output previously memorized data. The findings raise significant privacy concerns for AI models … Read more
November 28, 2023 at 03:35PM Plex’s new “Discover Together” feature, which shares users’ viewing activity with friends and sends weekly email updates, has raised privacy concerns among some users. Many feel that this violates their trust and privacy, especially since Plex is considered more private than other streaming services. While Plex claims the feature is … Read more
November 8, 2023 at 03:31AM Lawmakers in Europe are set to approve digital identity rules known as eIDAS 2.0, which civil society groups argue will make the internet less secure and increase the risk of online surveillance. One of the requirements of the legislation is that browser makers must trust government-approved Certificate Authorities (CAs) and … Read more
October 31, 2023 at 08:37AM UK Minister of State for Crime, Policing, and Fire, Chris Philp MP, has called for doubling the use of algorithmic-assisted facial recognition by police forces. He believes that both live and retrospective facial recognition should be increased, and that searching the whole Police National Database image set will maximize the … Read more
October 22, 2023 at 06:06PM Google is proposing a new “IP Protection” feature for the Chrome browser to enhance users’ privacy by masking their IP addresses. The feature will route third-party traffic through proxies, making the IP addresses invisible to those domains. Initially, it will be an opt-in feature, allowing users to control their privacy. … Read more