Privacy
Ongoing coverage on Privacy.
Latest coverage
Instagram is now banning users who make creepy content with Meta glasses
Meta is implementing a ban on users who engage in harassing or recording behavior with its smart glasses. This policy change aims to address privacy concerns associated with the device.
Morning Safety Dance
Flock has withdrawn its plan to use its microphone network to detect 'human distress,' though privacy concerns persist. Separately, LG will begin banning residential proxies from its smart TV applications.
Apple has reportedly fixed its Hide My Email vulnerability
Apple has reportedly addressed a vulnerability within its Hide My Email feature for iCloud+ users. This fix ensures that users' email addresses are no longer exposed when using the service.
Guerilla bus stop ads are taking aim at Meta's AI glasses, and the latest stunt involves a horrifying They Live-style transforming image of Kylie Jenner
The activist group Everyone Hates Elon has launched guerilla advertising campaigns in the UK targeting Meta's AI glasses, criticizing their potential for covert surveillance and privacy invasion. One ad features a lenticular image of Kylie Jenner that transforms into a 'They Live'-style message, highlighting concerns about Meta's AI recording capabilities and data handling.
Morning Safety Dance
This article provides a detailed breakdown of Flock Safety cameras, which are used to track vehicles. It explores the technology behind these cameras and discusses the controversies and privacy concerns surrounding their widespread use.
UK government lands on keeping VPNs alive, shall "continue to review"
The UK government has decided not to limit the use of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) at this time, following an investigation into social media use among minors. The government cited feedback from families, whistleblowers, and minority groups who highlighted the importance of VPNs for privacy and safety. While no immediate limitations will be imposed, the government stated that it will continue to review the matter and work with companies to ensure young people's safety.
Morning Legal Briefs
Proton has launched an interactive map highlighting the rapid spread of age verification laws globally, raising concerns about the erosion of online privacy. The tool aims to inform users about the increasing implementation of these regulations.
Evening Safety Dance
The article discusses the evolution of vulnerability management for Windows in the context of AI-powered discovery and the potential revival of 'Chat Control' surveillance measures. It highlights the challenges in keeping pace with AI-driven threats and privacy concerns.
Workers at MindsEye studio protesting controversial fan event this weekend after multiple rounds of layoffs
Workers at the MindsEye development studio, Build A Rocket Boy, are protesting a fan event scheduled for this weekend due to the company's recent multiple rounds of layoffs. Employees, supported by the Independent Workers' Union of Great Britain, are also concerned about alleged invasive surveillance software previously installed on their devices. This protest follows a history of labor disputes and accusations of corporate sabotage against the studio's leadership.
Meta says it will disable the camera on its glasses if you tamper with the recording LED
Meta has announced that it will disable the camera on its smart glasses if users tamper with the recording LED indicator. This feature is intended to address privacy concerns raised by users regarding the recording capabilities of the glasses.
The launch of Commodore's social media-free privacy-first 'dumbphone' was apparently responsible for…
Commodore has launched the Callback, a privacy-focused flip phone that blocks social media and web browsing, but includes WhatsApp and retro games. Despite an initial $500 price tag, which was later reduced to $400, the device saw strong sales, matching the first month's sales of the Commodore 64 Ultimate in just three days.
Another Final Fantasy 14 mod goes down following concerns of stalking in the MMO, with fans calling out Square…
A controversial Final Fantasy 14 mod called 'Memoria,' which tracked player data and enabled in-game stalking, has been taken down. The mod raised significant privacy concerns within the community, leading to calls for Square Enix to address the proliferation of such third-party tools. The developer claims all collected data has been deleted.
You’re Completely Misunderstanding Why Xbox Series X’s Edge Browser Filters Geolocation Traffic
The Edge browser on Xbox Series X filters geolocation traffic as a deliberate privacy and security measure, not a bug. Microsoft treats the console as a shared living room device, restricting the browser's access to location data to prevent misuse and comply with regulations. This filtering impacts location-sensitive services like online gambling, where precise verification is legally required, making desktop or mobile browsers more reliable for such tasks.
Morning Safety Dance
Advocates are warning that Elon Musk's platform X poses a serious risk to Americans' privacy. Meanwhile, Google is reportedly testing a controversial new reCAPTCHA system that uses webcam-based hand scans to verify users are human.
Apple's Hide My Email may not be hiding anything
A vulnerability has been discovered in Apple's Hide My Email feature that could potentially link anonymous email addresses back to users' real email addresses. This issue raises concerns about the privacy protections offered by the service.
Morning Legal Briefs
The No Fakes Act has cleared the Senate Judiciary Committee. The article briefly mentions the use of VPNs for privacy and how some individuals may use them to circumvent restrictions, particularly concerning children.
Evan Spiegel doesn't want you to call Snap Specs AI glasses
Snap CEO Evan Spiegel discussed the company's Spectacles hardware, emphasizing that they should not be referred to as AI glasses. He also touched upon topics of privacy and parental controls during the interview.
Morning Safety Dance
Former Signal employees have launched 'Encrypted Spaces,' a new system designed for creating private collaboration applications. The WIRED article details the system's capabilities and its focus on user privacy.
Evening Metaverse
Microsoft Teams is reportedly introducing a new location tracking feature that is expected to be controversial among users. The feature's implementation raises privacy concerns and may be met with user dissatisfaction.
Reports suggest Meta was working on another facial recognition feature that was quietly pushed out to millions of users…
Meta quietly embedded facial recognition technology, internally codenamed 'NameTag,' into its smart glasses app, which was then pushed to millions of users. Although the code has since been removed, the incident raises concerns about data privacy and how big tech companies handle user information, drawing parallels to Meta's past issues with facial recognition on Facebook.