5 – Breaking News & Latest Updates 2026
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Privacy

As gadgets and services get smarter, they need more data, and face the hard problem of keeping it safe. Data privacy has become a huge problem for Google, Facebook, Amazon, and any company using artificial intelligence to power its services — and a major sticking point for lawmakers looking to regulate. Here’s all the news on data privacy and how it’s changing tech.

WhatsApp is now a Very Large platform in the EU, and will face tougher regulationWhatsApp is now a Very Large platform in the EU, and will face tougher regulation
DOGE is trying to access the IRS’s data on millions of taxpayersDOGE is trying to access the IRS’s data on millions of taxpayers
Trump administration illegally allowed DOGE to access workers’ data, lawsuit allegesTrump administration illegally allowed DOGE to access workers’ data, lawsuit alleges
Samsung’s S25 Ultra and the end of the flagship phoneSamsung’s S25 Ultra and the end of the flagship phone
Data brokers can keep selling your social security number, says new CFPB chiefData brokers can keep selling your social security number, says new CFPB chief
NetChoice sues to block Maryland’s Kids Code, saying it violates the First AmendmentNetChoice sues to block Maryland’s Kids Code, saying it violates the First Amendment
Google Play will now verify VPNs that prioritize privacy and safetyGoogle Play will now verify VPNs that prioritize privacy and safety
FBI’s warrantless ‘backdoor’ searches ruled unconstitutionalFBI’s warrantless ‘backdoor’ searches ruled unconstitutional
Wes Davis
Wes Davis
Brazil bans Sam Altman’s World from paying Brazilians for their iris scans.

Brazil’s ANPD found on Friday that Altman’s biometric data-collecting project may interfere with Brazilians’ ability to freely consent to having their biometric data processed by offering crypto in exchange for the scans, according to a Reuters report syndicated at The Economic Times.

From the announcement, using Google Translate:

...consent for the processing of sensitive personal data, such as biometric data, must be free, informed, unequivocal and provided in a specific and highlighted manner, for specific purposes.

Brazil bans Sam Altman's tech firm Tools for Humanity from paying for iris scans

[Economic Times]

As Americans flock to RedNote, privacy advocates warn about surveillanceAs Americans flock to RedNote, privacy advocates warn about surveillance
Gaby Del Valle
Gaby Del Valle
Warrantless wiretapping has a new bestie.

Former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard was a longtime critic of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act... until it got in the way of her potential Senate confirmation.

Trump nominated Gabbard, a Democrat-turned-independent-turned-Republican, for director of national intelligence. But senators from both parties have taken issue with Gabbard’s 2020 effort to repeal Section 702.

It looks like she’s changed her mind, telling Punchbowl News:

“My prior concerns about FISA were based on insufficient protections for civil liberties, particularly regarding the FBI’s misuse of warrantless search powers on American citizens. Significant FISA reforms have been enacted since my time in Congress to address these issues.”

Gabbard reverses course on key intel-gathering tool as nomination teeters

[Punchbowl News]

A major data broker hack may have leaked precise location info for millionsA major data broker hack may have leaked precise location info for millions
PowerSchool data breach leaks info of students and staff at schools across the USPowerSchool data breach leaks info of students and staff at schools across the US
Apple says Siri isn’t sending your conversations to advertisersApple says Siri isn’t sending your conversations to advertisers
Jay Peters
Jay Peters
A major location data broker has reportedly been hacked.

404 Media has a good story about the reported hack of Gravy Analytics, and let’s just say the situation doesn’t seem great:

The hackers said they have stolen a massive amount of data, including customer lists, information on the broader industry, and even location data harvested from smartphones which show peoples’ precise movements, and they are threatening to publish the data publicly.

Hackers Claim Massive Breach of Location Data Giant, Threaten to Leak Data

[404 Media]

Wes Davis
Wes Davis
The EU has fined the EU for violating the GDPR.

The European Commission must pay a German citizen EU 400 (about $412 USD) for improperly safeguarding the person’s data sent to Meta in the US after they used a “Sign in with Facebook” button to log into an EU site, reports Reuters.

That’s a first, the outlet writes. GDPR fines often punish tech firms — Meta has had several, for instance.

In a first, EU Court fines EU for breaching own data protection law

[Reuters]

Is your iPhone sharing photos data with Apple by default?Is your iPhone sharing photos data with Apple by default?
Serbian authorities are reportedly hacking and installing spyware on activists’ phonesSerbian authorities are reportedly hacking and installing spyware on activists’ phones
Peak Design denies snitching on Luigi MangionePeak Design denies snitching on Luigi Mangione
Large drones are flying over New Jersey at night and no one knows whyLarge drones are flying over New Jersey at night and no one knows why
Two data brokers banned from selling ‘sensitive’ location data by the FTCTwo data brokers banned from selling ‘sensitive’ location data by the FTC
Data brokers may be banned from selling your social security numberData brokers may be banned from selling your social security number
Emma Roth
Emma Roth
Dozens of tech companies stay silent on Trump’s mass deportation plans.

The Intercept asked over 30 firms whether they’d use their data to help the Trump administration deport immigrants, but it only got four responses — and none of them were from Meta, Google, Microsoft, or Apple.

These Tech Firms Won’t Tell Us If They Will Help Trump Deport Immigrants

[The Intercept]

Apple accused of snooping on workers’ iPhones in new lawsuitApple accused of snooping on workers’ iPhones in new lawsuit
How to watch a babyHow to watch a baby
Kristen Radtke
A new ‘ultra-secure’ phone carrier says it can make you harder to trackA new ‘ultra-secure’ phone carrier says it can make you harder to track
Niantic is building a ‘geospatial’ AI model based on Pokémon Go player dataNiantic is building a ‘geospatial’ AI model based on Pokémon Go player data
Gaby Del Valle
Gaby Del Valle
Trump’s incoming ‘border czar’ spoke at a white nationalist conference in 2022.

The president-elect announced that Tom Homan — one of the architects of Trump’s family separation policy — will play a major role in his administration.

In 2022, Homan spoke at a conference organized by white supremacist Nick Fuentes. Starting next year, he’ll “be in charge of all Deportation of Illegal Aliens,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

Trump’s Truth Social post announcing Homan’s appointment
MOVEit cyberattacks: keeping tabs on the biggest data theft of 2023MOVEit cyberattacks: keeping tabs on the biggest data theft of 2023
Mozilla is eliminating its advocacy division, which fought for a free and open webMozilla is eliminating its advocacy division, which fought for a free and open web
Gaby Del Valle
Gaby Del Valle
Senator Ron Wyden wants tougher export controls on spying and phone hacking tools.

He asked the Commerce Department to strengthen rules designed to prevent repressive regimes from using US-made surveillance technology to spy on dissidents, journalists, and Americans.

The proposed export controls will make it harder for regimes to engage in human rights abuses ranging from mass surveillance of their citizens to hacking into the phones of dissidents and independent journalists. However, I am concerned that the draft rules contain gaps that would allow autocratic governments to continue buying technologies and services from American companies to commit human rights abuses.

Exclusive: Senator calls on Commerce to tighten proposed rules on exporting surveillance, hacking tech to problematic nations

[CyberScoop]

Gaby Del Valle
Gaby Del Valle
Italy’s political class is caught up in a massive hacking scandal.

An IT consultant, Nunzio Samuele Calamucci, allegedly breached Italy’s Interior Ministry databases on behalf of Equalize, a private investigations company run by a former Italian police officer.

Equalize used a computer virus to break into government databases, prosecutors claim.

In wiretaps, Calamucci, who worked for Equalize, allegedly boasted of having hacked the information of 800,000 people.

Several Italian politicians were among those who were hacked. And agents with Mossad, Israel’s spy agency, allegedly tried to buy information from Equalize.

Massive hack-for-hire scandal rocks Italian political elites

[Politico]

How to use the new Private Space feature in Android 15How to use the new Private Space feature in Android 15
Apple Intelligence bug bounty invites researchers to test its privacy claimsApple Intelligence bug bounty invites researchers to test its privacy claims
Jess Weatherbed
Jess Weatherbed
LinkedIn has been fined over $300 million for violating European privacy rules.

The ruling was made by the Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC) following a complaint filed in 2018 that said LinkedIn’s tracking ads business violated GDPR.

DPC Deputy Commissioner Graham Doyle commented:

“The lawfulness of processing is a fundamental aspect of data protection law and the processing of personal data without an appropriate legal basis is a clear and serious violation of a data subjects’ fundamental right to data protection.”

DPC Ireland released this infographic to summarize the situation.
DPC Ireland released this infographic to summarize the situation.
Image: Data Protection Commission Ireland
An investigation exposes data brokers using ads to help track almost any phoneAn investigation exposes data brokers using ads to help track almost any phone
Democrats want DOJ to prosecute tax prep companies that allegedly shared user data with Meta and GoogleDemocrats want DOJ to prosecute tax prep companies that allegedly shared user data with Meta and Google
One-third of DHS’s border surveillance cameras don’t even workOne-third of DHS’s border surveillance cameras don’t even work
Sam Altman’s eyeball-scanning crypto project has a new Orb and a new nameSam Altman’s eyeball-scanning crypto project has a new Orb and a new name
Brazilian police arrested the hacker who stole everyone’s SSNBrazilian police arrested the hacker who stole everyone’s SSN

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