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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.

Instagram is putting every teen into a more private and restrictive new accountInstagram is putting every teen into a more private and restrictive new account
Richard Lawler
Richard Lawler
Your public Facebook and Instagram posts were used to train Meta’s AI models.

With exceptions for users under 18, posts that weren’t set to public, or EU accounts that opted out.

Now ABC reports on Australian senator David Shoebridge’s question to Meta’s global privacy director, Melinda Claybaugh.

Shoebridge: “...Meta has just decided that you will scrape all of the photos and all of the texts from every public post on Instagram or Facebook since 2007, unless there was a conscious decision to set them on private. That’s the reality, isn’t it?”

Claybaugh: “Correct.”

Facebook admits to scraping every Australian adult user's public photos and posts to train AI, with no opt-out option

[ABC News]

Telegram disables ‘misused’ features as CEO faces criminal chargesTelegram disables ‘misused’ features as CEO faces criminal charges
Snapchat’s ‘disappearing’ messages make it easy for predators to target kids, state lawsuit allegesSnapchat’s ‘disappearing’ messages make it easy for predators to target kids, state lawsuit alleges
Dutch regulator slaps Clearview AI with $33 million fine and threatens executive liabilityDutch regulator slaps Clearview AI with $33 million fine and threatens executive liability
Emma Roth
Emma Roth
An alarming number of kids say their friends generate nudes of classmates with AI.

As reported by 404 Media, a survey from the anti-human trafficking nonprofit Thorn revealed that 1 in 10 minors said they knew of peers who used AI to create nudes of other kids:

While the motivation behind these events is more likely driven by adolescents acting out than an intent to sexually abuse, the resulting harms to victims are real and should not be minimized in attempts to wave off responsibility.

In March, two Florida teens were arrested for creating deepfake nudes of classmates.

1 in 10 Minors Say Their Friends Use AI to Generate Nudes of Other Kids, Survey Finds

[404 Media]

Google has to face a class action lawsuit over Chrome’s data collectionGoogle has to face a class action lawsuit over Chrome’s data collection
Plaintext passwords may have struck againPlaintext passwords may have struck again
Emma Roth
Emma Roth
Proton says iPhone users in Brazil can’t download its VPN app.

The company doesn’t know if the issue is related to an App Store bug, or if Apple is “secretly implementing a censorship order,” as it’s apparently affecting “multiple other VPNs” on iOS in Brazil.

On Saturday, X shut down its operations in Brazil over claims the government gave it secret “censorship orders.”

National Public Data admits it leaked Social Security numbers in a massive data breachNational Public Data admits it leaked Social Security numbers in a massive data breach
Google Pixel phones sold with security vulnerability, report findsGoogle Pixel phones sold with security vulnerability, report finds
Signal has been blocked by Venezuela and RussiaSignal has been blocked by Venezuela and Russia
US sues TikTok for collecting kids’ data without parents’ permissionUS sues TikTok for collecting kids’ data without parents’ permission
Meta to pay $1.4 billion settlement with Texas over facial recognition and photo tagsMeta to pay $1.4 billion settlement with Texas over facial recognition and photo tags
Customs agents need a warrant to search your phone nowCustoms agents need a warrant to search your phone now
Kamala Harris hasn’t said a lot about tech policy, but here’s what we know

This is what we’ve pieced together about her views on AI, privacy, antitrust and more.

Justine Calma, Kylie Robison and 2 more
Google’s plan to turn off third-party cookies in Chrome is dyingGoogle’s plan to turn off third-party cookies in Chrome is dying
Man convicted of ‘sextortion’ of more than 100 children on Omegle, Snapchat, and TikTokMan convicted of ‘sextortion’ of more than 100 children on Omegle, Snapchat, and TikTok
The FBI got into the Trump rally shooter’s phone in just 40 minutesThe FBI got into the Trump rally shooter’s phone in just 40 minutes
Elizabeth Lopatto
Elizabeth Lopatto
It is fully 2024 and J. D. Vance’s Venmo is still public.

Apparently J. D. Vance didn’t read my PSA about Venmo. Among his contacts? The elites he claims to loathe, execs from Anthropic and AOL, lobbyists, Tucker Carlson, and the people pushing Project 2025.

J.D. Vance Left His Venmo Public. Here’s What It Shows

[WIRED]

The app that promised to ‘use AI to weed out daters with STIs’ has been shut downThe app that promised to ‘use AI to weed out daters with STIs’ has been shut down
It’s never been easier for the cops to break into your phone

The FBI said it ‘gained access’ to the Trump rally shooter’s phone just two days after the attempted assassination.

Gaby Del Valle
Heritage Foundation insists it was not hacked by ‘gay furries’Heritage Foundation insists it was not hacked by ‘gay furries’
Early Apple tech bloggers are shocked to find their name and work have been AI-zombifiedEarly Apple tech bloggers are shocked to find their name and work have been AI-zombified
Meta will soon let young kids chat in VR — but only with their parents’ approvalMeta will soon let young kids chat in VR — but only with their parents’ approval
The aftermath of the Supreme Court’s NetChoice ruling

Here’s what the SCOTUS decision might mean for everything from kids online safety laws to the TikTok ‘ban.’

Lauren Feiner
Google’s dark web monitoring service will soon be free for all usersGoogle’s dark web monitoring service will soon be free for all users
FTC says anonymous messaging app failed to stop ‘rampant cyberbullying’FTC says anonymous messaging app failed to stop ‘rampant cyberbullying’
Wes Davis
Wes Davis
Does Airbnb protect its guests’ privacy?

A CNN investigation found that Airbnb routinely ignores or silences, through settlements and NDAs, guests who find hidden cameras in their rentals’ bedrooms and bathrooms.

In one case, Airbnb told guests who found a camera pointed at their bed it wanted to get the host’s side of the story. It allowed him to continue hosting for months, even after being told he was under police investigation. Police eventually raided his property:

Among the more than 2,000 recovered images, law enforcement identified more than 30 victims, including several children. Many guests – who booked the same property either through Airbnb or Vrbo – were captured in various stages of undress. Some were recorded having sex.

Update: Altered the text for clarity.

How Airbnb fails to protect guests from hidden cameras | CNN Business

[CNN]

Emma Roth
Emma Roth
Apple pulled several VPNs off its Russian App Store.

Russia’s communications regulator ordered Apple to remove some of the VPN apps available in the country, according to a notice Apple sent to the developers of Red Shield VPN, Le VPN, and others:

We are writing to notify you that your application, your application, per demand from Roskomnadzor will be removed from the Russia App Store because it includes content that is illegal in Russia.

In March, Russia made it illegal to advertise VPNs that don’t comply with the country’s strict laws.

Russia forces Apple to remove dozens of VPN apps from App Store

[BleepingComputer]

Twilio alerts Authy two-factor app users that ‘threat actors’ have their phone numbersTwilio alerts Authy two-factor app users that ‘threat actors’ have their phone numbers
A meeting to consider a bipartisan privacy bill just crumbledA meeting to consider a bipartisan privacy bill just crumbled
ACLU challenges Section 702 surveillance in neo-Nazi’s prosecutionACLU challenges Section 702 surveillance in neo-Nazi’s prosecution
David Pierce
David Pierce
“Be realistic, buddy. No one cares about you.”

The whole “my phone’s microphone is listening to me!” thing is one of my favorite internet debates. This McSweeney’s piece is very funny — and exactly correct about how it really works.

It’s not like there are hacks every day, and there will be more and more as time progresses, and some amoral lunatic on the dark web will eventually see a transcript of every in-person conversation you’ve ever had.

Calm Down—Your Phone Isn’t Listening to Your Conversations. It’s Just Tracking Everything You Type, Every App You Use, Every Website You Visit, and Everywhere You Go in the Physical World

[McSweeney's Internet Tendency]

Japan’s Olympic athletes will wear outfits designed to block infrared camerasJapan’s Olympic athletes will wear outfits designed to block infrared cameras
Lauren Feiner
Lauren Feiner
Civil rights groups don’t like the latest version of the American Privacy Rights Act.

APRA seemed like the most promising privacy bill in a while when it debuted in April. But the latest version, which a House committee will reportedly consider on Thursday, is getting panned.

The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law says:

“By removing previously agreed upon bipartisan language that would address data-driven discrimination and require AI impact assessments, the new draft of APRA fails to address the core purpose of privacy: to ensure that who we are cannot be used against us unfairly.”

Sarah Jeong
Sarah Jeong
House Republicans want to block that giant data privacy bill that had a really good chance of passing.

The American Privacy Rights Act looked like it had a real shot; now it may become yet another victim of House GOP internal drama. I suppose aside from the communist plot to sap and impurify all of our precious personal data, Congress simply does not care about privacy?

House GOP leaders vow to block online privacy bill over intraparty pushback

[Politico]

New York bans ‘addictive feeds’ for teensNew York bans ‘addictive feeds’ for teens
Mia Sato
Mia Sato
Here’s how to remove your AI deepfakes on YouTube.

Today the company rolled out an expanded takedown requests process for AI content following its initial announcement back in November.

But requesting removal doesn’t guarantee YouTube will comply. The company says it will consider things like whether the content could be mistaken as real and whether it’s parody or satire.

YouTube is going to start cracking down on AI clones of musicians

Mia Sato and Nilay Patel
Emma Roth
Emma Roth
Proton Drive’s encrypted photo backup feature comes to iOS.

The app first started letting users automatically back up their photos on Android last year, and now it’s available on iOS, too. Unlike Google Drive, all the files stored in Proton Drive are end-to-end encrypted.

Image: Proton

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