meta Whistleblower Leak Reveals Meta Prioritized Profits Over Known Platform Harms A massive 2021 internal document leak from Facebook, now Meta, shows the company knowingly ignores the harmful societal effects of its platforms to protect its bottom line. The leaked files expose how Facebook's algorithms actively promote inflammatory posts and damaging content to young users.
facebook Facebook Achieves Record Ad Revenue Despite Apple's Privacy Restrictions Facebook generates $28 billion in ad revenue for the second quarter of 2021, doubling its profit from the previous year. The company warns that the full impact of Apple's App Tracking Transparency rules will likely hit harder in the upcoming quarter.
facebook Facebook Beats Q2 Revenue Expectations Despite Apple Privacy Threats Facebook surpasses analyst predictions with $29 billion in Q2 revenue, but warns of significant ad targeting headwinds from Apple's recent iOS privacy updates.
apple iCloud Private Relay Marks the End of User Fingerprinting, Say Advertisers Advertisers view Apple's iCloud Private Relay as the final blow to user fingerprinting on iOS, sparking a new technical cat-and-mouse game. The feature masks web traffic through two relays, though its current limitations leave room for tracking workarounds.
apple iOS 15 Raises the Stakes in the Apple and Facebook Privacy War Apple introduces iOS 15 features like App Privacy Reports and Private Relay to give users more control over their data. These new tools escalate the ongoing privacy feud between Apple and Facebook by verifying actual app behavior rather than just taking companies at their word.
nso group Massive Pegasus Spyware Leak Reveals Widespread Targeting of Journalists A leaked list of phone numbers reveals that NSO Group's Pegasus spyware targets journalists and activists globally, contradicting the company's claims of only pursuing criminals. The leak exposes the vast, hidden scope of this invasive surveillance technology.
facial recognition European Parliament Pushes for Facial Recognition Ban in Law Enforcement The European Parliament votes to ban facial recognition technology in public spaces for law enforcement, citing significant privacy and bias risks. The non-legislative resolution now requires a response from the European Commission regarding future legislative action.
apple Apple Delays Controversial iCloud Photo CSAM Scanning Features Apple postpones its planned CSAM detection tools for iOS 15 and macOS Monterey following significant privacy concerns from tech groups and users.
apple Apple Pauses Controversial iPhone Photo Scanning Plan After Backlash Apple delays its planned CSAM photo scanning feature for iPhones following significant pushback from privacy advocates and users.
apple Apple Pauses Controversial iCloud Photo Scanning System After Backlash Apple delays its planned CSAM detection features following widespread privacy concerns. The company pushes back the iCloud Photos scanning tools originally slated for upcoming software updates.
apple Apple Abandons Controversial iCloud Photos CSAM Scanning System Apple officially cancels its highly criticized plan to scan iCloud Photos for child sexual abuse material. The company still maintains less controversial safety features for Messages.
apple Apple Abandons Controversial iCloud Photos CSAM Scanning System Apple officially removes its heavily criticized plan to scan iCloud Photos for child sexual abuse material. The company still plans to move forward with less controversial on-device safety tools for Messages.
apple Apple Scrubs Controversial iCloud CSAM Scanning References From Website Apple quietly removes all website mentions of its proposed iCloud Photos CSAM scanning technology. The company claims the heavily criticized feature is merely delayed, though its future remains uncertain.
apple Apple Faces Backlash Over New On-Device CSAM Scanning System Apple announces a new system to scan iPhones for child sexual abuse material, but security experts worry the technology opens the door to mass surveillance. The scanning occurs directly on the device before photos upload to iCloud.
apple Apple's New On-Device Photo Scanning System Raises Privacy Fears Apple introduces a system to scan for child sexual abuse material on devices before iCloud uploads, but security experts warn it creates a dangerous surveillance precedent. Critics worry the technology ultimately undermines user privacy and device encryption.