deepfakes Virginia Outlaws Deepfake Revenge Porn Amid Rising AI Threats Virginia updates its 2014 revenge porn law to criminalize the sharing of fabricated, AI-generated nude images and videos without consent. The legislative shift responds to rapidly advancing deepfake technology that currently outpaces most state and federal regulations.
facebook Tech Giants Face Global Scrutiny Over Privacy and Cryptocurrency Plans Technology companies face intense worldwide scrutiny this week as Facebook defends its cryptocurrency plans and FaceApp sparks major data privacy concerns. Meanwhile, Huawei expands into Italy despite growing pushback in the US and UK, and Indonesia implements a new digital tax.
axon Top Police Body Camera Maker Axon Rejects Flawed Facial Recognition Tech Axon, the largest manufacturer of police body cameras, refuses to implement facial recognition software due to accuracy and bias concerns. An independent ethics board warns the technology currently threatens privacy and disproportionately misidentifies people of color and women.
axon Body Camera Maker Axon Rejects Facial Recognition Following Ethics Board Review Axon's independent ethics board strongly advises against implementing facial recognition on police body cameras due to accuracy and bias concerns. The company agrees and halts commercialization of the technology for now.
facebook Lawmakers Demand Halt to Facebook's New Libra Cryptocurrency Congress reacts angrily to Facebook's unveiled Libra cryptocurrency, demanding a moratorium and hearings. The digital currency faces immediate regulatory pushback over data privacy and oversight concerns.
youtube YouTube Updates Give Users More Power Over Video Recommendations YouTube introduces new features that allow users to block unwanted channels from recommendations and see exactly why specific videos are suggested.
amazon Amazon Secures Patent for Opt-In Drone Surveillance Technology Amazon receives a patent for a drone-based data gathering system that uses geo-fencing to monitor specific areas. The company emphasizes that the technology functions strictly as an opt-in service for authorized homes.
amazon Amazon Wins Patent for Drone-Based Home Surveillance System Amazon receives federal approval for a patent allowing delivery drones to perform home security checks. The technology raises significant privacy concerns among legal experts as drones could alert authorities to detected anomalies.
libra US Congress Chairwoman Demands Halt to Facebook's Libra Cryptocurrency A high-ranking US Congress member calls for a moratorium on Facebook's Libra project until lawmakers can properly review the cryptocurrency's privacy and regulatory implications. Facebook indicates it plans to move forward despite the unresolved privacy concerns.
facebook Facebook CEO Zuckerberg Urges Governments to Regulate the Internet Mark Zuckerberg publishes an op-ed asking for updated government oversight regarding harmful content, election integrity, and privacy. This unexpected plea for regulation follows recent backlash over a livestreamed massacre in New Zealand.
facebook Facebook Unveils Dating, Shopping, and Privacy Features at F8 Conference Facebook announces new dating, e-commerce, and group features across its apps at F8 while emphasizing a shift toward privacy. The updates include hidden like counts on Instagram and end-to-end encryption for Messenger.
whatsapp WhatsApp Voice Calls Exploited to Install Spyware Without User Action A sophisticated cyber actor infects mobile phones with spyware through missed WhatsApp voice calls, requiring no action from the user. WhatsApp quickly patches the vulnerability and urges all users to update their apps immediately.
facebook Fact Check Debunks Altered Zuckerberg Video About Stolen Data Viral Instagram posts share a doctored video that falsely depicts Mark Zuckerberg admitting to controlling billions of people's stolen data. Fact-checkers confirm the clip is manipulated fake news designed to mislead social media users.
faceapp Experts Say FaceApp Privacy Fears Are Overblown and Typical of Social Media Data-privacy experts indicate that the national security and privacy concerns surrounding the popular Russian-owned FaceApp are largely exaggerated. The app's data practices simply mirror the standard, broad user agreements typical of major social media platforms.
ftc FTC Imposes Record $5 Billion Penalty on Facebook for Privacy Violations The Federal Trade Commission fines Facebook $5 billion over the Cambridge Analytica data scandal and mandates the creation of an independent privacy oversight committee. The penalty represents the largest ever issued by the FTC but amounts to less than a tenth of the social network's annual revenue.