microsoft Microsoft Implements New Guidelines to Curb Facial Recognition Abuse Microsoft establishes new rules to prevent the misuse of its facial recognition artificial intelligence technology. The company aims to address growing privacy concerns surrounding biometric surveillance.
data breach Unprotected Server Exposes 24 Million Sensitive Banking Documents A major security lapse leaves tens of thousands of US banking and mortgage documents openly accessible on the internet. The leak traces back to a contractor working for financial data firm Ascension.
alpr Police License Plate Readers Found Exposed Online With Weak Security Security researchers find over 150 police license plate readers connected to the internet with default passwords and weak protections, exposing sensitive driver data.
aiesec Youth Non-Profit AIESEC Exposes Millions of Intern Applications in Unprotected Database AIESEC accidentally leaves over four million internship applications unprotected on a passwordless server. The organization claims only 40 users are affected despite the massive data exposure.
gdpr New York Times Proves Creepy Targeted Ads Are Not Necessary The New York Times actually increases its ad revenue after dropping behavioral targeting in Europe to comply with GDPR. This success suggests that brand desirability matters more than invasive user tracking.
gdpr Privacy Campaigner Schrems Files GDPR Complaints Against Amazon, Apple, Netflix Max Schrems files GDPR complaints against Amazon, Apple, Netflix, Spotify, and YouTube over inadequate data access responses.
ftc FTC Imposes Record $5 Billion Penalty on Facebook The FTC imposes a record $5 billion penalty on Facebook with sweeping new privacy restrictions.
dna testing Identical Twins Receive Wildly Different Results From DNA Testing Companies A new investigation reveals that major DNA testing companies provide inconsistent ancestry results for identical twins. Experts warn that users should treat these genetic analysis reports as rough estimates rather than absolute facts.
facebook FTC Weighs Record Fine Against Facebook as Accountability Questions Loom The FTC considers a historic fine against Facebook for privacy violations, but financial penalties alone are unlikely to faze the tech giant. Regulators may instead focus on enforcing strict accountability measures.
23andme 23andMe Rolls Out Detailed Ancestry Reports Despite Data Gaps 23andMe releases an update offering highly granular regional ancestry breakdowns and cultural insights, though the accuracy still heavily depends on the company's reference database.
duckduckgo Privacy-Focused DuckDuckGo Teams Up With Apple to Power Map Searches DuckDuckGo now uses Apple Maps data to provide map and location search results, replacing its previous limited OpenStreetMap integration. This partnership allows the search engine to offer robust mapping features while maintaining its strict anti-tracking privacy policy.
amazon Amazon's Ring Faces Severe Privacy Backlash Over Unencrypted Video Access Amazon's Ring doorbell company faces intense scrutiny after reports reveal unencrypted customer videos are accessible to teams in Ukraine and US executives.
google Simple Google Bug Allows Hackers to Spoof Search Results A newly documented bug in Google Search allows anyone to easily manipulate Knowledge Graph cards to spread misinformation through deceptive links.
facebook Facebook Pays Phone Makers to Force Undeletable Apps Onto Devices Facebook signs deals with Android manufacturers to pre-load undeletable versions of its app on smartphones, sparking crapware comparisons. Users can only disable the software, which acts as a placeholder for future updates.
security Researchers Find Over a Dozen iOS Games Tied to Golduck Malware Security firm Wandera discovers 14 retro-style iPhone apps communicating with a command server linked to the Android-focused Golduck malware. These apps currently push ads and collect user data, but pose a potential future risk.