amazon Amazon Web Services Unveils Panorama Tools for Smart Camera Upgrades Amazon introduces the AWS Panorama Appliance and SDK to bring computer vision capabilities to existing surveillance cameras and new hardware builds.
doordash Gig Economy Giants and Tech Startups Face Major Labor and Culture Scrutiny DoorDash pours millions into California's Prop 22 while surveillance startup Verkada fires employees for abusing facial recognition tech. Meanwhile, Coinbase searches for a new diversity chief following a controversial corporate policy shift.
palantir Palantir Seeks Public Listing Amid Controversy Over Government Surveillance Tech Data analytics firm Palantir files for an IPO, bringing its controversial government and military surveillance technology to the public market. The company highlights strong revenue growth despite years of heavy financial losses.
facial recognition Portland Enacts Strictest Facial Recognition Ban in the Nation The Portland City Council unanimously passes sweeping prohibitions on facial recognition technology for both government and private entities in public spaces.
amazon Amazon Ring Partners With Police Departments Linked to Fatal Encounters Amazon's Ring doorbell cameras facilitate thousands of police video requests each quarter, and an analysis reveals that roughly half of partner law enforcement agencies have been responsible for fatal encounters in the last five years.
amazon House Subcommittee Presses Amazon on Ring Police Partnerships and Privacy Risks A House subcommittee demands Amazon clarify how its Ring doorbell cameras and Neighbors app interact with law enforcement. Lawmakers threaten to end these police partnerships if the company fails to address mounting surveillance and privacy concerns.
schrems ii European Court Strikes Down EU-US Privacy Shield Data Transfer Agreement The Court of Justice of the European Union invalidates the Privacy Shield framework due to concerns over US government surveillance practices. Companies must now navigate complex case-by-case assessments to legally transfer personal data across the Atlantic.
amazon Former NSA Director Keith Alexander Joins Amazon's Board of Directors Amazon appoints retired Gen. Keith Alexander, the former head of the NSA and US Cyber Command, to its board of directors. The controversial move brings significant defense contracting expertise to the tech giant.
neurips NeurIPS 2020 Highlights Ethics Clashes and Corporate Influence in AI The NeurIPS 2020 conference highlights major ethical conflicts as researchers protest Google's firing of Timnit Gebru and scrutinize sponsors like Huawei. Meanwhile, workshops emphasize the urgent need to shift AI development away from corporate dominance toward empowering marginalized communities.
microsoft teams Microsoft Brings Back Controversial Wi-Fi Tracking in Teams Microsoft is reintroducing a Wi-Fi tracking feature into Teams that previously sparked significant privacy concerns among users. The functionality monitors network connections to help IT administrators troubleshoot issues, but critics worry about employee surveillance.
xiaomi Xiaomi Smartphones Secretly Record User Browsing and App Activity Cybersecurity researchers discover that Xiaomi smartphones and browsers covertly track and transmit massive amounts of private user data to remote servers. The Chinese tech giant faces serious privacy accusations affecting millions of devices worldwide.
contact tracing French Security Researchers Warn of Surveillance Risks in Contact Tracing Apps Hundreds of French cryptography experts urge parliament to mandate privacy safeguards before approving the StopCovid contact-tracing app. The letter highlights significant surveillance vulnerabilities in both centralized and decentralized tracking protocols.
covid-19 Privacy Fears Spark Expert Exodus From European COVID-19 Tracing Project A major European initiative to create coronavirus contact-tracing apps faces a growing backlash from cybersecurity experts over centralized data concerns. Over 300 specialists warn the approach could lead to unacceptable government surveillance.
apple Apple and Google Partner on Bluetooth Contact Tracing Amid Privacy Concerns Apple and Google are collaborating to introduce COVID-19 contact tracing capabilities directly into iOS and Android operating systems. The unprecedented initiative relies on Bluetooth to anonymously track exposures, but its success ultimately depends on public trust.
clearview ai Controversial Facial Recognition Firm Clearview AI Used Widely by US Agencies and Retailers Clearview AI provides its controversial facial recognition software to over 2,200 organizations globally, including ICE, the FBI, and major retailers. The startup's massive scope raises significant privacy and oversight concerns.