All articles tagged with #technology and privacy
Google Maps Street View can permanently blur your home for free: on a desktop, search your address in maps.google.com, click the Street View photo, choose Report a Problem, outline the area to blur (select 'home'), provide details and your email, then submit for Google’s review; once approved, the blur is permanent, though the process is less convenient on mobile (best done from a web browser).
US authorities requested Google to provide the identities and user activity of accounts that watched specific YouTube videos as part of an investigation into suspected money laundering. The court granted the order, but it was kept under wraps, and it's unclear if Google complied. Critics and privacy advocates are concerned about potential overreach and the access to sensitive information of users who watched these videos.
Automakers are selling driver data to data brokers, who then create "risk" scores for individual drivers and sell them to insurance providers, leading to increased premiums for many drivers. Meanwhile, the operator of darknet cryptocurrency service Bitcoin Fog has been found guilty of money laundering and other charges, and two commercial safe makers have been criticized for installing secret backdoors in their products, leaving consumers vulnerable to criminals and spies.
Insurance companies are obtaining personal driving data from car manufacturers to assess the risk of insuring individuals, leading to unexpected premium increases for some drivers. This practice, often hidden in privacy policies and fine print, has raised significant privacy concerns among vehicle owners. While there are claims that the data collection aims to promote safer driving, it appears to primarily serve financial profit. Policymakers and privacy advocates are calling for investigations into these practices, and consumers are advised to take proactive steps to understand and potentially opt out of data collection by their vehicles.
23andMe failed to detect account intrusions for months, resulting in personal data from 6.9 million users being compromised. North Korea is reportedly using generative AI tools for hacking targets, while the digital ad industry's Patternz service is fueling a global surveillance dragnet. Additionally, researchers from MIT have developed an algorithm that can convert data from smart devices' ambient light sensors into an image of the scene in front of the device, raising concerns about potential surveillance abuse.
The increased adoption of biometric surveillance systems in 2024 will lead to a rise in biometric identity theft and anti-surveillance innovations, with individuals using generative AI tools to steal biometric identities and perpetrate fraud. Governments may adopt biometric mimicry for psychological torture, while individuals at higher risk of facial misidentification, such as people of color and gender nonconforming individuals, will face greater challenges. Anti-surveillance fashion will flourish in areas with laws banning live biometrics in public places, and new technologies such as prosthetic extensions and 3D-printed face prosthetics will be used to protect biometric privacy.
Facebook has introduced a new feature called 'Link History' in its app, which tracks the links users click on and stores them in a repository. This feature is enabled by default, and while it offers some visibility and control over link tracking, it also raises privacy concerns. Meta, Facebook's parent company, has been tracking user link clicks for over a decade and uses JavaScript to monitor user activity on websites. Critics argue that this feature is another way for Facebook to gather data for personalized ads, despite increasing legal scrutiny over data privacy practices. Users can opt out of 'Link History,' but the feature does not affect Meta's data collection on other platforms like Instagram and WhatsApp.
Facebook has introduced a new feature called "Link History," which tracks and stores the links users click within the app. This feature is enabled by default and is used for targeted advertising, but users have the option to opt-out. Despite being presented as a convenience tool, it raises privacy concerns, especially since it doesn't cover other Meta apps or web browsing outside the Facebook app. The feature comes amidst increasing privacy measures from other tech giants and regulators, contrasting with Meta's continued focus on data collection.
Connected car apps, designed for convenience, are being exploited by abusive partners to track and control victims, as exemplified by the case of Christine Dowdall. Despite having a restraining order and sole use of her Mercedes during divorce proceedings, Dowdall struggled to remove her abusive husband's access to the car's tracking features due to the vehicle's title being in his name. Privacy advocates and domestic violence experts are calling for car manufacturers to provide ways to disable such tracking to protect victims, highlighting the broader issue of privacy and control in the era of smart, connected vehicles.
Google has agreed to settle a class-action lawsuit for $5 billion over allegations that it tracked users' internet activities even when they were using the "incognito" mode in Chrome and other browsers. The lawsuit claimed that Google misled users about their privacy, as its advertising technologies still collected data during private browsing sessions. The settlement terms have not been disclosed, but a final agreement is expected to be presented to the court by February 24. Google has yet to comment on the settlement.
Google has settled a class-action lawsuit that accused the company of tracking users' activities even when they were using the "incognito" mode in the Chrome browser. The lawsuit, which sought $5 billion, claimed that Google misled users about their privacy and continued to collect data through advertising technologies and third-party websites. The terms of the settlement have not been disclosed, and a federal judge's approval is pending. Meanwhile, Google has been working on privacy reforms, including plans to phase out third-party cookies by the second half of 2024.