Will U.S. government force Facebook to decrypt Messenger?
The Department of Justice and Facebook are embroiled in a legal dispute over the future of Messenger's privacy policies. The government is demanding it decrypt Messenger to allow for wiretapping of criminal suspects. Facebook is refusing to do so citing fears that such a move could be easily abused.
Facebook’s latest security breach leaves 50 million accounts compromised
Facebook announced that it is beginning to investigate a security breach from earlier this week that may have left 50 million user accounts compromised. Law enforcement has been notified, and the security flaw has been patched. Facebook also forcibly logged out 90 million users as a precaution.
Chrome 69 logs you in without consent, but Google says it’s for your own good
After widespread criticism for how Chrome 69 behaves when users log into a Google service, Google was forced into updating its privacy policy. Google denies it made the changes to track its users, and that it is not automatically uploading your browser information whenever you log into a Google service on Chrome 69.
Google tells lawmakers it allows other apps access to your Gmail
In a letter obtained ahead of Google's scheduled appearance before lawmakers, the search giant says it allows other apps to read and share Gmail messages. These apps need the explicit permission of the users to have access, and Google claims that it will revoke access to users’ emails if apps misrepresent themselves.
Crazy vending machine swaps computer art for your permanent selfie
Coder artist Matthias Dörfelt has created a camera-equipped vending machine called Face Trade, which promises to swap unique prints of computer-generated faces for the rights to upload your selfie onto the main Ethereum blockchain. Here's what it says about privacy in 2018.
Privacy-focused browser Brave sues Google, claims breach of Europe’s GDPR rules
Privacy-focused Brave browser is filing a complaint against Google's ad practices for violating privacy protections under Europe's GDPR rules. The complaint is seen as a test case against the digital advertising industry, and at stake are fines of up to four percent of Google's global revenues.
U.S. Senate will hear Google, Apple testimony on data privacy this month
Apple, Google, and some of their largest peers in technology are scheduled to testify before Congress in a hearing on data privacy later this month. The Senate will touch on how tech firms collect and safeguard data in response to recently passed legislation in California and the European Union.
Firefox mobilizes a three-pronged attack against ad-based tracking
Mozilla's Firefox browser will eventually block ad-based tracking by default. To get there, the company plans to roll out new features over the next several months, such as an ad-blocking component already available in Firefox Nightly. If this component works, it will go mainstream with Firefox 63.
If you’re still using Yahoo email, it’s still spying on you
Yahoo's parent company, Oath, has admitted that it still scans the content of some emails sent to users of the company's Mail platform in an effort to sell ads. Although it claims only promotion emails are scanned, this does raise concerns over personal privacy on the platform.
When it comes to Chrome, there may not be a reason to expect privacy
Even if you're browsing with Incognito mode enabled on the Chrome browser, Google could still identify you if at any point during that session you log into a Google account or service, a new report suggests. Google denied using this practice, but Chrome users should still be cautious.
Google tracks your location — even when you deny it permission
According to a new investigation by the Associated Press, Google is tracking your location -- even when you tell it not to. The findings prove that many Google services on both Android and iPhones store location data, regardless of whether privacy settings say otherwise.
Facebook’s security chief has quit — now who’s watching the watchmen?
Facebook's chief security officer, Alex Stamos, has announced that he's leaving the company in mid-August to move on to a new full-time teaching position. Crucially, Facebook has said he will not be replaced, raising questions about its approach to digital security on the social network in the future.
Despite promising to stop sharing your data, Facebook continues to do so
Facebook wasn't fully honest when it said that it would restrict its data sharing practice in 2015. In its letter to Congress, Facebook revealed that data sharing actually continued, and that 61 technology companies have had access to its users' friends data, including names, genders, and birth dates.
After 14 years, a new generation of Wi-Fi security is coming. Here’s what to know
WPA3 is a new security standard for Wi-Fi hardware that will charge manufactuters with meeting stricter guidelines to be certified to support it. It will bring about greater security and privacy for users in the home and when utilizing 'open' public Wi-Fi networks, as well as better password protections for everyone.
Get a warrant before tracking cell phone users, Supreme Court rules in privacy win
In the 5-4 decision, the highest court in the United States determined that police departments across the nation must first attain a search warrant before tracking mobile device users. This decision could have enormous implications, given that around 95 percent of Americans have a cell phone.
Improving security means killing the password, but that battle has just begun
As much as password reuse is a problem because people use the same passwords for different sites and services, some think that storing passwords in a central location is a bigger problem. As we begin to move beyond password use altogether, do we need to reconsider how our login credentials are stored as well?
Amazon, Microsoft, Uber donate to oppose the California Consumer Privacy Act
Amazon, Microsoft, and Uber have made large contributions to a group attempting to prevent a privacy act from becoming law in California. As per state disclosure records, the three tech giants join a number of other well-known tech firms all working against the proposed California Consumer Privacy Act.
Apple quietly bans developers from selling your contacts’ data
Apple has quietly updated its developer guidelines to ban developers from selling data collected from an iPhone users contacts app -- a practice similar to what landed Facebook in hot water with Cambridge Analytica. Of course, there isn't much Apple can do about the data already sold.
Privacy’s virtual credit card service adds cash back for online transactions
Worried about all the places online your debit card information is stored? With Privacy, you can use virtual or "burner" cards for all your online transactions, making your financial details anonymous online. The company also launched a cash-back program, giving users a percentage back for purchases.
How 20th century check fraud is helping prevent 21st century data theft
Social engineering is as problematic today as it's ever been, and that's a scary concept when so much personal information is accessible to hackers and fraudsters. Yet that also means we can learn from the lessons of the past. That's why digital validation company Trusona uses Frank Abagnale of ‘Catch Me If You Can’ fame to future-proof its systems.
One social media user attempts to cash in by auctioning off all his Facebook data
Forget the middleman! One social media user figures if Facebook can sell his data to advertisers, then why shouldn't he be able to. Oli Frost extracted all his information on Facebook using tools that the social network provided and listed his data for auction on eBay. But how much is Frost's data worth?
New HTC U12 Plus literally puts the squeeze on more expensive top-tier phones
HTC U12 Plus smartphone takes on the iPhone X and Galaxy S9 spec-wise, Apple opens the door for users to check on data the company has collected, Razer brings speed to laptop gaming with a new external GPU device.
How much of your data is Apple collecting? Not much, and here’s how to see it
A New York Times journalist took a look at just how much Facebook knew about him, and was horrified by the answer. How much do other popular tech companies know about their users? Jefferson Graham of USA Today looked into how much data Apple collected from him. You can do the same with new Apple tools.
Google and ‘Google, You Owe Us’ begin $4.3 billion court battle
In a landmark case for the British courts, a campaign group is pushing forward with a lawsuit against Google's data gathering in 2011/2. And now, this privacy case has ballooned, and threatens to cost Google a whopping $4.3 billion should the tech firm lose. The privacy group and Google met in court this week.
Oracle persuades Australia to examine Google’s data-tracking practices
Google and Oracle have long been engaged in a variety of legal battles, and now, the latest round of their ongoing battle is playing out in Australia, where Oracle has successfully convinced competition and privacy regulators to look into how Google allegedly tracks its Android phone users.
Another Facebook privacy scandal — 3 million users’ data exposed by quiz
A new Facebook data leak has been revealed where some three million people have had their personal information and answers to a personality quiz left relatively unsecured on a third-party website, despite supposed protections in place to restrict access to the data to approved research partners only.
Web trackers aren’t just spying on you; they’re slowing you down
As the world becomes increasingly aware of the privacy concerns of modern life online, anti-tracker extension maker, Ghostery, has drafted a new study that looks how a major component of many online services – trackers – could be doing more than invading users privacy: they might be slowing down the internet as we know it too.
Gmail’s new confidential mode is finally rolling out. Here’s how to use it
Gmail's new confidential mode is now rolling out, and you can use it to secure your emails. This guide will show you how to set an expiration date on your messages and require a passcode to add an extra layer of security to your sensitive or confidential communications.
From evil empire to role model, Microsoft builds its claim to the high ground
Microsoft came to its Build 2018 conference with a slim selection of consumer-facing information, but that didn't dampen its positive attitude. While other tech companies wallow in scandals, Microsoft is building a vision for how a high-tech organization can innovate without destroying your privacy.
Facebook’s very, very sorry, and it has absolutely no intention to change
Facebook’s F8 developer conference saw the company and its CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, discuss new features like Dating and Clear History. While lip service was given to issues like data security and privacy, few good solutions were offered. That should be no surprise given Facebook’s history with Cambridge Analytica, and many others.
Facebook’s Clear History feature aimed at helping protect user privacy
Facebook announced its new tool to help protect user privacy. A new feature called Clear History will help give people more information and control over the data Facebook collects from other websites and apps. The control allows you to clear your browsing history on the social media platform.
Trying to understand Facebook’s Community Standards? Here’s the gist
Facebook recently unveiled its Community Standards so that the world can know what kind of content the social network will allow moving forward. The standards cover multiple pages and various topics, however, so if you simply want to know the important bits, here are the highlights.
A recent leak says Windows 10’s next update has been pushed back to May 8
The next Windows update, often called Spring Creators Update, but more specifically Redstone 4, still doesn't have a firm release date. A new supposedly leaked memo to Chinese retailers, however, suggests that we may see the new update on May 8 during Microsoft's next Build event.
Facebook acts as unwitting sales platform for identity thieves
Facebook has been the home to hundreds of ads offering stolen personal information on people for years with little oversight, a new report has discovered. Simple searchers turn up these ads and yet little has been done to crack down on their prevalence, even years after they first appeared online.