Why millions of Americans give up control of their thermostats to power companies
Around the state of Texas, Octopus and other power companies raised thermostats, paused electric car chargers and tapped into home batteries in thousands more of their customers’ homes. They also paid stores, data centers and office towers to shut off lights and air conditioners and slow down their computers. That’s why programs like this one are called “virtual power plants.”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-solutions/interactive/2024/virtual-power-plants-clean-energy-electricity-demand/
https://www.star-telegram.com/news/state/texas/article289144894.html
https://octopusenergy.com/intelligent-octopus-thermostat
State Dept. funded censorship to silence lawful speech
https://sharylattkisson.com/2024/09/report-state-dept-funded-censorship-to-silence-lawful-speech/
John Kerry Says The Quiet Part Out Loud: ‘First Amendment Stands As Major Block’ To ‘Govern’
https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/john-kerry-against-the-first-amendment-saying-the-quiet-part-aloud/
Facebook Built a VIP Censorship Pipeline For The White House
https://reclaimthenet.org/facebook-built-a-vip-censorship-pipeline-for-the-white-house
Facebook Documents Used to Train CDC Employees on How to Censor the Public
FTC Commissioner Warns New Report Could Be Used By Big Tech To Justify Censorship
https://thefederalist.com/2024/09/23/ftc-commissioner-warns-new-report-could-be-used-by-big-tech-to-justify-censorship/
A Look Behind the Screens: Examining the Data Practices of Social Media and Video Streaming Services
Beware of the Government’s Push for a Digital Currency
https://www.rutherford.org/publications_resources/john_whiteheads_commentary/hidden_agendas_beware_of_the_governments_push_for_a_digital_currency
Politicians Escape Fact Checks: Duke Reporters’ Lab at the Sanford School of Public Policy
https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/399636/local-politicians-escape-fact-checks-study-finds.html
Court Shuts Down Tennessee’s Attempt To Ban People From Talking About Abortion Options
https://www.techdirt.com/2024/09/24/court-shuts-down-tennessees-attempt-to-ban-people-from-talking-about-abortion-options/
NYC’s COVID law on sharing food delivery customers’ data with restaurants is unconstitutional
https://www.courthousenews.com/judge-finds-nycs-data-sharing-demand-on-food-delivery-apps-unconstitutional/
https://reason.com/volokh/2024/09/24/n-y-law-mandating-that-delivery-services-share-more-customer-data-with-restaurants-violates-first-amendment/
23andMe is in trouble. What happens to all the DNA data?
https://www.npr.org/2024/09/25/nx-s1-5123633/23andme-is-in-trouble-what-happens-to-all-the-dna-data
With 23andMe in crisis, strengthening DNA security has never been more urgent
https://venturebeat.com/security/with-23andmes-directors-quitting-your-data-is-at-risk-time-to-double-down-on-identity-securitywith-23andmes-directors-quitting-your-data-is-at-risk-time-to-double-down-on-identity-security/
Remember That DNA You Gave 23andMe?
https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2024/09/23andme-dna-data-privacy-sale/680057/
The Right’s Raid on Libraries Is So Extreme, Even the Dictionary Is Under Fire
https://truthout.org/articles/the-rights-raid-on-libraries-is-so-extreme-even-the-dictionary-is-under-fire/
BS Warning: New Senate Bill Would Require Warning Labels For Social Media
https://thehill.com/policy/technology/4896042-social-media-warning-labels-bill/
Mandatory ID Checks for Nonalcoholic Beer?
https://reason.com/2024/09/28/mandatory-id-checks-for-nonalcoholic-beer/
Google Can't Dodge Privacy Claims Over Data Access to Flo Period Tracker
https://news.bloomberglaw.com/business-and-practice/google-must-face-trial-over-data-access-to-flo-period-tracker
LAUGHABLE: Google is misunderstood, its attorneys say in antitrust trial
https://www.courthousenews.com/google-is-misunderstood-its-attorneys-say-in-antitrust-trial/
Google shareholder attorneys in data privacy case ask for $66M in attorney fees
https://www.courthousenews.com/google-shareholder-attorneys-in-data-privacy-case-ask-for-66-million-in-attorney-fees/
22 Republican Attorneys General say scheme will let Google attorneys donate $66M to left-wing groups instead of consumers
https://norcalrecord.com/stories/664460601-google-privacy-settlement-a-62m-windfall-for-trial-lawyers-left-wing-groups-court-filings
Meta fined $101.5M for 2019 breach that exposed hundreds of millions of Facebook passwords
https://techcrunch.com/2024/09/27/meta-fined-101-5m-for-2019-breach-that-exposed-hundreds-of-millions-of-facebook-passwords/
Meta Unveils "Orion" Spying Smart Glasses
https://about.fb.com/news/2024/09/introducing-orion-our-first-true-augmented-reality-glasses/
https://about.meta.com/realitylabs/orion
Mozilla hit with privacy complaint over Firefox user tracking
https://www.reuters.com/technology/mozilla-hit-with-privacy-complaint-over-firefox-user-tracking-2024-09-25/
Firefox tracks you with “privacy preserving” feature
https://noyb.eu/en/firefox-tracks-you-privacy-preserving-feature
Telegram Shares Users’ IP Addresses and Phone Numbers With Police
https://www.wsj.com/business/telecom/telegram-founder-ignored-warnings-about-apps-content-e7814a78
Optery now sends your data to OpenAI
https://www.optery.com/introducing-ai-powered-removals-reports-optery/
Optery Faces Backlash After Plan to Send OpenAI User Data
https://www.404media.co/privacy-service-optery-faces-backlash-after-plan-to-send-openai-user-data/
How AI Detection Software Turns Professors into Cops
https://themarkup.org/hello-world/2024/09/21/maywa-montenegro-agroecology-pegagogy-ai
Senator Markey Introduces the AI Civil Rights Act Bill
https://www.markey.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senator-markey-introduces-ai-civil-rights-act-to-eliminate-ai-bias-enact-guardrails-on-use-of-algorithms-in-decisions-impacting-peoples-rights-civil-liberties-livelihoods
FTC Announces Crackdown on Five Companies Over Deceptive AI Claims (DoNotPay, Rytr, FBA Machine, Ascend and Ecommerce Empire Builders)
https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2024/09/ftc-announces-crackdown-deceptive-ai-claims-schemes
DOJ to sue Visa over debit card market monopoly
https://www.reuters.com/business/finance/visa-faces-us-doj-antitrust-case-debit-cards-bloomberg-news-reports-2024-09-23
Kaspersky deletes itself, installs UltraAV antivirus without warning
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/kaspersky-deletes-itself-installs-ultraav-antivirus-without-warning/
X’s First Transparency Report Since Elon Musk’s Takeover Is Finally Here
https://www.wired.com/story/x-twitter-first-transparency-report-since-elon-musks-takeover-is-finally-here/
EFF to Supreme Court: Strike Down Texas’ Unconstitutional Age Verification Law
14M patients affected by healthcare data breaches in 2024
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services data breach affected a lot more than they first admitted
siParadigm data breach affected 26K people
https://today.westlaw.com/Document/I5f48e7287d0011efb5eab7c3554138a0/View/FullText.html
Elitecare Emergency Hospital data breach affected 25K people
https://elite24er.com/hipaa-substitute-notice/
Jefferson Health Pennsylvania Heart and Vascular Group data breach affected 9K people
https://www.phillyvoice.com/jefferson-health-data-breach-billing-info/
Atrium Health data breach
Access Ambulatory Surgery Center data breach
https://www.seacoastonline.com/story/news/local/2024/09/19/access-sports-medicine-data-breach-what-clients-need-to-know/75289867007/
CorrectCare Integrated Health Pays $6.49M to Settle Data Breach Lawsuit
https://topclassactions.com/lawsuit-settlements/closed-settlements/6-49m-correctcare-data-breach-class-action-settlement/
Cascade Eye and Skin Centers Fined $25K for HIPAA Violations
CMS data breach affects 950K people
OIG found that the VA and Oracle Cerner failed to install safeguard's to prevent data breaches
https://www.vaoig.gov/sites/default/files/reports/2024-09/vaoig-22-03591-231.pdf
State & Local Privacy News
Consumer Reports and EPIC Unveil The State Data Privacy Act
https://advocacy.consumerreports.org/press_release/consumer-reports-and-the-electronic-privacy-information-center-unveil-new-model-legislation-to-protect-the-privacy-of-american-consumers/
DHS Announce $280M Grant for FY24 State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program
https://www.dhs.gov/news/2024/09/23/dhs-announces-2799-million-grant-funding-fiscal-year-2024-state-and-local
VT- Judge orders Burlington to impound ‘vicious’ dog owned by DA
https://vtdigger.org/2024/09/27/judge-orders-burlington-to-impound-vicious-dog-owned-by-county-prosecutor/
ME- Trial over state’s indigent defense crisis set to begin in December
https://www.pressherald.com/2024/09/27/trial-over-maines-indigent-defense-crisis-set-to-begin-in-december/
ME- Bangor may charge more money for public records
https://www.bangordailynews.com/2024/09/24/bangor/bangor-government/bangor-maine-public-records-requests-fee-change-proposal-joam40zk0w/
ME- Portland police and the Cumberland County Sheriff's Office are testing AI software to write their police reports
PA- The Western Pennsylvania School for Blind Children can be sued for putting a six-year-old autistic child in a restraint chair and forcing him to wear a helmet and gloves
https://webservices.courthousenews.com/sites/Data/AppellateOpinionUploads/2024-24-9--07-59-18-99e30402-efe2-4bf1-8bd4-55db80173560.pdf
AL- State's love-hate relationship with red-light cameras
https://www.al.com/news/2024/09/alabamas-love-hate-relationship-with-red-light-cameras-a-closer-look.html
FL- State's Maternity Homes Made Single Mothers Feel Like “Criminals”
OH- Two months after Mason pastor resigns over destruction of alleged child porn, archdiocese moves him north
https://www.wcpo.com/news/local-news/i-team/two-months-after-mason-pastor-resigns-over-destruction-of-alleged-child-porn-archdiocese-moves-him-north
IL- Abuse allegations went unchecked for years at state-funded center for troubled foster kids
https://www.injusticewatch.org/juvenile-courts/2024/aunt-marthas-foster-care-dcfs-abuse-allegations/
IL- A Year of the Pretrial Fairness Act Sets a National Model for Reform
https://www.commondreams.org/opinion/pretrial-fairness-act-illinois
IL- Voter Data of 4.6M People Exposed by Contractor’s Unsecured Databases
MN- GOP House candidate lied on search warrant as Hubbard County sheriff’s deputy
https://minnesotareformer.com/2024/09/24/judge-says-minnesota-gop-house-candidate-lied-on-search-warrants-as-hubbard-county-sheriffs-deputy/
MO- Letter to mayor questions purchase of surveillance cameras for Columbia police
TX- Journalist Barred From Press Conference Can Sue Sheriff for Violating His Rights
TX- San Antonio Animal Care Services to stop deleting critical social-media comments
https://www.sacurrent.com/news/san-antonio-animal-care-services-to-stop-deleting-critical-social-media-comments-35654283
CO- AG Proposes Draft Amendments to the State's Privacy Act Rules
https://natlawreview.com/article/colorado-ag-proposes-draft-amendments-colorado-privacy-act-rules
CA- LAPD raid goes from bad to farce after gun allegedly sucked onto MRI machine
https://www.sfgate.com/cannabis/article/lapd-cannabis-mri-raid-19789448.php
CA- Governor vetoes bill requiring opt-out signals for sale of user data
CA- Governor vetoes high-profile AI regulation bill
https://www.courthousenews.com/newsom-pulls-emergency-brake-on-speed-alert-system-for-vehicles/
CA- DISGUSTED: Judge axed privacy class action against Apple
https://www.courthousenews.com/california-judge-cores-privacy-class-action-against-apple/
World Privacy News
The State of Freedom in the World
https://www.statista.com/chart/12541/the-state-of-freedom-worldwide/
BS Warning: SITA claims 73 percent of airline passengers are happy to use facial recognition
https://www.sita.aero/resources/surveys-reports/2024-sita-passenger-it-insights/
The European Union’s AI Act could set biometric standard
"Facial recognition technology (FRT) represents a pivotal force in modern society, with profound implications for both security and the protection of fundamental rights. In response to concerns raised by incidents like the Clearview AI scandal, the European Union (EU) has crafted the Artificial Intelligence Act (AI Act) to regulate biometric recognition systems. This paper explores the EU's regulatory approach, focusing on the delicate balance between security imperatives and individual rights."
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4929132
BS Warning: Europol report- The benefits and challenges of artificial intelligence for law enforcement
https://www.europol.europa.eu/cms/sites/default/files/documents/AI-and-policing.pdf
Secretive EU court panel includes highly paid FIFA official
https://www.politico.eu/article/fifa-european-union-court-judges-vassilios-skouris/
The EU far right wants to give Elon Musk a free speech award
https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-far-right-nominates-elon-muskfree-speech-award/
Pope's calls doctors who perform abortions 'hitmen,' sparking online furor
Russia- Government breaches international law with drone attack on Ukraine hospital
Germany- “Citizens Council” Wants to Criminalize Disinformation
https://brownstone.org/articles/german-citizens-council-wants-to-criminalize-disinformation/
UK- Police use facial recognition to ID man who broke a soccer fan's jaw and nose in Europe
https://www.thetimes.com/sport/football/article/england-football-hooligan-banned-euro-2024-9wfx0z3fn
UK- Government's New “Fraud Bill” Sparks Fears of Financial Surveillance
https://insight.scmagazineuk.com/proposed-fraud-error-and-debt-bill-raises-privacy-concerns
https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/controversial-dwp-plan-crack-down-30021163
UK- Kent cop fired after stripping naked and masturbating near children's playground
UK- Competition and Markets Authority investigating Google's changes to Privacy Sandbox
https://www.gov.uk/cma-cases/investigation-into-googles-privacy-sandbox-browser-changes
SCT- Government expands its ScotAccount digital ID system to more public services
https://blogs.gov.scot/digital/2024/09/23/scotaccount-helping-more-people-to-access-public-services-online/
SCT- Chief Constable announces plans for facial recognition body cams
https://www.facebook.com/PoliceScotland/videos/904118441591112/
China- Police have been given quotas to ID and expel undocumented North Korean migrants
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2024/09/25/asia-pacific/police-surveillance-north-koreans-china/
Japan- Family Mart tests Panasonic's "Face Pass" to ID customers
Hong Kong: Academic Freedom Declines Under Security Law
https://www.hrw.org/news/2024/09/24/hong-kong-academic-freedom-declines-under-security-law
“We Can’t Write the Truth Anymore” Academic Freedom in Hong Kong Under the National Security Law
Hong Kong- The first 6 months of government's new security law: 3 jailed over a seditious T-shirt, bus graffiti, social media posts
Hong Kong- Government sentences new editor to 21 months in jail
Taiwan- CyberLink Corp. Launches FaceMe SDK 7.0 Enhanced Facial Recognition for Retail Businesses
https://www.cyberlink.com/eng/press_room/view_5084.html
South Korea- Worldcoin fined $830K for privacy violations
https://www.ccn.com/news/crypto/worldcoin-list-of-countries-investigating/
India- 9 airports are using SITA facial recognition to ID passengers
https://www.sita.aero/pressroom/news-releases/sita-technology-digiyatra-initiative/
Indonesia- 150 facial recognition e-Gates installed in airports
https://www.passengerterminaltoday.com/news/biometrics/vision-box-implements-more-than-150-e-gates-at-indonesian-airports.html
Niger: Government's New Terrorism Database Threatens People's Rights
https://www.hrw.org/news/2024/09/30/niger-new-terrorism-database-threatens-rights
Saudi Arabia- New Rules for Personal Data Protection Officers
https://www.charlesrussellspeechlys.com/en/insights/quick-reads/102jk17-safeguarding-data-privacy-saudi-arabias-new-rules-for-personal-data-protection/
AU- Disgusted: Info Commissioner Clears 7-Eleven Over Facial Recognition Use
AU- AI ban ordered after child protection worker used ChatGPT in Victorian court case
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/sep/26/victoria-child-protection-chat-gpt-ban-ovic-report-ntwnfb
NZ- BS Warning: Privacy Commissioner claims grocery store facial recognition is meeting privacy measures
Canada- The CSE should make changes or stop using polygraphs
https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/cse-should-make-changes-or-stop-using-polygraphs-watchdog-report-1.7054520
Canada- Calgary police ask for public's health in IDing a suspected arsonist. Best guess: Darth Vader's grand kid
https://calgary.ctvnews.ca/calgary-police-release-photo-of-teen-suspect-in-riverbend-fires-1.7048879
Canada- ID theft and false credit applications drive 54% surge in auto fraud
https://www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/business/id-theft-and-false-credit-applications-drive-54-surge-in-auto-fraud-equifax-canada/article_b69a89af-abd7-52d5-bb8b-3610c46a1916.html