U.S. Privacy And World Privacy News
U.S. Privacy And World Privacy News
Meta Is Aggressively Censoring Criticism Of US-Israeli Warmongering
The Government Compels Silence Again
"What if the person whose data is sought has a claim of privacy on the data? What if the owner and creator of the data relied on the Fourth Amendment to keep the government’s hands off of it? What if that person was the President of the United States at the time he created the data? What if he has a claim of executive privilege on it? What if all persons have a privacy claim on all stored data and have a right to resist the government’s efforts to seek it?"
https://www.njherald.com/story/opinion/2024/10/10/opinion-the-government-compels-silence-again/75589580007/
The Brookings Institution Campaigning to Censor Satire
The Brookings Institution, seems to believe it has solved the problem faced by those who would like to censor memes. The problem is that memes are a form of satire, and censoring them while claiming to be a democracy is a difficult task. The Brookings, meanwhile, is not just any foot soldier in the “war on memes”: it is a powerful think tank funded by the likes of Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft, but also massive financial institutions like JPMorgan Chase (via its philanthropic foundation) and that of Mastercard, Impact Fund.
https://reclaimthenet.org/the-think-tank-campaigning-to-censor-satire
https://www.brookings.edu/articles/ai-memes-election-disinformation-manifested-through-satire/
Hillary Clinton Wants To Repeal Section 230
"Hillary Clinton said on CNN this weekend that repealing Section 230 of federal communications law should be a top political priority. The former secretary of state's comments are a reminder that this vital protection for free speech is far from safe, even if we seem to be on the other side of peak anti-230 politics. The law is vital for allowing free speech to flourish online, because without it companies would have a strong incentive to suppress much more user-generated content. It's vital for companies that want to rein in certain sorts of speech on their own specific platforms as well—allowing them to moderate and suppress spam, hateful rhetoric, pornography, or any other types of speech they find objectionable."
https://reason.com/2024/10/07/hillary-clinton-wants-to-repeal-section-230/
https://www.techdirt.com/2024/10/07/hillary-clintons-continued-confusion-about-section-230-highlights-need-for-basic-tech-literacy-among-politicians/
Disinformation Isn’t the Problem. Government Coverups and Censorship Are the Problem
https://www.rutherford.org/publications_resources/john_whiteheads_commentary/disinformation_isnt_the_problem_government_coverups_and_censorship_are_the_problem
There Are More Abortion Rights Ballot Measures Than Ever Before
Feds Claim Access to 1.2 Billion Private Acres Without Warrant or Probable Cause
https://www.agweb.com/news/business/farmland/feds-claim-access-1-2-billion-private-acres-without-warrant-or-probable-ca
Anti-Domestic Violence Organizations call on Congress to pass the DELETE Act
"Data brokers, tech companies that collect and sell personally identifying data about individuals without their permission, are not covered by existing protections for abuse survivors. These brokers share sensitive and personal information, including residential and employment addresses, phone numbers, social security numbers, location history, purchase history, and web browsing history. Abusers can easily purchase information from data brokers to stalk, threaten, or harass survivors and the advocates, counselors, healthcare workers, lawyers, and other helpers who support them."
https://www.fightforthefuture.org/news/2024-10-10-anti-domestic-violence-organizations-call-on-congress-to-pass-the-delete-act/
EFF to Fifth Circuit: Age Verification Laws Will Hurt More Than They Help
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2024/10/eff-fifth-circuit-age-verification-laws-will-hurt-more-they-help
NordVPN launches its first app with post-quantum encryption support
https://www.pcworld.com/article/2476701/nordvpn-launches-its-first-app-with-post-quantum-encryption-support.html
Amusing: Robot Vacuums Hacked to Shout Slurs at Their Owners
https://www.vice.com/en/article/ecovacs-robot-vacuums-hacked-slurs/
iPhone Mirroring is currently a privacy and legal risk on work Macs
https://9to5mac.com/2024/10/08/iphone-mirroring-is-currently-a-privacy-and-legal-risk-on-work-macs/
Hardening modern iPhone against forensic tools
https://discuss.privacyguides.net/t/hardening-modern-iphone-against-forensic-tools/21254
You Should Stop Trusting Google and Instagram With Your Photos
https://slate.com/technology/2024/10/instagram-story-archive-deleted-erasing-digital-memories.html
What Google’s U-Turn on Third-Party Cookies Means for Chrome Privacy
https://www.wired.com/story/google-chrome-third-party-cookies-privacy-rollback/
After setbacks, Google privacy lawsuit moves forward
https://www.courthousenews.com/after-setbacks-google-privacy-suit-moves-forward/
Google Keeps Trying to Close Off the Open Web
https://gizmodo.com/antitrust-be-damned-google-keeps-trying-to-close-off-the-open-web-2000510428
Yawn: DOJ Considers Google Breakup After Antitrust Ruling
https://www.cnbc.com/2024/10/08/doj-indicates-its-considering-google-breakup-following-monopoly-ruling.html
Google slams DOJ’s proposal to split company up on anti-competitive grounds
https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366613216/Google-slams-US-governments-proposal-to-split-company-up-on-anti-competitive-grounds
BS Warning: The Association of National Advertisers Ad Industry Criticizes FTC's 'Commercial Surveillance' Report
https://www.ana.net/content/show/id/pr-2024-09-ftc
Is Big Tech harming society? To find out, we need research, but it's being manipulated by Big Tech itself
https://techxplore.com/news/2024-10-big-tech-society.html
Silicon Valley, the New Lobbying Monster
"From crypto to A.I., the tech sector is pouring millions into super PACS that intimidate politicians into supporting its agenda."
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2024/10/14/silicon-valley-the-new-lobbying-monster
Water supplier American Water Works says systems hacked
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/security-hack-breach-american-water-works/
Former Uber security head argues for new trial on obstruction of justice conviction (2016 data breach)
https://www.courthousenews.com/former-uber-security-head-argues-for-new-trial-on-obstruction-of-justice-conviction/
Millions of Vehicles Could Be Hacked and Tracked Thanks to a Simple Website Bug
https://www.wired.com/story/kia-web-vulnerability-vehicle-hack-track/
Man discovers GPS tracker hidden in his Toyota GR Corolla , sues dealer
https://www.carscoops.com/2024/07/toyota-gr-corolla-owner-sues-dealer-over-secret-gps-tracker/
Mazda Now Requires Monthly Subscription for Remote Start
https://www.motor1.com/news/729233/mazda-connected-services-remote-start-subscription/
Uber and Avride Team Up for Food Deliveries and Robotaxi Services
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/uber-avride-team-food-deliveries-144900838.html
After Hurricane Milton, a growing risk: Flooded electric cars going up in flames
https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/environment/climate-change/article293730084.html
John Deere Under Fire For Efforts To Monopolize Repairs Again
Appeals Court to review civil rights lawsuit alleging environmental racism in a Louisiana parish
https://apnews.com/article/louisiana-st-james-parish-environmental-racism-b4073cab2ac502ce6fa386cbca675a51
ADT discloses second data breach in 2 months
Comcast data breach affects 230K people
A data breach has exposed the names, addresses, social security numbers, and birthdates of more than 237,700 Comcast customers.
https://www.theverge.com/2024/10/7/24264283/comcast-fcbs-data-breach-ssn-names
The Internet Archive data breach affected 31M accounts
https://www.theverge.com/2024/10/9/24266419/internet-archive-ddos-attack-pop-up-message
A Sale of 23andMe’s Data Would Be Bad for Privacy. Here’s What Customers Can Do
File under wishful thinking
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2024/10/sale-23andmes-data-would-be-bad-privacy-heres-what-customers-can-do
How to protect your baby’s photos on the internet
How about not posting their pics. to Google or social media for starters?
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2024/oct/10/protecting-your-child-photos-online-privacy
RAND warns of hostile countries use of AI deepfakes and risks to privacy
https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA3295-1.html
GSK to pay $2.2B to Settle Zantac Cancer Lawsuit
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c62r5nn94d7o
DISGUSTED CVS, UnitedHealth, Cigna ask FTC's Khan to disqualify herself from insulin case
"The companies said Khan, along with Slaughter and Bedoya, displayed bias against pharmacy benefit managers and prejudged their pricing models."
https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/cvs-unitedhealth-ask-ftcs-khan-2-commissioners-be-disqualified-case-2024-10-09/
Texas sues Express Scripts, CVS Caremark and Optum Rx over high insulin prices
These synthetic insulin drugs, which today cost the manufacturers less than $2 to produce and were originally priced at $20 when released in the late 1990s, now range between $300 and $700. In the last decade alone, the manufacturers who are defendants in the lawsuit have increased the prices of their insulins up to 1,000%.
https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/news/releases/attorney-general-ken-paxton-sues-big-pharma-drug-manufacturers-and-pharmacy-benefit-managers
Patent bills could end up costing patients more at the pharmacy shelves
"Two bills could seriously undermine the ability of generic and biosimilar drugs from making it to our pharmacy shelves."
https://pirg.org/updates/patent-bills-could-end-up-costing-patients-more-at-the-pharmacy-shelves/
92 Percent of Healthcare Firms Hit by Cyberattacks This Year
https://www.healthcaredive.com/news/healthcare-cyberattacks-patient-care-disruption-ponemon-proofpoint-survey/729251/
https://assets.turtl.co/customer-assets/tenant%3Dteam/pfpt-us-tr-cyber-insecurity-healthcare-ponemon-report-2024%20(1).pdf
Virtua Health sued for drug screening pregnant patients
https://www.themarshallproject.org/2024/10/05/pregnancy-drug-test-new-jersey
State & Local Privacy News
MA- Access To Courts Limited By Inoperable, Overused Public Terminals
https://www.nefac.org/news/access-massachusetts-courts-limited-inoperable-overused-terminals/
https://www.nefac.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/nefac_public_court_terminals.pdf
MA- Mount Holyoke College tells faculty to report ‘misgendering,’ ‘incorrect’ pronoun use
PA- The Greenfield Township purchased a license plate reader
MD- Montgomery Co. schools could get $2M for vape detectors from county council
https://wtop.com/montgomery-county/2024/10/mcps-could-get-2m-for-vape-detectors-from-county-council/
MD- The University of Maryland tried to suspend the First Amendment on October 7. The Constitution doesn’t allow that
https://www.thefire.org/news/university-maryland-tried-suspend-first-amendment-october-7-constitution-doesnt-allow
https://www.thefire.org/news/federal-court-blocks-university-marylands-unconstitutional-expressive-event-ban
GA- State Supreme Court Restores State’s 6-Week Abortion Ban
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/07/us/georgia-supreme-court-abortion-ban.html
MO- The Columbia Police Department and the Parks and Recreation Dept. to use 130 Flock Safety license plate readers
IL- Normal police to install 40 Flock Safety license plate readers
ID- Commissioner Ryan Davidson opposes red light camera pilot
https://www.idahostatesman.com/news/local/community/boise/article293726374.html
TX- New Contract for Austin Police Officers Includes Pay Raise and New Transparency Rules
TX- Governments' 100-Plus Year Investigatory Tool Ruled Unconstitutional
https://news.bloomberglaw.com/litigation/texas-100-plus-year-investigatory-tool-ruled-unconstitutional
CA- LAPD to install 100 license plate readers in the Northwest San Fernando Valley
https://valleynewsgroup.com/crime-fighting-license-plate-readers-go-live-in-north-valley/
CA- Legislature AI and Consumer Data Privacy Wrap-up
https://oaklandprivacy.org/2024-state-legislature-wrap-up/
WA- The Edmonds City Council considers using police grant to purchase Flock Safety license plate readers
"There would be no cost to implement this system in Edmonds, thanks to a $131,880 grant from the Washington Auto Theft Prevention Authority, a subcommittee of the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs. The grant would cover all expenses related to installation, maintenance and data storage for a two-year period."
https://myedmondsnews.com/2024/10/city-council-works-to-update-purchasing-policies-discusses-police-proposal-for-license-plate-readers/
World Privacy News
Biometric Surveillance technologies at European borders
https://borderviolence.eu/app/uploads/Border-surveillance-in-Evros.pdf
Surveilling Europe’s edges: when digitization means dehumanization
https://edri.org/our-work/surveilling-europes-edges-when-digitalisation-means-dehumanisation/
EU Commission proposes an EU Digital Travel app
https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_24_5047
Rushed EU eID Wallet risks privacy and security: Calls for safeguards are getting ignored
Sounds Familiar!
"While the Commission is chasing an unrealistic deadline, the whole process is becoming more and more undemocratic. First of all, the implementing acts do not need to pass through the European Parliament, which excludes Members of the European Parliament from oversight over the details of the European eID’s implementation. This is especially problematic because the Commission is essentially ignoring the law that the implementing acts must abide by (i.e. the eIDAS regulation). Secondly, the speed at which the Commission is pushing for the eID’s implementation does not even allow for a proper review process, let alone the time necessary to lay out the details of a safe and secure cross border eID system that citizens can trust. Nobody could review the feedback on even one, let alone five implementing acts in this extremely tight time frame."
https://edri.org/our-work/rushed-eu-eid-wallet-risks-privacy-and-security-calls-for-safeguards-are-getting-ignored-in-hasty-eidas-implementation/
EU endorses its US data-sharing deal, as privacy advocates point to loophole
https://www.euronews.com/next/2024/10/11/eu-endorses-its-us-data-sharing-deal-as-privacy-advocates-point-to-loopholes
Worldcoin focuses on expanding in Asia where government's care less about privacy
https://sifted.eu/articles/worldcoin-europe-gdpr
Europe’s privacy patrol is spoiling Big Tech’s AI party
https://www.politico.eu/article/europe-privacy-patrol-vengeance-block-ai-artificial-intelligence/
Israel Threatened to Kill Teen Journalist in Gaza—Then Did
"Western journalists and editors should hang their heads in shame for their outrageous silence in the face of these crimes," said one professor.
https://www.commondreams.org/news/journalists-killed-in-gaza-2669341750
Israeli forces fire at UN peacekeeper positions in south Lebanon
https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/hezbollah-targets-israeli-troops-lebanese-border-sirens-beirut-2024-10-09/
Global Outrage as Israeli Forces Fire on UN Peacekeepers
https://www.commondreams.org/news/israel-un-peacekeepers
Israel Arrests US Journalist Who Documented Damage From Iran Missile Strike
https://x.com/TheGrayzoneNews/status/1844538352411820111
Gaza Doctor Corrects CNN Anchor: 'This Is Not a Humanitarian Crisis... This Is Genocide'
https://www.commondreams.org/news/media-coverage-of-gaza
Historic ICC War Crimes Complaint Names 1,000 Israeli Soldiers
"This complaint is not only the largest ever submitted to the ICC, but it is also a milestone in documenting Israeli war crimes for future generations."
https://www.commondreams.org/news/icc-israel-war-crimes
Human rights organizations oppose Ethiopia election to UN Human Rights Council
https://www.globalr2p.org/publications/ethiopia-should-not-be-elected-to-the-un-human-rights-council/
UN General Assembly must open formal negotiations on Crimes Against Humanity Convention
https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2024/10/un-negotiations-crimes-against-humanity-convention/
Teachers in Russian-occupied territories coerced to teach Government curriculum through threats and violence
Russia- Government Blocks Instant Messaging Platform Discord
Netherlands- Personal data of every cop compromised in suspected state-sponsored cyber attack
Czech Republic- The Ministry of the Interior is trying to circumvent the AI Act (facial recognition at airports)
Germany- American writer living in Germany could face jail time for using satirical swastika to voice dissent
Germany- Government Rushes to Expand Biometric Surveillance
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2024/10/germany-rushes-expand-biometric-surveillance
France- Government to add health card information to national digital ID app
UK- Psychological warfare unit collaborated with Israeli army
https://www.declassifieduk.org/uk-psychological-warfare-unit-collaborated-with-israeli-army/
UK- What’s the military doing in Lebanon?
https://www.declassifieduk.org/whats-britain-doing-in-lebanon/
UK- Irony: Government accuses Russia of violating international humanitarian law in Ukraine
UK- Public stabbing 100m from a police facial recognition van 'shows it's not a deterrent'
https://www.mylondon.news/news/south-london-news/croydon-stabbing-100m-facial-recognition-30088605
UK- Met cop fired for 'spanking' 12-year-old girl numerous times
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cd6qgw97w92o
UK- Government wants to spy on your bank accounts
https://www.spiked-online.com/2024/10/08/labour-wants-to-spy-on-your-bank-accounts/
UK- Calling a man 'bald' is sexual harassment, High Court rules
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13940587/Calling-man-bald-sexual-harassment-High-Court-rules-electrician-called-bald-c-male-supervisor.html
UK- Spying bosses raise workplace stress and lower productivity
https://www.thetimes.com/business-money/economics/article/snooping-bosses-raise-workplace-stress-and-lower-productivity-zbzwh2qcw
Bossware: The dangers of high-tech worker surveillance and how to stop them
https://bigbrotherwatch.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/BosswareWebVersion.pdf
UK- ICO launches new data protection audit framework
https://ico.org.uk/about-the-ico/media-centre/news-and-blogs/2024/10/new-data-protection-audit-framework-launched/
IRL- The N. Ireland Department of Health's Totalitarian Public Health Bill
https://brownstone.org/articles/n-irelands-totalitarian-public-health-bill/
IRL- New Digital Services Act has strong ties to Meta, but assures independence
Hong Kong- Government to use facial recognition to ID people at Chung Ying Street checkpoint
https://www.thestandard.com.hk/section-news/section/47418625/266727/Facial-recognition-system-to-be-used-at-border-town-checkpoint
Fiji- Government to roll out national digital ID program over 3 years
https://www.fbcnews.com.fj/news/national-digital-id-program-to-foster-inclusion/
Myanmar- Two activists at grave risk of torture after arrests
India- Adani Airport Holdings Limited to use Thales Group facial recognition to ID passengers
https://www.thalesgroup.com/en/worldwide/digital-identity-and-security/press_release/adani-airport-holdings-limited-and-thales
India- Government launches digital family ID cards
https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/telangana-cm-launches-family-digital-card-pilot-programme/article68713025.ece
Turkey- Government Blocks Instant Messaging Platform Discord
https://www.reuters.com/technology/turkey-blocks-instant-messaging-platform-discord-2024-10-09/
Pakistan- Pakistani cops executed two alleged blasphemers
https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/pakistani-police-officer-kills-man-accused-blasphemy-2024-09-12/
https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/pakistani-blasphemy-suspects-family-forgives-police-officer-accused-killing-him-2024-09-19/
AU- Only half of the country's law enforcement agencies have banned cops from using encrypted messaging apps
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/oct/11/half-of-australias-law-enforcement-agencies-have-banned-officers-using-encrypted-messaging-apps
AU- Many of the country’s top car sellers are collecting and sharing driver data
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/oct/09/many-of-australias-top-car-sellers-collect-share-driver-data-choice-investigation
Brazil- X to be reinstated after complying with Supreme Court demands
https://www.cnbc.com/2024/10/08/elon-musks-x-back-online-in-brazil-after-receiving-court-clearance.html