U.S. Privacy And World Privacy News
Trump’s family denied German heritage for years
https://www.cnn.com/2017/11/28/politics/trump-family-heritage/index.html
GOP AGs Argue States Have Compelling Interest In Getting Teen Girls Pregnant
https://abovethelaw.com/2024/10/gop-attorney-general-teen-pregnancy-abortion/
Abortion Is on the Ballot in These 10 States
"Republican officials have gone to sometimes extreme lengths to undermine the latest measures."
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2024/10/abortion-is-on-the-ballot-in-these-10-states/
Gun-Makers Gave Sensitive Customer Information to Political Operatives Without Consent
https://www.propublica.org/article/gunmakers-owners-sensitive-personal-information-glock-remington-nssf
DISGUSTED: State Supreme Court: Web browsing tracking doesn't violate Massachusetts wiretap law
https://www.reuters.com/legal/transactional/web-browsing-tracking-doesnt-violate-massachusetts-wiretap-law-court-rules-2024-10-24/
https://commonwealthbeacon.org/courts/tracking-cookies-doesnt-violate-wiretap-law-sjc-rules/
https://www.mass.gov/doc/vita-v-new-england-baptist-hospital-sjc-13542/download
How the SEC Violates the Privacy of 6 Out of 10 Americans
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/3186124/new-sec-database-violates-privacy-freedom-association/
The CFPB Cracks Down on Unchecked Worker Surveillance
Microsoft Word “censors” the term maternity leave
https://freespeechunion.org/microsoft-word-censors-the-term-maternity-leave/
YAWN: Missouri AG to investigate Google over allegations of censoring conservative speech
https://www.reuters.com/technology/missouri-probe-google-over-allegations-censoring-conservative-speech-2024-10-25/
Lawmakers ask DoJ to prosecute tax prep firms for leaking taxpayer data to Google
https://therecord.media/lawmakers-ask-doj-to-prosecute-tax-prep-firms-sharing-data-meta-google
Advocacy groups want Google exec Kent Walker punished for deleting chats
https://www.theverge.com/2024/10/22/24275745/kent-walker-google-california-bar-evidence-antitrust
DOJ argues Google AI should be considered in search monopoly remedy trial
https://www.courthousenews.com/doj-argues-ai-should-be-considered-in-search-monopoly-remedy-trial/
Supreme Court Justice nixes South Carolina government’s immunity from Google data subpoena
Raytheon to pay more than $950M to settle foreign bribery charges
Millions in the U.S. May Be Drinking Groundwater Tainted With ‘Forever Chemicals’
https://gizmodo.com/millions-in-the-u-s-may-be-drinking-groundwater-tainted-with-forever-chemicals-2000516589
Predictions of groundwater PFAS occurrence at drinking water supply depths in the US
https://www.science.org/doi/pdf/10.1126/science.ado6638
How scammers can sell your property to a third party without you even knowing it
Turbo Tax (Intuit) asked us to delete part of this Decoder episode
"Individual income taxes are more complicated in the US than in almost any other developed economy, and Intuit has been lobbying hard since the late 1990s to keep it that way to protect TurboTax, spending nearly $3.8 million in lobbying in 2023 alone."
https://www.theverge.com/2024/10/21/24273820/intuit-ceo-sasan-goodarzi-turbotax-irs-quickbooks-ai-software-decoder-interview
Billionaire Blowback on Housing: How concentrated wealth disrupts housing markets and worsens the housing affordability crisis
https://ips-dc.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/billionaire-housing-disruption-report.pdf
Millions of Android and iOS users at risk from hardcoded credentials in popular apps
T-Mobile and AT&T Are Fighting Requirement to Unlock Smartphones
https://gizmodo.com/t-mobile-and-att-are-fighting-requirement-to-unlock-smartphones-2000515091
T-Mobile receives thousands of complaints after reneging on "lifetime price lock" deal
https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2024/10/i-am-still-alive-users-say-t-mobile-must-pay-for-killing-lifetime-price-lock/
How to switch your Instagram account from public to private
https://www.theverge.com/24267793/instagram-account-meta-privacy-how-to
Mullvad VPN Warns About Traffic Leaks on Latest macOS Sequoia
https://mullvad.net/en/blog/macos-sometimes-leaks-traffic-after-system-updates
FTC Investigating John Deere Over ‘Right To Repair’ Violations
https://www.techdirt.com/2024/10/22/ftc-investigating-john-deere-over-right-to-repair-violations/
You Can Now Get Fined $51,744 for Writing a Fake Review Online
https://gizmodo.com/you-can-now-get-fined-51744-for-writing-a-fake-review-online-2000515494
CFPB Finalizes Personal Financial Data Rights Rule to Protect Privacy
Hospitals use a transcription tool (OpenAI Whisper) powered by a hallucination-prone AI model
Doctor sues Biden-Harris admin over unlawful changes to federal health privacy laws
Study on Puberty Blockers Goes Unpublished Because of Politics
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/23/science/puberty-blockers-olson-kennedy.html
Landmark Admin data breach affects 800K people
https://therecord.media/landmark-admin-data-breach-insurance-industry
UnitedHealth data breach affects 100M people
State & Local Privacy News
MA- State Supreme Court Overturns Conviction of Attorney for Smuggling Drugs Into Prison
"The petitioner, lawyer Elana Gordon, argued that the prosecution’s use of a scientific expert at trial who had not personally analyzed the drugs violated her constitutional right to confront an accuser. The state here agreed with Gordon that the case should be returned to a lower court for a second look."
https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/supreme-court-overturns-conviction-of-attorney-for-smuggling-drugs-into-massachusetts-prison-5746580
MA- EFF's Amicus Brief: Pretrial Electronic Monitoring Should Not Eviscerate Privacy Rights
https://www.eff.org/document/amicus-brief-commonwealth-v-govan
MA- Abington school cop connected to Sandra Birchmore might be decertified
MA- Tearing down Mass and Cass homeless encampment only spread its problems into surrounding Boston neighborhoods
https://www.universalhub.com/2024/tearing-down-mass-and-cass-encampment-only-spread
MA- City of Somerville to pay former owners of seized property $28m
https://www.bostonglobe.com/2024/10/20/metro/somerville-washington-street-eminent-domain-28-million/
MA- Shake Shack fined $244K over child labor violations
https://www.boston.com/news/crime/2024/10/22/shake-shack-fined-for-child-labor-violations/
FL- General Counsel for the state Health Department Quits Over DeSantis’s Attacks on Abortion Amendment
https://theintercept.com/2024/10/21/florida-desantis-abortion-amendment-lawyer-quits/
FL- Students Are Already Living Project 2025’s Dark Promise
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2024/10/florida-ron-desantis-project-2025-sex-education/
FL- BS Warning: Lawyer says she used trust account funds to avoid becoming homeless
https://www.miamiherald.com/news/state/florida/article294054449.html
OH- State supreme court orders juvenile records unsealed
https://www.courthousenews.com/upending-precedent-ohios-top-court-orders-juvenile-records-unsealed/
IA- LGBTQ+ advocates mount revamped challenge to states' book ban
https://www.courthousenews.com/lgbtq-advocates-mount-revamped-challenge-to-iowa-book-ban/
TX- Censorship Board Forces Montgomery County Memorial Public Library To Move A Non-Fiction Book To Fiction Collection
https://www.txftrp.org/american_history_indigenous_perspective_nonfiction_or_fiction
NV- Courthouse to use invasive HEXWAVE detectors on the public
https://libertydefense.com/news/liberty-defenses-hexwave-selected-by-nevada-courthouse-for-checkpoint-screening/
https://joecadillic.substack.com/p/police-to-use-tsa-style-scanners-19-05-30
https://joecadillic.substack.com/p/gillette-stadiums-facial-recognition-19-06-25
CA- Court Agrees State Can’t Apply Censorship Law Against The Babylon Bee
https://adflegal.org/press-release/political-memes-set-free-california-agrees-it-cannot-apply-censorship-law-against-babylon-bee/
CA- Proposition 36 will increase incarcerations
https://www.prisonpolicy.org/blog/2024/10/17/prop-36/
CA- UCLA 'homeless' lecturer Dr. Daniel McKeown placed on leave for calling out low school pay
https://ktla.com/news/local-news/homeless-ucla-lecturer-says-he-was-put-on-leave-after-viral-rant/
World Privacy News
EU President Likens Free Speech To Infectious Disease
https://x.com/toobaffled/status/1848695995833684082
Frontex: Act to Save Lives at Sea
https://www.hrw.org/news/2024/10/24/frontex-act-save-lives-sea
Petition: Urge Frontex to Act With Humanity
https://www.hrw.org/WithHumanity
Biometric and Digital ID in Europe: Is the Red Cross Paving the Way for a Privacy Nightmare?
BS Warning: WEF Claims Global Digital IDs Can Improve Equality
Exposed United Nations Database Left Sensitive Information Accessible Online
https://www.wired.com/story/un-women-database-exposure/
'The Entire Population of North Gaza Is at Risk of Dying': UN Relief Official
https://www.commondreams.org/news/northern-gaza-risk-dying
Israel Injured UN Peacekeepers in Lebanon With White Phosphorus
https://truthout.org/articles/israel-injured-un-peacekeepers-in-lebanon-with-white-phosphorus-report-finds/
Israeli strike kills three journalists in Lebanon
Israel Targets 6 Gaza Journalists With Apparent “Assassination Threat”
https://truthout.org/articles/israel-accuses-6-gaza-journalists-in-apparent-assassination-threat/
EU “Bending” Rules to Allow Trade With Israeli Settlements
https://theintercept.com/2024/10/23/eu-israel-settlements-trade-gaza/
Bill Gates to Stand Trial in Netherlands in COVID Vaccine Injury Lawsuit
https://www.telegraaf.nl/nieuws/1389972873/rechtszaak-bill-gates-om-vaccinatieschade-gaat-door-rechters-vinden-zich-bevoegd
WHO Chief Doubles Down on Free Speech Crackdown
https://reclaimthenet.org/who-chief-doubles-down-on-free-speech-crackdown
Elon Musk fails to get nod for EU human rights award
https://www.politico.eu/article/elon-musk-fails-to-get-nod-for-eu-human-rights-award/
European Union privacy regulator fined LinkedIn 310M euro for privacy violations
https://www.reuters.com/technology/eu-privacy-regulator-fines-linkedin-310-mln-euro-2024-10-24/
Europeans forced to cut back on food to pay mortgages as costs soar
https://www.euronews.com/business/2024/10/25/many-europeans-forced-to-cut-back-on-food-to-pay-mortgages-as-costs-soar-report
Norway- BS Warning: Government wants to raise social media age limit to 15
https://www.vg.no/nyheter/i/mPzg0q/regjeringen-vil-innfoere-15-aarsgrense-i-sosiale-medier
Poland- Digital ID company Authologic raises $8.2M
https://siliconcanals.com/polish-startup-authologic-raises-e7-5m/
Italy- The Ministry of the Interior launches digital ID program
https://www.ilmattino.it/en/launch_of_digital_id_services_on_the_io_app_by_italy_s_ministry_of_the_interior-8433337.html
DISGUSTED: UK- Government denies a visa to Mandela’s grandson over his support for Palestine
https://apnews.com/article/south-africa-mandela-grandson-hamas-uk-visa-a33f43798b8b672151953757324a9301
UK- Government Introduces New Data Governance Legislation and Digital ID Office
https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/uk-data-governance-legislation/
https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/3825
UK- BS Warning: Yoti is Excited by Government Crating Digital ID Office
https://www.yoti.com/blog/uk-data-bill/
UK- If you let Google have your data, why not the NHS?
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2024/oct/19/if-you-let-google-have-your-data-why-not-the-nhs
Philippines- City of Santa Rosa installs Corsight AI's facial recognition cameras to ID everyone
Singapore- Changi Airport claims facial recognition reduces passenger check-ins to 10 seconds
Pakistan- Government passes constitutional amendment empowering parliament to pick top judge
Turkey- The European Court of Human Rights ruled government in violation of right to liberty and freedom of expression
https://www.expressioninterrupted.com/ecthr-rules-ahmet-sik-s-right-to-liberty-and-freedom-of-expression-violated/
Egypt- Alaa Abd El-Fattah Still Imprisoned 25 Days After Release Date
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2024/10/25-days-after-alaa-abd-el-fattah-should-have-been-freed-campaign-continues
Jordan- Jordanian expats must use Iris scanners to access government services
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/identity-without-borders-irisguards-digital-070000632.html
Israel- Senior Government Ministers Call for Expulsion of Palestinians at ‘Resettle Gaza’ Conference
https://news.antiwar.com/2024/10/21/israeli-ministers-call-for-expulsion-of-palestinians-at-resettle-gaza-conference
Ethiopia- The Public Procurement and Property Authority signs MoU for national digital ID program
AU- Government launches digital incoming passenger card (facial recognition) pilot
AU- Encrypted App Session Leaves Country For Switzerland After Police Pressure
https://www.webpronews.com/session-leaves-australia-for-switzerland-after-police-pressure/
AU- Protester arrested as King Charles III faces more Indigenous criticism
https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2024/10/22/Australia-King-Charles-III-indigenous-protests/7171729599636/
AU- Religious Leaders Push Back Against Government’s Controversial Speech Bill
https://reclaimthenet.org/religious-leaders-push-back-against-australias-controversial-speech-bill
NZ- Government Punishes Gun Owners for Their Political Beliefs
https://reason.com/2024/10/25/new-zealand-government-punishes-gun-owners-for-their-political-beliefs/
Cuba- Amnesty International designates four persons as prisoners of conscience
Panama- Government unveils digital ID program
https://morimor.com/the-electoral-tribunal-establishes-the-creation-and-regulation-of-the-digital-id-and-the-digital-wallet-service/
Brazil- Payface launches Fortface
I live in Nanuet, New York at present. I received two letters from Veolia, my water company, informing me that some of our wells are contaminated with PFAS chemicals.