Privacy News General

[punisheddead]

Privacy news is hard to come by these days, it's not clickbait-y enough and it's not really in the interest of platforms which already try to take your data to share all the ways your data might be stolen.
Use this thread to share and discuss all news regarding privacy, no matter the region, no matter if it's tech, internet or IRL. The people should know.

Please share articles in English, if not possible share a link that runs through a translator or link with translated text. To prevent spam, I'll be collecting and posting news every week. Any news posted by someone else will be removed from my weekly digest.

FAQ:
Q: Why?
A: Why not.

Q: This privacy stuff is overwhelming.
A: Access your thread model, Read this. Then go from there.

Q: The page you shared is paywalled.
A: If a news page is paywalled try using archive.org or archive.is.

Q: Why should I care about this? I have nothing to hide.
A: I'll be expecting your credit card in my DMs, since you have nothing to hide, front and back.

---

I'll start us off with some older news:
Amazon secretly tracked consumers through their cellphones, lawsuit alleges (January 29, 2025):
https://www.yahoo.com/news/amazon-secretly-tracked-consumers-cellphones-194559040.html
TL;DR:

"...alleges Amazon did this through Amazon Ads SDK... By gaining "backdoor access" to people's phones, Amazon was allegedly able to collect timestamped geolocation data about where consumers live, work, shop and visit.
This data allegedly included sensitive information like religious affiliation, sexual orientation, and health issues."

A new Android feature is scanning your photos for 'sensitive content' (android safety core) (November 13, 2024)
https://www.androidauthority.com/google-messages-nudes-3499420/
We have a thread discussing this: here


Apple, in a first, drops end-to-end cloud encryption for UK users (21 Feb 2025)
https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2...rops-end-to-end-cloud-encryption-for-uk-users
Self explanatory, bad news for everyone. A dangerous precedent.


Signal might leave Sweden (February 25 2025)
https://swedenherald.com/article/signals-ceo-then-were-leaving-sweden
TL;DR:

The government wants Signal and WhatsApp to be forced to store messages sent using the apps.
"If you create a vulnerability based on Swedish wishes, it would create a way to undermine our entire network. Therefore, we would never introduce these backdoors..."

Microsoft begins turning off uBlock Origin and other extensions in Edge (Feb 26, 2025)
https://www.neowin.net/news/microsoft-begins-turning-off-ublock-origin-and-other-extensions-in-edge/
Ending of Manifest V2 support. Self explanatory, expect all Chromium based browsers to be affected.


Firefox decides they might want to sell your data at some point, deletes the promise to never do it.
https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy...r-sell-personal-data-asks-users-not-to-panic/
Self explanatory.


Chat Control: The EU's CSAM scanner proposal (11 May 2022)
https://www.patrick-breyer.de/en/posts/chat-control/
TL;DR:
Mostly affects EU but sets a dangerous precedent. Total unprecedented loss of privacy, all messages scanned, all chat services backdoored and bugged. EU officials most likely exempt...

---

And some more current news:
Everything you say to your Echo will be sent to Amazon starting on March 28/Amazon Alexa discontinuing Do Not Send Voice Recordings (Mar 14, 2025)
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/202...-will-be-sent-to-amazon-starting-on-march-28/
TL;DR:

"In an email sent to customers today, Amazon said that Echo users will no longer be able to set their devices to process Alexa requests locally and, therefore, avoid sending voice recordings to Amazon's cloud. Amazon apparently sent the email to users with "Do Not Send Voice Recordings" enabled on their Echo. Starting on March 28, recordings of everything command spoken to the Alexa living in Echo speakers and smart displays will automatically be sent to Amazon and processed in the cloud."

Iran is using drones and apps to catch women who aren't wearing hijabs (March 14, 2025)
https://edition.cnn.com/2025/03/14/middleeast/iran-nazer-app-un-report-intl-latam/


Undocumented commands found in Bluetooth chip used by a billion devices(March 8, 2025)
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/undocumented-commands-found-in-bluetooth-chip-used-by-a-billion-devices/
TL;DR:

"The ubiquitous ESP32 microchip made by Chinese manufacturer Espressif and used by over 1 billion units as of 2023 contains undocumented commands that could be leveraged for attacks.
The undocumented commands allow spoofing of trusted devices, unauthorized data access, pivoting to other devices on the network, and potentially establishing long-term persistence.
Exploitation of this backdoor would allow hostile actors to conduct impersonation attacks and permanently infect sensitive devices such as mobile phones, computers, smart locks or medical equipment by bypassing code audit controls."

Yahoo email will start feeding all your data into AI (unknown ~march 2025)
https://legal.yahoo.com/us/en/yahoo/terms/otos/index.html
TL;DR:

"By utilizing our Services, you consent to sharing data that you provide to us, or that resides within your Yahoo account, including your Yahoo Mail inbox with our AI Providers for the purpose of enhancing features within our Services made available to you. In some instances, use of AI query features may be governed by the AI Provider's terms of service and privacy policy."

---

Other privacy related threads: https://forum.agoraroad.com/index.p...lf-sufficiency-privacy-anonymity-thread.7557/ /schizonet/ - Internet Self-Sufficiency & Privacy/Anonymity Thread
https://forum.agoraroad.com/index.p...pe-corps-thread-for-the-digital-refugee.6379/ - An humble privacy-first thread (aka escape corps thread) for the digital refugee

 

[punisheddead]

Morning friends (totally didn't forget to post this earlier haha). This weeks privacy news include:

A Win for Encryption: France Rejects Backdoor Mandate (March 21, 2025)

TL;DR:
The French National Assembly has... ...rejected a dangerous proposal that would have gutted end-to-end encryption in the name of fighting drug trafficking. | Doesn't seem related to EUs chat control system.



eBay will use your data for AI training unless opted out

You can and should opt out here: https://accountsettings.ebay.com/ai-preferences



The Japanese government is considering amending the Personal Information Protection Act to allow businesses to utilize user data for AI training without user consent (March 21, 2025)

TL;DR:
...the Personal Information Protection Commission of the Japanese government has begun to consider revising the Personal Information Protection Act to promote domestic AI development in Japan. | lol, lmao even.



A new anti-LGBTQ+ bill in Hungary would ban Pride event and allow use of facial recognition software (March 17, 2025)

TL;DR:
...submitted a bill to parliament that would ban the popular Budapest Pride event and allow authorities to use facial recognition software to identify attendees. The bill is almost certain to pass, as the ruling coalition has a two-thirds majority in parliament. | EU and it's "values" am I rite?



Judge stops Musk's team from 'unbridled access' to Social Security private data (March 20, 2025)

TL;DR: Judge orders halt to SSA sharing data with Musk's aides, DOGE accessed sensitive SSA data without proper vetting, Democracy Forward calls ruling a win for data privacy | A win... for now.




23andMe likely to file for bankruptcy and sell of personal and genetic biometric data off (March 21, 2025)

TL;DR: Self explanatory. Info on how to "delete" your data is in the linked webpage. | I don't know what people expected to happen.

 

[Digital Cheese]

A Win for Encryption: France Rejects Backdoor Mandate (March 21, 2025)

TL;DR:
The French National Assembly has... ...rejected a dangerous proposal that would have gutted end-to-end encryption in the name of fighting drug trafficking. | Doesn't seem related to EUs chat control system.

France for ze win, again.

eBay will use your data for AI training unless opted out

You can and should opt out here: https://accountsettings.ebay.com/ai-preferences

The more companies do stuff like this, the more tempting it is to outright get rid of all of my accounts on big-name websites. Particularly stuff like Google and Microsoft. I may seriously consider such at this point, depending on how things play out. I don't have an eBay account, but this is far from the only company/service which is or will do this type of stuff.

The Japanese government is considering amending the Personal Information Protection Act to allow businesses to utilize user data for AI training without user consent (March 21, 2025)

TL;DR:
...the Personal Information Protection Commission of the Japanese government has begun to consider revising the Personal Information Protection Act to promote domestic AI development in Japan. | lol, lmao even.

Rare Japan L

A new anti-LGBTQ+ bill in Hungary would ban Pride event and allow use of facial recognition software (March 17, 2025)

TL;DR:
...submitted a bill to parliament that would ban the popular Budapest Pride event and allow authorities to use facial recognition software to identify attendees. The bill is almost certain to pass, as the ruling coalition has a two-thirds majority in parliament. | EU and it's "values" am I rite?

"Oy vey we too hate fags, btw join our heckin survelliance system!"

Judge stops Musk's team from 'unbridled access' to Social Security private data (March 20, 2025)

TL;DR: Judge orders halt to SSA sharing data with Musk's aides, DOGE accessed sensitive SSA data without proper vetting, Democracy Forward calls ruling a win for data privacy | A win... for now.

To be entirely honest, I am surprised Elon Musk doesn't already have access to """private""" Social Security data.

23andMe likely to file for bankruptcy and sell of personal and genetic biometric data off (March 21, 2025)

TL;DR: Self explanatory. Info on how to "delete" your data is in the linked webpage. | I don't know what people expected to happen.

Glad to have never given my DNA to shady companies just to test my ancestry. I don't believe any family have used 23AndMe in specific at least, but regardless, hilarious to see all the normies give up their DNA, and, it's even funnier that these same normies will likely panic when they realize their DNA is being sold.

 

[MySpace Tom]

Bruce Schneier's Crypto-Gram Newsletter is an excellent source of privacy news

 

[Some_porcupine]

Old news but still relevant(?)

Vault 7 - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

Vault 7 - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vault_7#cite_note-36
/ https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vault_7#Part_5_–_"HIVE"

Vault 7 - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

Vault 7 - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

WikiLeaks - Sonic Screwdriver

Etc etc

 

[punisheddead]

Good morning for those in normal time and good afternoon for those in daylight war times. This weeks privacy news include:

UK's first permanent facial recognition cameras installed in South London (27 Mar 2025)
TL;DR: 1984 "The Metropolitan Police has confirmed its first permanent installation of live facial recognition (LFR) cameras is coming this summer and the lucky location will be the South London suburb of Croydon. Chris Philp, who is also the Shadow Home Secretary, opined: "Using fixed cameras is the logical next step in the rollout of this technology, which will ensure even more wanted criminals get caught."


Millions of people's DNA up for sale as 23andMe goes bankrupt (24 March 2025)
TL;DR: Confirmation of the news previously featured. For the moment you can "delete" your data.


Secure encryption and online anonymity are now at risk in Switzerland – here's what you need to know (March 26, 2025)
TL;DR: "Switzerland is considering amending its surveillance law to add new types of monitoring and information collection. Consultations are now public and open until May 6, 2025. "It's not about end-to-end encryption. They don't want to force you to reveal what's inside the communication itself, but they want to know where it goes," Roussel explains. "They realize the value is not in what is being said but who you are talking to."" | First neutrality, now privacy. So much for the Swiss quality and word.

 

[Digital Cheese]

Millions of people's DNA up for sale as 23andMe goes bankrupt (24 March 2025)
TL;DR: Confirmation of the news previously featured. For the moment you can "delete" your data.

>Normies were surprised giving their DNA would be bad
Kek of the century.

Secure encryption and online anonymity are now at risk in Switzerland – here's what you need to know (March 26, 2025)
TL;DR: "Switzerland is considering amending its surveillance law to add new types of monitoring and information collection. Consultations are now public and open until May 6, 2025. "It's not about end-to-end encryption. They don't want to force you to reveal what's inside the communication itself, but they want to know where it goes," Roussel explains. "They realize the value is not in what is being said but who you are talking to."" | First neutrality, now privacy. So much for the Swiss quality and word.

Once again, never trust a first world country with your privacy, always trust a tech-illiterate 3rd world country with it.

 

[punisheddead]

Once again, never trust a first world country with your privacy, always trust a tech-illiterate 3rd world country with it.

There's a reason most bulletproof hosting is in Russia or the islands.

---

Good morning, apologies for the delay, life finds a way. This weeks privacy news include:

Gmail unveils end-to-end encrypted messages, except not really. (Apr 3, 2025)
TL;DR: "In other words, the actual encryption and decryption process occurs on the end-user devices, not on the organization's server or anywhere else in between. That's the part that Google says is E2EE. The keys, however, are managed by Bob's organization. Admins with full access can snoop on the communications at any time."

Sweden's Tax Authority Accused of Selling People's Data to Advertisers (April 4, 2025)
Self explanatory.

Remember ChatControl? It's back and much worse as the patriot ac-ProtectEU (~April, 2025)
TL;DR: Since this is 30+ pages of slop you get a TLDR from yours truly. Crypto and encryption bad and we gotta get rid of it for the kids and crime I guess, most European nations agree. Also to protect against Russia, somehow.| Learning from the American bureaucrat I see. Should have named it save Evropa act for the full patriotic retard bait.

 

[MySpace Tom]

There's a reason most bulletproof hosting is in Russia or the islands.

Yeah, Russia hasn't been invited to be a part of Five/Six/Nine/Fourteen Eyes or any other similar international SIGINT initiatives

 

[Digital Cheese]

There's a reason most bulletproof hosting is in Russia or the islands.

Glory To Russia And Obscure Islands.

save Evropa act

The Save Europa Act Of 2025 A.D.

Gmail unveils end-to-end encrypted messages, except not really. (Apr 3, 2025)
TL;DR: "In other words, the actual encryption and decryption process occurs on the end-user devices, not on the organization's server or anywhere else in between. That's the part that Google says is E2EE. The keys, however, are managed by Bob's organization. Admins with full access can snoop on the communications at any time."

>Normies about to trust Google again
I have a lot of "fell for it again" awards to hand out to people soon.

 

[punisheddead]

Glory To Russia And Obscure Islands.

I don't like the insinuation that us privacy driven folk are criminals buuut... Countries with organized crime tend to offer decent privacy services. I'll leave it at that.

Act

Save Europa by giving us all your sweet sweet data. Y'know for teh kids.

I have a lot of "fell for it again" awards to hand out to people soon.

It's email, people only have themselves to blame.

 

[SparkyWilson]

Glory To Russia And Obscure Islands.

The British Virgin Islands and Panama is pretty good.

I only use protonmail for my day to day email email.

 

[SparkyWilson]

UK's first permanent facial recognition cameras installed in South London (27 Mar 2025)
TL;DR: 1984 "The Metropolitan Police has confirmed its first permanent installation of live facial recognition (LFR) cameras is coming this summer and the lucky location will be the South London suburb of Croydon. Chris Philp, who is also the Shadow Home Secretary, opined: "Using fixed cameras is the logical next step in the rollout of this technology, which will ensure even more wanted criminals get caught."

Funny how the opposition is not opposing this, which they should be doing.

 

[RisingThumb]

More security news than privacy news but...

CVEs getting canned because US Government cuts spending. Information on it seems all over the place but it mainly sounds like no new CVEs will be getting issued tomorrow. This could be Cybersecurity's 9/11 moment... or it could be a nothing ever happens moment too

 

[punisheddead]

More security news than privacy news but...

It fits I'd say.

CVEs getting canned because US Government cuts spending.

This seems like a REALLY bad idea. The copium in me hopes there's some alternate system in the works.

 

[Holy]

Discord's face scanning age checks 'start of a bigger shift'

The social platform is testing age checks using facial scanning for access to sensitive content.

web.archive.org

And social media expert Matt Navarra told the BBC "this isn't a one-off - it's the start of a bigger shift".
"Regulators want real proof, and facial recognition might be the fastest route there," he said.
But campaigners have said these types of checks are ineffective and could lead to privacy issues.
"Age assurance is becoming the new seatbelt for the internet," said Mr Navarra.
"Will it become the norm in the UK? Honestly, yes, probably."
He said he believed the incoming changes in online safety laws mean online platforms would beef up their age verification processes.
"The era of 'click here to confirm you're 13' is dead," he said.

The US-based platform says the verification - which it describes as "an experiment" - will be a one-time check.
It will apply the first time a user comes across content which it has flagged as sensitive, or if they change their settings on viewing sensitive media.
Users can either use the face scanner or upload a photo of their ID to confirm their age.
It says information used for age checks will not be stored by Discord or the verification company.
Face scans will stay on the device and not be collected, and ID uploads will be deleted after the verification is complete, according to the company.

(hopefully this fits here and I'm not super late or something)

 

[SparkyWilson]

Discord's face scanning age checks 'start of a bigger shift'

The social platform is testing age checks using facial scanning for access to sensitive content.

web.archive.org

(hopefully this fits here and I'm not super late or something)

Another reason why I don't use discord.

 

[Digital Cheese]

(hopefully this fits here and I'm not super late or something)

Fits here perfectly.

Discord's face scanning age checks 'start of a bigger shift'

The social platform is testing age checks using facial scanning for access to sensitive content.

web.archive.org

More reason I don't like Discord and want to get people off of the platform.

At this rate, I may just force people to use mailing lists.

 

[RisingThumb]

This seems like a REALLY bad idea. The copium in me hopes there's some alternate system in the works.

As it turns out... it was a nothing ever happens as the US Government continues funding them. Does raise interesting questions about whether the US Government is really that good to be trusting with international cybersecurity information, considering their protectionist policies currently. I wonder if European cybersecurity groups have taken note of these events?

Discord's face scanning age checks 'start of a bigger shift'

The social platform is testing age checks using facial scanning for access to sensitive content.

web.archive.org

(hopefully this fits here and I'm not super late or something)

Looks like it'll be time to return to skype- oh wait, that's also dead. Perhaps matrix- oh wait that's an Israeli intelligence honeypot. I guess we'll just have to ask @Andy Kaufman to deliver our mail and encrypt our mail using the famously super secure ROT13 in the Agoracraft server

 

[aranha]

As it turns out... it was a nothing ever happens as the US Government continues funding them. Does raise interesting questions about whether the US Government is really that good to be trusting with international cybersecurity information, considering their protectionist policies currently. I wonder if European cybersecurity groups have taken note of these events?

Looks like it'll be time to return to skype- oh wait, that's also dead. Perhaps matrix- oh wait that's an Israeli intelligence honeypot. I guess we'll just have to ask @Andy Kaufman to deliver our mail and encrypt our mail using the famously super secure ROT13 in the Agoracraft server