Privacy

#DOGE wins at Supreme Court; conservative majority ends limits on data access

https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2025/06/supreme-court-gives-doge-unfettered-access-to-sensitive-social-security-data/

#privacy #SCOTUS #politics

A Researcher Figured Out How to Reveal Any Phone Number Linked to a #Google Account

https://www.wired.com/story/a-researcher-figured-out-how-to-reveal-any-phone-number-linked-to-a-google-account/

#privacy

#DHS Black Hawks and Military Aircraft Surveil the #LA Protests

https://www.404media.co/dhs-black-hawks-and-military-aircraft-surveil-the-la-protests/

#privacy #surveillance #politics #protest

"A cybersecurity researcher was able to figure out the phone number linked to any Google account, information that is usually not public and is often sensitive, according to the researcher, Google, and 404 Media’s own tests.

The issue has since been fixed but at the time presented a privacy issue in which even hackers with relatively few resources could have brute forced their way to peoples’ personal information.

“I think this exploit is pretty bad since it's basically a gold mine for SIM swappers,” the independent security researcher who found the issue, who goes by the handle brutecat, wrote in an email. SIM swappers are hackers who take over a target's phone number in order to receive their calls and texts, which in turn can let them break into all manner of accounts.

In mid-April, we provided brutecat with one of our personal Gmail addresses in order to test the vulnerability. About six hours later, brutecat replied with the correct and full phone number linked to that account."

https://www.wired.com/story/a-researcher-figured-out-how-to-reveal-any-phone-number-linked-to-a-google-account/

#Privacy #Google #DataProtection #CyberSecurity #Hacking

"Isabela Fernandes believes free, open-source software has helped build the internet, and will be key to improving it for all. As executive director of the Tor Project – the nonprofit behind the decentralized, onion-routing network providing crucial online anonymity to activists and dissidents around the world – she has fought tirelessly for everyone to have private access to an uncensored internet, and Tor has become one of the world's strongest tools for privacy and freedom online.

Fernandes joins EFF’s Cindy Cohn and Jason Kelley to discuss the importance of not just accepting technology as it’s given to us, but collaboratively breaking it, tinkering with it, and rebuilding it together until it becomes the technology that we really need to make our world a better place.

In this episode you’ll learn about:

• How the Tor network protects the anonymity of internet users around the world, and why that’s so important
• Why online privacy is NOT only for “people who have something to hide”
• The importance of making more websites friendly and accessible to Tor and similar systems
• How Tor can actually benefit law enforcement
• How free, open-source software can power economic booms"

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/05/podcast-episode-why-three-tors-magic-number

#Tor #Privacy #Anonymity #OpenSource #FLOSS #DigitalRights

"As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes more integrated into higher education, institutions find themselves balancing two competing imperatives: promoting data access that is open to all for collaboration to drive innovation and research, and protecting student privacy and institutional autonomy. While AI promises more personalization, predictive insights, and resource optimization for students and educators, its reliance on large-scale student data magnifies the risks of surveillance, discrimination, and educational technology (edtech) vendor overreach. The current higher education landscape demonstrates the diverse ways in which colleges and universities approach their students’ data in the age of AI, ranging from open-arms data sharing to risk-averse data hoarding. A third option—intentional, collaborative data governance—offers a way to harness AI’s potential while safeguarding the core values of higher education."

https://www.newamerica.org/oti/briefs/new-trolley-problem/

#AI #GenerativeAI #Universities #HigherEd #DataProtection #DataGovernance #Privacy #Surveillance

Russian Intelligence Says It Collects #WeChat Data. What Does That Mean?

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/07/world/europe/russia-china-wechat-spying.html

#Russia #privacy #China #SocialMedia

Tired of software tracking you, and using your content to feed AI services? Switch to free and open source software – like #LibreOffice, which is backed by a non-profit (@[email protected]) and has zero interest in your data: https://blog.documentfoundation.org/blog/2025/06/10/libreoffice-for-end-user-privacy-tdfs-annual-report-2024/ #foss #OpenSource #privacy

#California county accused of using #drones to spy on residents

https://www.sfgate.com/cannabis/article/sonoma-county-drone-aclu-lawsuit-20363620.php

#privacy #Sonoma #surveillance

Our kids are under #surveillance: The hidden #privacy crisis in #EdTech

https://proton.me/blog/ed-tech-trackers#protect-your-child

#education

Selling #Surveillance as Convenience

https://www.privacyguides.org/articles/2025/06/07/selling-surveillance-as-convenience/

#privacy

Vanadium version 137.0.7151.72.2 released:

https://github.com/GrapheneOS/Vanadium/releases/tag/137.0.7151.72.2

See the linked release notes for a summary of the improvements over the previous release and a link to the full changelog.

Forum discussion thread:

https://discuss.grapheneos.org/d/23024-vanadium-version-13707151722-released

#GrapheneOS #privacy #security #browser

Oooh look, those food delivery robots are the eyes and ears of the LAPD!

"Food Delivery Robots Are Feeding Camera Footage to the LAPD, Internal Emails Show"
(9/28/2023)

https://www.404media.co/serve-food-delivery-robots-are-feeding-camera-footage-to-the-lapd-internal-emails-show/

#bigbrother #privacy #surveillance

"The consolidation of government records equals more government power that can be abused. Different government agencies necessarily collect information to provide essential services or collect taxes. The danger comes when the government begins pooling that data and using it for reasons unrelated to the purpose it was collected.

Imagine, for instance, a scenario where a government employee could be denied health-related public services or support because of the information gathered about them by an agency that handles HR records. Or a person’s research topic according to federal grants being used to weigh whether or not that person should be allowed to renew a passport.

Marginalized groups are most vulnerable to this kind of abuse, including to locate individuals for immigration enforcement using tax records. Government records could also be weaponized against people who receive food subsidies, apply for student loans, or take government jobs.

Congress recognized these dangers 50 years ago when it passed the Privacy Act to put strict limits on the government’s use of large databases. At that time, trust in the government eroded after revelations about White House enemies’ lists, misuse of existing government personality profiles, and surveillance of opposition political groups."

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/06/dangers-consolidating-all-government-information

#USA #Trump #Centralization #PoliceState #Surveillance #Privacy #DataProtection

Vanadium version 137.0.7151.72.1 released:

https://github.com/GrapheneOS/Vanadium/releases/tag/137.0.7151.72.1

See the linked release notes for a summary of the improvements over the previous release and a link to the full changelog.

Forum discussion thread:

https://discuss.grapheneos.org/d/22979-vanadium-version-13707151721-released

#GrapheneOS #privacy #security #browser

Ente Photos will now remind you of your memories at the start of the day.

We'll sift through your photos and notify you if there are moments to revisit.

Your data is processed locally on device, so you get full #privacy.

Victory! #Austin Organizers Cancel City's #Flock #ALPR Contract

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/06/victory-austin-organizers-cancel-citys-flock-alpr-contract

#privacy #surveillance #politics

Downing Street ‘exploring plan for digital ID cards’

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/downing-street-id-card-proposal-uk-britain-b2764803.html

#UK #privacy

EFF to Department Homeland Security: No #SocialMedia #Surveillance of Immigrants

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/06/eff-department-homeland-security-no-social-media-surveillance-immigrants

#DHS #privacy #politics #immigration

#Tax resolution firm #OptimaTaxRelief hit by #ransomware, data leaked

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/tax-resolution-firm-optima-tax-relief-hit-by-ransomware-data-leaked/

#privacy #cybersecurity #DataBreach

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#Datenschutz #FOSS #Kuketz #Privacy #Infosec

Old AT&T data leak repackaged to link SSNs, DOBs to 49M phone numbers

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/old-atandt-data-leak-repackaged-to-link-ssns-dobs-to-49m-phone-numbers/

#privacy #ATT

"Twelve years ago today, Edward Snowden — a longtime Freedom of the Press Foundation (FPF) board member — blew the whistle to journalists on global mass surveillance programs, changing the way we think about the relationship between privacy and national security.

The 2013 revelations take on added urgency as the Trump administration reportedly attempts to circumvent existing privacy guardrails to build a “master database” containing the most sensitive information the government holds on any given individual.

Such a database, combined with the government’s sprawling surveillance authorities, would grant the administration an unprecedented view into our private lives and provide it more opportunities to crack down on dissent.

It’s all the more reason to revisit what abuses the Snowden disclosures helped us mitigate, and which still urgently need fixing.

Here are some of the top impacts the disclosures had. Since it’s the 12th anniversary, we’ll list 12 of them."

https://freedom.press/the-classifieds/snowden-surveillance-revelations-take-on-added-urgency-12-years-later/

#USA #Snowden #NSA #Surveillance #PoliceState #MassSurveillance #Privacy

Recent commits suggest #Signal is preparing a paid subscription for backups

https://lemmy.ml/post/31209424

#FOSS #privacy #cybersecurity

#Germany fines #Vodafone $51 million for #privacy, security breaches

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/germany-fines-vodafone-51-million-for-privacy-security-breaches/

#cybersecurity