Privacy

Meta says its new AI feature won't be used for targeted ads, but experts still have concerns. When people upload personal photos or videos—even if they agree to it—it's unclear how long that data is kept or who can see it. Since the processing happens in the cloud, there are risks, especially with things like facial recognition and hidden details such as time or location.

Even if it's not used for ads, this kind of data could still end up in training datasets or be used to build user profiles. It's a bit like handing your photo album to an algorithm that quietly learns your habits, preferences, and patterns over time.

Last month, Meta began to train its AI models using public data shared by adults across its platforms in the European Union after it received approval from the Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC). The company suspended the use of generative AI tools in Brazil in July 2024 in response to privacy concerns raised by the government.

WhatsApp introduced a feature called Message Summaries. It is powered by Meta AI.

Why would one need this? The Meta-owned messaging app explains that sometimes users may have too many chats to catch up with, and if you want to do so quickly, the new feature will help.

Message Summaries uses Meta's Private Processing, a technology which was introduced in May 2025. Private Processing uses certain optional Meta AI features to process messages off-device in a confidential and secure environment. WhatsApp says that this process is so secure that not even Meta or WhatsApp can read or access your personal messages.

Sure, we may occasionally have to deal with long group chats that we may have missed. But, I'm not sure if the answer to this is AI-powered summaries. It could be useful in a pinch, but the fact is an AI may not be able to determine what is important to you, and what isn't. There's a good chance that some crucial information could be overlooked by the bot. If you want to use the summarization tool when you're in a hurry, that's cool, but I would advise checking your messages when you have the time.

Message Summaries are currently rolling out to users in the U.S., specifically for users in the English language. WhatsApp says it will bring the feature to more languages and countries later this year.

Google is making a change to Gemini, which will allow it to access WhatsApp and other content by default. Imagine that, both Gemini and Meta AI can access your WhatsApp. Don't forget, WhatsApp has ads now.

Would you allow AI to access your private conversations?

Denmark plans to become the first country in the world to give its citizens copyright over their faces and voices in an effort to clamp down on “deepfakes” — videos, audio clips and images that are digitally doctored to spread false information.

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_Lxkt50xOg

In recent months, we have received numerous reports from users across West Asia and North Africa (WANA) expressing alarm over a little-known but deeply intrusive bloatware application—AppCloud—pre-installed on Samsung’s A and M series smartphones. Without users’ knowledge or consent, this bloatware collects sensitive personal data, cannot be removed without compromising device security, and offers no clear information about its privacy practices.

The new tool, called Mobile Fortify, uses the CBP system which ordinarily takes photos of people when they enter or exit the U.S., according to internal ICE emails viewed by 404 Media. Now ICE is using it in the field.

WhatsApp can now call on Meta AI to summarize your personal chats. As shown in a GIF, you can access it by tapping the button to unfurl all of your unread messages in a chat. But instead of showing your messages, WhatsApp uses Meta AI to generate a bulleted summary of what you missed.

The feature is rolling out in English in the US, with plans to launch in more countries and languages later this year. It uses Meta’s Private Processing technology, which the company claims will prevent it and other third parties from snooping on your messages.

WhatsApp, which is owned by Meta, says its AI message summaries are optional, and the feature is turned off by default. You can also use WhatsApp’s “Advanced Privacy” setting to prevent users from using AI features in group chats. We still don’t know if WhatsApp’s AI message summaries will struggle with accuracy, which is something we saw with the launch of Apple’s AI-generated message and notification rundowns.

Over the past year, Meta has continued stuffing different AI features into WhatsApp, including a way to ask Meta AI questions from within a chat, as well as a feature that generates images in real-time. Some users have grown frustrated by the new Meta AI button in the bottom-right corner of the app that they can’t turn off or remove. Meta also sparked backlash with another change that brought ads to the app — something its founders said they never wanted to do.

The app’s Private Processing is supposed to conceal your interactions with its AI model by creating a “secure cloud environment,” preventing Meta or WhatsApp from seeing your summaries. Other people in the group chat won’t be able to see the message summaries, either.

Psylo, which bills itself as a new kind of private web browser, debuted last Tuesday in Apple’s App Store, one day ahead of a report warning about the widespread use of browser fingerprinting for ad tracking and targeting.

It was a fortuitous coincidence.

Psylo for iOS and iPadOS was created by Mysk, a Canada-based app biz run by software developers and security researchers Talal Haj Bakry and Tommy Mysk.

“Psylo stands out as it is the only WebKit-based iOS browser that truly isolates tabs,” Tommy Mysk told The Register. "It’s not only about separate storage and cookies. Psylo goes beyond that.

“This is why we call tabs ‘silos.’ It applies unique anti-fingerprinting measures per silo, such as canvas randomization. This way two Psylo tabs opening the same website would appear as though they originated on two different devices to the opened website.”

Things Bill C2 does (from the site)

• Forced Corporate Spying: Companies must keep records of your personal data under secret government orders, with blanket immunity for privacy violations for handing over more than they should.
• Privacy Protections Removed: The bill allows unrestricted information sharing about migrants across all government levels. Undocumented workers asserting labour rights could face deportation when employers report them to border enforcement.

Following 404 Media’s reporting and in light of new legislation, automatic license plate reader (ALPR) company Flock has stopped agencies reaching into cameras in California, Illinois, and Virginia.

Original question by @Gloomy@mander.xyz

I am trying to get away from Google and am looking for a decent cloud service that integrated well won't Linux, either by itself or by using rclone.

I tried Proton drive, but it is laggy and overall not very good.

I just need storage, nothing fancy. Self hosting is not an option tough, at this time.

A Texas federal judge late Wednesday overturned a Biden administration rule designed to keep prosecutors from getting the medical records of patients seeking legal abortions or gender-affirming care by boosting privacy protections for women’s reproductive health information.

A 21-year-old tourist has described the horrendous treatment he allegedly received after being denied entry to the USA due to a meme depicting JD Vance as bald being found on his phone

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/31889457

Please see the cross-post as it is updated.

Could Windows and installed apps upload all my personal files?

Dear all

I have deleted Onedrive and disabled File system access in Privacy.

1. I would like to know, which other ways that my personal files could be uploaded in a non-malicious non-hacker way?
2. Just by using Windows, Microsoft could upload all my personal files to themselves if they would?
3. Does every installed App / software have full access to my whole drive? How can I found out, how much access it has?

Thank you for your interest and reply

Best regards

@Rikudou_Sage@lemmy.world

Yes, every application has access to everything. The only exception are those weird apps that use the universal framework or whatever that thing is called, those need to ask for permissions. But most of the apps on your PC have full access to everything.

And Windows does collect and upload a lot of personal information and they could easily upload everything on your system. The same of course applies for the apps as well, they have access to everything except privileged folders (those usually don’t contain your personal data, but system files).

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/31889457

Please see the cross-post as it is updated.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/31889457

Please see the cross-post as it is updated.

Could Windows and installed apps upload all my personal files?

Dear all

I have deleted Onedrive and disabled File system access in Privacy.

1. I would like to know, which other ways that my personal files could be uploaded in a non-malicious non-hacker way?
2. Just by using Windows, Microsoft could upload all my personal files to themselves if they would?
3. Does every installed App / software have full access to my whole drive? How can I found out, how much access it has?

Thank you for your interest and reply

Best regards

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/31889457

Please see the cross-post as it is updated.