Privacy.News

A privacy news aggregator brought to you by the team at DP.News - "Informing You Without Watching you."

Business Insider – 533 million Facebook users’ phone numbers and personal data have been leaked online

A user in a low-level hacking forum on Saturday published the phone numbers and personal data of hundreds of millions of Facebook users for free.

DP.News

https://digitalprivacy.news

  • UK Considering Face-Data Scheme for Pubs, Raising Privacy Fears
    on April 14, 2021

    By Robert Bateman A government-sponsored plan in the U.K. could allow pubs and other venues to identify customers using facial-recognition…

  • ‘A Terrible Idea’
    on April 13, 2021

    Amazon Expands Contactless ‘Palm’ Technology During Pandemic By Fiona Tang Amazon.com is opening new physical retail stores so customers can…

  • Q&A: HIBP’s Troy Hunt
    on April 12, 2021

    Huge Facebook Leak Brings the ‘Ability to Send More Targeted Phishing Emails’ By Rachel Looker  Facebook made headlines this month…

  • ‘We Don’t Hide the Cameras’
    on April 9, 2021

    Retailers Balance Privacy While Foiling Thieves as COVID-Related Crime Rises An alleged shoplifter caught on surveillance video at the Homestyles…

  • What Happened? Nintendo
    on April 8, 2021

    Data Hacked to Buy Fortnite Currency By Najmeh Tima “What Happened?” is an occasional feature by Digital Privacy News that…

  • Experts Fear Civil Rights Rollback in Ruling on Border Data Searches
    on April 7, 2021

    By Nora Macaluso A recent federal court ruling allowing U.S. Border Patrol agents to search travelers’ cellphones and laptops at…

  • ‘Gutting Privacy Rights’
    on April 6, 2021

    UK Data-Law Plans Draw Advocates’ Ire By Robert Bateman The U.K. government has signaled its intention to diverge from the…

  • Q&A: Colin J. Bennett, University of Victoria
    on April 5, 2021

    ‘Just Because People Say Data Analytics Win Elections Doesn’t Mean It’s True’ By Vaughn Cockayne Colin J. Bennett is a…

  • Apple Faces French Privacy Complaint Over Tracking
    on April 2, 2021

    By Robert Bateman Apple Inc. faces an investigation by the French privacy regulator after a coalition of French startups alleged…

  • ‘Terribly Sad’
    on April 1, 2021

    Will China Make Cameras Compulsory in Hong Kong Classrooms? By Patrick McShane In these occasional reports, Digital Privacy News examines…

Privacy News

This news aggregator is brought to you by the team at http://DP.News — “Informing You Without Watching you” — public services brought to you by the Magnusson Institute.

You can reach us at:

Twitter: @digitalprivacy

Email: editor@dp.news

Soundcloud: The Privacy Interview

This web service is hosted and delivered in a manner to collect as little information about you as possible. Please refer to the DP.News Privacy Policy for details.

New York Times

Note: links go to external paywall

  • Disney and ad-tech firms agree to privacy changes for children’s apps.
    on April 13, 2021

    The settlements of three class-action cases could prompt industrywide changes for apps and ads aimed at young people.

Wall Street Journal

Note: links go to external paywall

  • Facebook Says Leak of 533 Million Users' Data Wasn't a Hack. Does it Matter?
    on April 8, 2021

    The distinction between a data leak and breach may be more important to the technology company than it is for users.

Los Angeles Times

Note: links go to external paywall

  • Column: Facebook and Health Net hacks drive home the need for a national privacy law
    on April 6, 2021

    Data breaches involving Facebook and Health Net highlight Americans' vulnerability to hackers — and our lack of a national privacy law.

  • Clearview AI uses your online photos to instantly ID you. That's a problem, lawsuit says
    on March 9, 2021

    By scraping the web for photos and extracting unique biometric information, Clearview AI violates privacy and chills protected political speech, a lawsuit says.

  • Column: Privacy or planet — the tough choice of doing away with paper receipts
    on March 2, 2021

    Switching to digital-only receipts for transactions would be good for the environment. But it would be another nail in the coffin of your privacy.

Washington Post

Note: links go to external paywall

  • China to Japanese official: If treated radioactive water from Fukushima is safe, ‘please drink it’
    on April 14, 2021

    “The ocean is not Japan’s trash can,” a Chinese Foreign Ministry official said.

  • Covid-19 live updates: CDC vaccine advisers want more data before ruling on Johnson & Johnson vaccine’s future
    on April 14, 2021

    To date, more than 45 percent of the eligible U.S. population has received at least one vaccine dose though the number of new cases continued to trend upward at an average of 11 percent over the past week. At least 562,000 people have died.

The Markup

Note: links go to external site

  • How Facebook’s Ad System Lets Companies Talk Out of Both Sides of Their Mouths
    on April 13, 2021

    Exxon, Comcast, and other companies target people of different political leanings with different ads

  • Google Blocks Advertisers from Targeting Black Lives Matter YouTube Videos
    on April 9, 2021

    “Black power” and “Black Lives Matter” can't be used to find videos for ads, but “White power” and “White lives matter” were just fine

  • How We Discovered Google’s Social Justice Blocklist for YouTube Ad Placements
    on April 9, 2021

    Despite committing to dismantling systemic racism, YouTube blocks advertisers from using many racial justice and cultural identity terms to target videos for ads

Wired

Security and Privacy stories from Wired
Note: links go to external site

  • The FBI Takes a Drastic Step to Fight China’s Hacking Spree
    on April 14, 2021

    The agency's approach to protecting vulnerable victims of the recent Hafnium attack manages to be at once controversial and refreshingly restrained.

  • 100M More IoT Devices Are Exposed—and They Won’t Be the Last
    on April 13, 2021

    The Name:Wreck flaws in TCP/IP are the latest in a series of vulnerabilities with global implications.

  • How to Log In to Your Devices Without Passwords
    on April 11, 2021

    You can use your face, fingerprint, or a wearable to get access to your […]

  • Oh Look, LinkedIn Also Had 500M Users' Data Scraped
    on April 10, 2021

    Plus: A bad Zoom bug, a billion-dollar cocaine bust, and more of the week's top […]

  • Facebook Had Years to Fix Flaw That Leaked 500M Users’ Data
    on April 10, 2021

    Software makers can’t catch every bug every time, but Facebook had ample […]

  • Extremist Charged With Plot to Blow Up Amazon Data Centers
    on April 9, 2021

    The FBI arrested the suspect in Texas after he purchased explosives from an […]

ZDNet

Security coverage from ZDNet
Note: links go to external site

  • ExpressVPN review: A fine VPN service, but is it worth the price?

    If you want an easy-to-use VPN with middle-of-the-road everything, ExpressVPN might be for you. We did notice one concerning issue, but otherwise, it's a fine VPN service. Just fine.

  • 100+ critical IT policies every company needs, ready for download

    From remote work and social media to ergonomics and encryption, TechRepublic Premium, ZDNet's sibling site, has dozens of ready-made, downloadable IT policy templates.

  • Cyber criminals are installing cryptojacking malware on unpatched Microsoft Exchange servers

    Cyber attackers are scanning the internet for vulnerable Microsoft Exchange servers they can exploit to mine for cryptocurrency. "It's basically free money rolling in for the attackers," warn […]

  • Microsoft Defender for Endpoint now protects unmanaged BYO devices

    Microsoft's new security feature uses managed devices to discover unmanaged devices and secure them.

KREBS

Note: links go to external site

  • No, I Did Not Hack Your MS Exchange Server
    on March 28, 2021

    New data suggests someone has compromised more than 21,000 Microsoft Exchange Server email systems worldwide and infected them with malware that invokes both KrebsOnSecurity and Yours Truly by name. Let's just get […]

The Intercept

Note: links go to external site

  • Research Says Facebook's Ad Algorithm Perpetuates Gender Bias
    on April 9, 2021

    A University of Southern California study provides still more evidence that the company's ad targeting illegally discriminates. The post Research Says Facebook’s Ad Algorithm Perpetuates Gender Bias appeared first on The Intercept.

EFF

Electronic Frontier Foundation
Note: links go to EFF's site

  • Congress, Don’t Let ISP Lobbyists Sabotage Fiber for All
    on April 14, 2021

    For the first time, an American president has proposed a plan that wouldn’t just make a dent in the digital divide, it will end it. By deploying federal resources at the level and scale this country has not seen since electrification nearly 100 years ago, the U.S. will again connect every resident to a necessary service. Like with water and electricity, robust internet access, as the pandemic has proven, is an essential service. And so the effort and resources expended are well-worth it. The president’s plan, which matches well with current Congressional efforts of Representative […]

  • Forced Arbitration Thwarts Legal Challenge to AT&T’s Disclosure of Customer Location Data
    on April 14, 2021

    Location data generated from our cell phones paint an incredibly detailed picture of our movements and private lives. Despite the sensitive nature of this data and a federal law prohibiting cellphone carriers from disclosing it, repeated unauthorized disclosures over the last several years show that carriers will sell this sensitive information to almost any willing buyer. With cellphone carriers brazenly violating their customers’ privacy and the Federal Communication Commission moving slowly to investigate, it fell to consumers to protect themselves. That’s why in June 2019 EFF filed a […]

  • California: Demand Broadband for All
    on April 13, 2021

    From the pandemic to the Frontier bankruptcy to the ongoing failures in remote […]

  • Why EFF Supports Repeal of Qualified Immunity
    on April 12, 2021

    Our digital rights are only as strong as our power to enforce them. But when we […]

  • After Cookies, Ad Tech Wants to Use Your Email to Track You Everywhere
    on April 12, 2021

    Cookies are dying, and the tracking industry is scrambling to replace them. […]

  • Deceptive Checkboxes Should Not Open Our Checkbooks
    on April 9, 2021

    Last week, the New York Times highlighted the Trump 2020 campaign’s use of […]

Reuters Technology

Security and Privacy stories from Reuters
Note: links go to external site

    Hacker News

    Note: links go to external site

    • WhatsApp's new privacy policy is so bad it might be illegal
      on April 13, 2021

    IAPP

    Intl Assoc of Privacy Professionals
    Note: links go to external site

    • EDPB adopts opinions on draft UK adequacy decision
      on April 14, 2021

      During its 48th plenary session, the European Data Protection Board adopted two opinions on the European Commission's draft U.K. adequacy decision. The EDPB found areas of "strong alignment" between the EU and U.K.'s data protection frameworks while pointing out areas the commission should monitor […]

    • Why the EU, US need to solve the 'urgent' issue around a replacement Privacy Shield
      on April 14, 2021

      In an op-ed for Morning Consult, BBB National Programs President and CEO Eric Reicin explains why the EU and U.S. need to find a suitable replacement for the Privacy Shield agreement. Reicin writes companies relying on Privacy Shield "want to do the right thing" and align themselves with EU values, […]

    • The latest on EU COVID-19 vaccine certificates
      on April 14, 2021

      European Commissioner for Justice Didier Reynders told members of the European Parliament that airlines could use COVID-19 travel certificates to facilitate safe travel this summer, Euractiv reports. Reynders said the certificates, which would not be considered vaccine passports, would contain […]

    • NIST launches Privacy Workforce Public Working Group
      on April 14, 2021

      The National Institute of Standards and Technology launched its Privacy Workforce Public Working Group and is seeking privacy experts to join the team who will create the NIST Privacy Workforce Taxonomy’s content. “The PWWG will create Task, Knowledge, and Skill ... Statements aligned […]

    Internet Society

    Note: links go to external site

    • Don’t Poke Holes in Our Digital Security Shield
      on April 13, 2021

      In only a few days the European Union will close the doors on our chance to provide feedback on an initiative which could grant law enforcement agencies backdoor access to encrypted messaging services. Doing this would poke holes in our most important digital security shield. It misleadingly claims […]

    • Finally! Local Traffic Remained Local
      on April 13, 2021

      During a recent broadcast of an Italian Series A Championship football match, something extraordinary was happening behind the scenes. Local Internet traffic remained local. Cristiano Zanforlin, Chief Commercial Officer of Milan Internet Exchange (MIX), Flavio Luciani, Chief Technology Officer of […]

    Vice

    Note: links go to external site

      Top Stories

      • Civil groups want EU lawmakers to boost privacy rights in planned WhatsApp, Skype rules

        Amnesty International, Privacy International and 28 other civil and human rights groups on Wednesday urged EU lawmakers to take a strong stand on privacy rights in proposed rules governing Facebook’s WhatsApp and Microsoft’s Skype.

        “We have the opportunity to create an internet that better serves users by stopping built-in data harvesting and tracing methods,” Eva Simon, senior advocacy officer at the Civil Liberties Union for Europe (Liberties), said in a statement.

      • NYT – Disney and ad-tech firms agree to privacy changes for children’s apps.

        In legal settlements that could reshape the children’s app market, Disney, Viacom and 10 advertising technology firms have agreed to remove certain advertising software from children’s apps to address accusations that they violated the privacy of millions of youngsters.

        “This is going to be the biggest change to the children’s app market that we’ve seen that gets at the business models,” said Josh Golin, the executive director of Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, a nonprofit in Boston.

      • The Intercept – LexisNexis to Provide Giant Database of Personal Information to ICE

        The legal research and data brokerage firm LexisNexis signed a $16.8 million contract to sell information to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, according to documents shared with The Intercept.

        The deal is already drawing fire from critics and comes less than two years after the company downplayed its ties to ICE, claiming it was “not working with them to build data infrastructure to assist their efforts.”

      • SEJ – DuckDuckGo Announces Plans to Block Google’s FLoC

        DuckDuckGo announces plans to block FLoC, Google’s new way of tracking users’ web browsing activity in Chrome.

        As Google transitions away from using third-party cookies in Chrome, its developing a new technology called FLoC (Federated Learning of Cohorts).

      EPIC

      Electronic Privacy Info. Center
      Note: links go to external site

      • Draft EU AI Regulation Would Ban Social Scoring, Limit ‘High-Risk’ Uses
        on April 14, 2021

        A leaked draft of the European Commission's proposed AI regulation includes a ban on social scoring and strict limits on mass surveillance and other "high-risk" uses of AI. The draft regulation would generally prohibit AI which "manipulates human behaviour, opinions or decisions" to a person's […]

      • EPIC, Coalition Call for Ban on Corporate Use of Facial Recognition
        on April 14, 2021

        In an open letter released today, EPIC and twenty four civil rights and social justice organizations called on elected officials to ban corporate, private, and government use of facial recognition technology, suggesting Portland, OR's recent ban on facial recognition as a model. The letter also […]

      • EPIC Urges Florida Lawmakers to Pass Strong Privacy Law
        on April 14, 2021

        As the Florida Legislature considers pending privacy bills, HB 969 and SB 1734, EPIC urged lawmakers to enact strong privacy protections for all Floridians. The House Commerce Committee is today hearing HB969, would give Floridians the right to know what information companies have collected about […]

      BBC

      Note: links go to external site

      • Facebook faces investigation over data breach
        on April 14, 2021

        The Irish Data Protection Commission is to launch an investigation into whether it broke GDPR rules.

      • Users can appeal Facebook's editorial decisions
        on April 13, 2021

        The Oversight Board will review user content allowed to remain on the site after calls to remove it.

      CDT

      Center for Democracy & Technology
      Note: links go to external site

      • Tech Policy & COVID: What We’ve Learned About Student Privacy Preparedness
        on March 31, 2021

        CDT’s new survey research shows schools are making progress on privacy protection, but more work is needed to keep students safe. For nearly every school in the country, this March marks the one-year anniversary of the abrupt transition to online learning and the beginning of a dogged struggle to […]

      Privacy International

      Note: links go to external site

      • Derechos Digitales publish a report on ID systems and social protection in Venezuela and Bolivia
        on April 13, 2021
      • The UK Human Rights Act and the right to privacy
        on March 31, 2021
      • Threats in the usage of facial recognition technologies for authenticating transgender identities
        on March 30, 2021
      • The case of the Solidarity Income in Colombia: the experimentation with data on social policy during the pandemic
        on March 29, 2021

      Reddit “/privacy” (reader beware)

      Warning ... we don't moderate this ... which is why it's hidden at the bottom-right ... but the Reddit /privacy group is often (very) early in breaking digital privacy related stories ... anyway, links go to Reddit (obviously), travel at your own risk.

      • Would You Use An App To Verify Your Vaccine Status? The Idea Is Here To Stay
        on April 14, 2021

        submitted by /u/4reddityo [link] [comments]

      • Is it worth the trouble of deleting accounts that you don’t use anymore for privacy?
        on April 14, 2021

        I have gone on a crusade deleting all my accounts that I have made when I was younger but I have gotten to a stopping point to where I can’t figure where […]

      • Innocently explored Google Chromes History file. Now I understand the invasion of privacy.
        on April 14, 2021

        So, I had a neat idea of creating a data visualization of my web history. So I went ahead and found the History file for the Google Chrome browser. To my […]

      • AT&Ts dsl modem info and login info is stored on AT&T server
        on April 14, 2021

        Just FYI, I didnt know and maybe more ISPs do that submitted by /u/Anomaly____ [link] [comments]

      • how to delete account and content permamently,best approach to deleting reddit
        on April 14, 2021

        Is it even possible? submitted by /u/Far-Sheepherder-7041 [link] [comments]

      • Somebody created an AppleID with my email address
        on April 14, 2021

        I don't have any Apple related products nor an AppleID yet somehow used my email address to create an AppleID on a Macbook pro. Does that person have my email […]

      • How Do You Delete Job Application Accounts
        on April 14, 2021

        It seems almost impossible to delete accounts used for applying for jobs. I'm going through a bunch of rabbit holes just trying to delete one. Any suggestions? […]

      • Mexico will require new cell phone users to provide biometric data to the government
        on April 14, 2021

        submitted by /u/ThirdPartyMechanic [link] [comments]