The Guardian (UK),
Mon 10/10:
Push to scrap Australia privacy exemptions for political parties due to risk of data breaches
The Albanese government is being urged to scrap “concerning” exemptions given to political parties to use voter data, as part of a review of the federal election. It argues that by extending the Privacy Act to cover political parties, they would need to meet the requirements of the Australian Privacy Principles, which would reduce the possible consequence of any future data breach. The principles would require political parties to do due diligence to ensure they are only collecting necessary personal information, as well as handling it in accordance with the protections offered by the Act. “Little has been done to address why and how political parties gather, retain and process data, including personal information,” the submission states. The government has said it intends to legislate spending caps and truth in political advertising laws after the inquiry has concluded.
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theguardian.com/../push-to-scrap-p..
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Privacy International,
Mon 10/10:
EU Ombudsman opens inquiries into FRONTEX and EEAS on their support to develop surveillance capabilities in non-EU countries
The European Ombudswoman, Emily O’Reilly, has launched two new investigations into Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, and into the European External Action Service (EEAS), the EU’s diplomatic agency, in relation to their support to non-EU countries to develop surveillance capabilities and, in particular, their lack of prior human rights risk and impact assessments. We welcome the two additional inquiries launched by the European Ombudsman following our complaints and we hope they will eventually force EU institutions to uphold the rights of millions of citizens within and outside the EU.” Questions posed by the Ombudswoman to the EU agency mention the monitoring of the EUCAP Mali and Niger civilian missions as well as EU Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) civilian missions in Palestine, Somalia, Niger, Mali, Libya, and Iraq. Based on different evidence, the EU ombudsman now opened an inquiry. The EU has to assess, repsect and protect human rights in its activities.
Read full article here:
privacyinternational.org/../eu-omb..
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The Guardian (UK),
Mon 10/10:
Singtel confirms 2020 data breach after cyber-attack on Optus
Just weeks after Optus revealed that the records of 10 million customers had been compromised in a data breach, its parent company, Singtel, is dealing with two of its own data hacks. Singtel determined at the time that the personal information of 129,000 customers and 23 businesses had been exposed in the breach. The activity was detected on the company’s servers on 10 September and on Friday 7 October, the company found that a “very small sample” of Dialog’s data, including some employee personal information, had been published on the dark web. For more information see our Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties.
Read full article here:
theguardian.com/../singtel-confirm..
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epic.org,
Fri 10/07:
President Biden Signs Executive Order Creating New Safeguards for U.S. Surveillance Programs
Today, President Biden signed an Executive Order (EO) which imposes new limitations on U.S. surveillance programs and creates a new redress mechanism for EU residents. While the EO does provide some privacy safeguards, it does fully bar the use of bulk collection programs by U.S. intelligence agencies. “The Administration’s new Executive Order is a meaningful improvement over the prior privacy framework which has operated to the exclusion of non-U.S. persons, but these new safeguards and redress mechanism are unlikely to persuade the CJEU that U.S. law adequately protects privacy,” EPIC Executive Director Alan Butler said. “
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epic.org/../president-biden-signs-..
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Gizmodo,
Fri 10/07:
Biden Signs Order to Limit Spies' Use of European Data
President Biden signed an executive order placing new restrictions on how U.S. intelligence agencies harness data as it flows between the U.S. and the E.U., the White House announced Friday. The order creates a new framework to comply with European privacy rules. The executive order creates a mechanism for people covered by E.U. privacy laws to seek redress if they think their data was collected unlawfully. The new framework, which is being referred to as Privacy Shield 2.0, creates an independent Data Protection Review Court made up of people from outside the U.S. government that Europeans can appeal to.
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gizmodo.com/../biden-executive-ord..
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EFF,
Fri 10/07:
Derechos Digitales Raises the Bar for Chilean ISPs' Privacy Commitments in New Report
Chile’s internet service providers (ISPs) have over the last five years improved transparency about how they protect their users’ data, thanks in large part to Latin American digital rights group Derechos Digitales shining a light on their practices through annual ¿Quien Defiende Tus Datos? ( As such, Derechos Digitales didn't give them credit in that category. annual assessments, which started in 2017, and implemented best practices in most categories covered by the reports. Certain transparency practices that once seemed unusual in Latin America have become the default among ISPs in Chile. The new criteria raises the bar on best practices, taking into account new privacy challenges and the incredibly magnified role digital technologies play in our lives compared to 1999, when Chile enacted its existing data protection law (Law No 19,628 of 1999). Claro reported only one request during the first quarter of 2022. Although the time periods differ, the discrepancy in numbers is striking. Derechos Digitales' report notes Claro’s efforts in 2019, 2020, and 2022 advocating for user notification, including carrying out actions both in Congress and before the Public Prosecutor's Office… cont
Read full article here:
eff.org/../derechos-digitales-rais..
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The Guardian (UK),
Fri 10/07:
Government considers centralising digital ID verification on myGov in wake of Optus breach
The Australian government is considering using myGov or its myGovID system to centralise digital identity authentication in the wake of the Optus data breach, but critics warn any single system could have its own cybersecurity weaknesses. The former Telstra chief executive David Thodey was recruited to audit myGov when the Albanese government came into power, and his review would now examine whether myGov could be used to prevent people needing to present ID documents multiple times, a spokesperson for the government services minister, Bill Shorten, said. The federal government will now consider whether to develop a single digital identification service that businesses could use instead. The Morrison government released draft legislation in October last year to expand the use of the myGovID system. She said the system used an identity exchange that mediates all logins, so there was a single point of failure where one server could track every time a person logged in, and every service they logged in to. For more information see our Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. A spokesperson for the ATO said more than 6.5m verifi… cont
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theguardian.com/../government-cons..
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Gizmodo,
Thu 10/06:
Thanasis Koukakis Sues Intellexa Over Predator Spyware
A Greek journalist who was targeted for surveillance with spyware has filed a lawsuit against the spyware’s proprietor, hoping to spur a criminal investigation into the malfeasance surrounding the sales and use of such spying tools. The lawsuit filed by Koukakis takes aim at Intellexa and its executive, alleging a criminal breach of privacy and communication laws, reports Haaretz. “Despite the press revelations and the pressure from the European Parliament and the European Commission, the Greek government continues to grant complete immunity to Intellexa and its shareholders,” Koukakis said recently. “ Advertisement
Greece isn’t the only European nation facing a surveillance scandal right now.
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gizmodo.com/../thanasis-koukakis-s..
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BBC,
Thu 10/06:
Elton John and Prince Harry sue Daily Mail publisher over 'privacy breach'
"So it is a gross invasion of privacy if these things occurred, and it would be absolutely right and proper if they did occur, that Associated Newspapers and hopefully some of their senior figures, are held to account."
Read full article here:
bbc.com/../uk-63164654..
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Gizmodo,
Wed 10/05:
Google Only Tweaks Location History Description After Lawsuit
Two years ago, the Arizona Attorney General sued Google for allegedly tricking people into giving up their location data, even after they tried to turn off the company’s location data settings. Experts and Gizmodo’s own attempts suggest the company’s success was middling at best and intentionally confusing at worst. It used to be pretty hard to figure that out; for years the company’s help page said “With Location History off, the places you go are no longer stored.” “There’s a lot of fine print when you pause location history. But if you don’t read carefully, it would be easy to adjust the Location History setting without realizing that Google would still be following you around. I am proud of this historic settlement that proves no entity, not even big tech companies, is above the law,” Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich said in a press release.
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gizmodo.com/../google-location-his..
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Gizmodo,
Tue 10/04:
Biden's 'AI Bill of Rights' Sounds Nice, But That's About It
The Biden Administration on Tuesday revealed a first-of-its-kind “AI bill of rights” calling on developers and policymakers to address longstanding issues of algorithmic bias and discrimination. The bill of rights, which focuses primarily on bias from AI systems deployed in the private sector, largely sidesteps growing concerns over the federal government’s own use of AI surveillance tools. G/O Media may get a commission Save 97% Prism Drive Secure Cloud Storage: Lifetime Subscription Lowest Price Ever! During a press briefing, policymakers involved in drafting the blueprint repeatedly said AI protections represent a modern extension of civil liberties protections. Advertisement
“It’s far too easy for landlords to deploy untested, unregulated, and unsafe technology we didn’t want or ask for,” Rogers said. Advertisement
Some fear the bill of rights could actually do more harm than good. Advertisement
In a statement, STOP said the bill of rights document endorses law enforcement use of AI systems during a time when advocates are calling for bans of particularly harmful AI tools.
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gizmodo.com/../joe-biden-ai-bill-r..
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The Guardian (UK),
Tue 10/04:
TikTok reports $1bn turnover across international markets
TikTok has reported a five-fold surge in turnover to $1bn (£875m) across its operations in international markets including the UK and Europe last year, as trend-setting teens and young adults continue to make the video-sharing platform the hottest social app of the moment. “The increase was primarily driven by the continued growth of our user base and enhanced monetisation tools to improve advertisers’ experience and ad performance,” the company said. As a result, TikTok UK’s wage and salary bill soared from $121m in 2020 to $391m and overall losses ballooned to $900m.
More than four-fifths of TikTok UK’s $990m annual turnover came from online advertising last year, with the remainder mostly coming from live streaming and e-commerce. Two years ago, India, one of the world’s biggest markets for social media usage, banned 59 Chinese apps, including TikTok.
Read full article here:
theguardian.com/../tiktok-reports-..
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The Hill,
Tue 10/04:
New Democrat Coalition backs privacy bill
The centrist New Democrat Coalition (NDC) on Tuesday backed a privacy bill — currently stalled in the House — that would create a comprehensive national privacy law to protect consumer data and prohibit discrimination based on personal information. The American Data Privacy and Protection Act (ADPPA) passed out of the House Energy and Commerce Committee over the summer with bipartisan support, but has gone nowhere since. Rep. Suzan DelBene (D-Wash.), the chairwoman of the NDC, said the “legislation is a big step forward in our effort to ensure all Americans have strong data privacy and security protections under federal law.” Our members have also prioritized advancing policies that make privacy the default and put people in control of their own information.”
Read full article here:
thehill.com/../3673175-new-democra..
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epic.org,
Mon 10/03:
DOJ Report Highlights Disagreements Between FBI, DOJ on Key FISA Processes and Principles
A report from the Department of Justice (DOJ) Inspector General (IG) revealed that the FBI conducted queries of data collected under foreign intelligence surveillance authorities that oversight officials within the DOJ believed were not permissible. The report also found that the FBI and DOJ disagreed over what constitutes a “material” fact that would trigger the government’s obligation to submit a notice to the FISC under Rule 13 of the FISC Rules of Procedure, thereby delaying the government’s reporting of noncompliance.
Read full article here:
epic.org/../doj-report-highlights-..
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The Guardian (UK),
Mon 10/03:
Guardian Essential poll: one in two Australians want stronger privacy laws after Optus breach
Australians are very concerned about the risks of scammers gaining access to their personal information, and a majority of Guardian Essential poll respondents would support more restrictions on the amount of information companies can collect. The latest survey of 1,050 voters was taken after Optus confirmed a massive data breach in which the personal information of more than 10 million customers had been exposed – with at least 2.1 million having key identity documents stolen, such as their passport, Medicare or drivers’ licence numbers. But the new data suggests Australians are worried about their privacy online. People are also concerned about scammers sending fraudulent emails and text messages (78%).
Read full article here:
theguardian.com/../guardian-essent..
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The Guardian (UK),
Mon 10/03:
Google UK staff earned average of more than £385,000 each in 18 months
Google UK’s staff earned an average of more than £385,000 each in the 18 months to the end of December, as the tech company gave almost £1bn in share-based payments. Google’s total staff costs hit £2.2bn in the 18-month reporting period, according to accounts filed at Companies House. While the company reported £3.4bn in turnover over its 18-month reporting period, the research firm Insider Intelligence estimates that Google made almost £8.7bn in ad revenue in the UK in 2021 alone. Sign up to Business Today Free daily newsletter Get set for the working day – we'll point you to the all the business news and analysis you need every morning Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties.
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theguardian.com/../google-uk-staff..
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The Intercept,
Mon 10/03:
Meet the Military Contractor Running Fare Collection in New York Subways — and Around the World
In a cheerfully animated promotional video, a woman narrates Cubic Transportation Systems’ vision for the future. Transit authorities have embraced tap-to-pay technology for its convenience and speed, but privacy advocates are worried that the new fare collection systems pose serious surveillance and security risks. Most of the headlines Cubic garners, though, stem from its increasingly indispensable role in public transit systems across the world. I’m deeply concerned about how the development of smart cities creates growing incentives for companies like Cubic to aggregate our data and then sell it to police, ICE, and other agencies,” said Albert Fox Cahn, founder and executive director of the Surveillance Technology and Oversight Project, referring to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. “ OMNY, a fare payment system backed by Cubic, installed on a turnstile in a Brooklyn subway station on Sept. 30, 2022. The company received $1.4 million from the U.S. Air Force in 2018 for Predator/Reaper training software, and in 2020, it signed a cooperative agreement with U.S. Special Operations for the research and development of intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance technol… cont
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theintercept.com/../cubic-military..
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The Guardian (UK),
Mon 10/03:
Optus commissions independent review of data breach
Optus has commissioned Deloitte to conduct an independent external review of the company’s massive data breach, with a focus on security systems and processes. The review would be in addition to the work Optus was undertaking with technical professionals within the federal government to understand how the breach occurred. In the past day, Optus has sent text messages or emails to customers who had their driver’s licence numbers taken, in every state and territory bar Victoria and Queensland. For more information see our Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. O’Neil said existing cybersecurity laws passed in the last parliament were “absolutely useless” when the Optus breach occurred, and while the government had been able to rely on powers in the Telecommunications Act to get Optus to provide the government information, she flagged the next breach might not be a telecoms company.
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theguardian.com/../optus-commissio..
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The Tribune (India),
Mon 10/03:
Open House: What steps should authorities take to protect students’ privacy?
Educational institutions should take measures such as appointing a woman attendant who must ensure that a mobile or an electronic device is not taken to common bathrooms and toiles. The height of washroom walls should be increased to ensure privacy. Self-restraint and ethical practices can help prevent an untoward situation. Violators should be punished to send a strong message to others. The government should act tough on violations of standard operating procedures for safety and security of students, especially girls. Avinash Goyal, Chandigarh
A wake-up call for institutions
The recent case of Chandigarh University should be a lesson to other institutions. They can take the help of the police to ensure better safety of students. Institutions should make sure rooms and common facilities provided to girl students are safe and secure. The university and college authorities should make sure that no such shameful act is repeated. Whosoever is involved in the video leak incident be harshly punished. MR Bhateja, Nayagaon
Monitor hostel residents’ activities
There is a need for enhanced vigilance at all stages while constructing a bu… cont
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tribuneindia.com/../open-house-wha..
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The Guardian (UK),
Sun 10/02:
Law professor Danielle Citron: ‘Privacy is essential to human flourishing’
Danielle Citron is a professor of law at the University of Virginia School of Law, where she specialises in privacy and civil rights. You highlight, for example, that our internet search history is essentially in the public realm and could be purchased by any motivated party. We don’t viscerally appreciate the ways in which companies and governments surveil our lives by amassing intimate information about our bodies, our health, our closest relationships, our sexual activities and our innermost thoughts. Companies are selling this information to data brokers, who are compiling dossiers with about 3,000 data points on each of us, including if we have been rape victims, use sex toys or have had abortions or miscarriages. If you travel across state lines or go to another town and visit a health provider or an abortion provider, your phone’s location data circumstantially tells the story that you’ve gone to get an abortion. In the UK, the online safety bill hasn’t passed yet, so victims can’t bring suits against platforms for non-consensual pornography
At the core of your book is the concept of intimate privacy. It highlights how Section 230, a piece of US legislation t… cont
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theguardian.com/../danielle-citron..
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EFF,
Sat 10/01:
California Leads on Reproductive and Trans Health Data Privacy
In the wake of the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision, anti-choice sheriffs and bounty hunters will try to investigate and punish abortion seekers based on their internet browsing, private messaging, and phone app location data. We can expect similar tactics from state officials who claim that parents who allow their transgender youth to receive gender-affirming health care should be investigated for child abuse. This post summarizes the new California data privacy safeguards and provides a breakdown of the specific places where they change California state law. For those interested, we have included the citations to these changes. Some provisions create new exemptions from existing disclosure mandates; others create new limits on disclosure. 8, at Penal Code 1524.2(c)(1)) A “prohibited violation” is an abortion that would be legal in California but is illegal elsewhere. ( First, A.B. 1242 and S.B. 107 bar all state and local government agencies in California, and their employees, from providing information to any individual or out-of-state agency regarding:
Third, A.B. 2091 bars prison staff from disclosing medical information about an incarcerated person’s abortion, i… cont
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eff.org/../california-leads-reprod..
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The Guardian (UK),
Sat 10/01:
Elon Musk and Twitter boss’s messages show how pair fell out
Newly published messages between Elon Musk and the Twitter boss, Parag Agrawal, show how their relationship appeared to be blossoming before it dramatically soured, with the billionaire Tesla CEO tweeting: “Is Twitter dying?” The communications offer an insight into the careful negotiations that were privately taking place. A few days later, on 31 March, they arranged to meet for dinner near San Jose, as momentum around the deal accelerated. When the news of the Tesla CEO joining the board became public, Musk received messages from figures including the podcaster Joe Rogan, who asked whether he would “liberate Twitter from the censorship happy mob”. For more information see our Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. And three days after that, Twitter revealed that Musk had offered to buy the company for about $44bn – a deal that Twitter agreed to on 25 April.
Read full article here:
theguardian.com/../elon-musk-and-t..
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The Guardian (UK),
Fri 09/30:
The biggest hack in history: Australians scramble to change passports and driver licences after Optus telco data debacle
When Amy Hunting* first heard about one of the biggest cyber attacks in Australian history, she immediately checked to see if her personal details had been compromised. With millions of others, she went about trying to change her driver’s licence. Of the 10 million people whose data was exposed, almost 3 million had crucial identity documents accessed. What is of concern for us is how what is quite a basic hack was undertaken on Optus Clare O’Neill
Experts have said Optus had an application programming interface (API) online that did not need authorisation or authentication to access customer data. “ Any user could have requested any other user’s information,” Corey J Ball, senior manager of cyber security consulting for Moss Adams, said. Rachael Falk, chief executive of the Cyber Security Cooperative Research Centre, said while much was still unknown about the attack “sometimes even amateurs get lucky”. On Friday, prime minister Anthony Albanese said what had happened was “unacceptable”. “Australian companies should do everything they can to protect your data,” Albanese said. On Friday, the Australian federal police announced a special operation to protect the iden… cont
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theguardian.com/../optus-data-hack..
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Gizmodo,
Fri 09/30:
Amazon Makes Creepy Surveillance Robot Even Creepier With Yet More Ring Integration
Ever since Amazon launched Astro—its stout, doe-eyed, autonomously mobile domestic robot—its been a curious sight to behold. All of us, however, were basically left wondering what the point of the whole thing was. On Wednesday, the tech giant announced a host of new product updates, including new features for Astro. The idea is to integrate the surveillance capabilities of Ring’s cameras and sensors with the autonomous investigative skills of Astro. Advertisement
In this piece, we’ll endeavor to explain the downsides to that, and why what Astro really provides is a big, fat, smiling privacy hazard. The Astro-Ring Integration, Explained
When Astro was launched, it already had a security component to it: Amazon designed the robot to pair with Ring Protect Pro accounts, which allows Astro to “autonomously patrol your home when you’re out,” and “proactively investigate when an event is detected” (an event being something bad, like a break-in). In other words, the company envisions small businesses that can’t afford a human guard deploying Amazon’s souped-up Roomba to protect themselves. If you want a domestic security guard, get a German shepherd. Advertise… cont
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gizmodo.com/../amazon-astro-robot-..
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The Hill,
Fri 09/30:
Data privacy bill is flawed, but necessary
A bipartisan data privacy bill that progressed out of a House committee in July has not been getting the attention it deserves in the news. What’s good about the bill
The bill makes some significant improvements over current policy. A prohibition against a variety of activities, such as looking into what applications each person is using, without their explicit permission. What’s not-so-good
The legislation falls short of ideal privacy protections, granting exemption to some organizations and protecting the practices of large data collectors, government agencies and the advertising industry. Smaller platforms leverage the success of the biggest players and can pose just as much risk to users. But despite its flaws and the obstacles it faces, the ADPPA would make significant progress, making some desperately needed improvements over woefully insufficient national laws that predate the existence of modern cyberspace.
Read full article here:
thehill.com/../3668597-data-privac..
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The Guardian (UK),
Fri 09/30:
The Trevor Project teams up with a student surveillance company accused of LGBTQ+ bias
Amid warnings from lawmakers and civil rights groups that digital surveillance tools could discriminate against at-risk students, a leading nonprofit devoted to the mental wellbeing of LGBTQ+ youth has formed a financial partnership with a tech company that subjects them to persistent online monitoring. LGBTQ+ youth are among the most vulnerable to the misuse of this kind of safety monitoring the Trevor Project
Both groups maintain that the partnership was forged in the interests of LGBTQ+ students, but student privacy advocates argue the relationship could undermine the Trevor Project’s work while allowing Gaggle to use the relationship to counter criticism about its potential harms to LGBTQ+ students. Minneapolis student Teeth Logsdon-Wallace, who was flagged by Gaggle software, poses with his dog Gilly. Among the keywords is “gay” and “lesbian”, words the company maintains are necessary to flag because LGBTQ+ youth are more likely than their straight and cisgender peers to consider suicide. “It’s true that LGBTQ+ youth are among the most vulnerable to the misuse of this kind of safety monitoring – many worry that these tools could out them to teachers or parents … cont
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theguardian.com/../trevor-project-..
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The Verge,
Thu 09/29:
Democrats demand FTC probe Amazon-iRobot deal
The Federal Trade Commission is facing mounting pressure to block Amazon’s proposed $1.65 billion purchase of iRobot, the company behind Roomba autonomous vacuums. In a letter to FTC Chair Lina Khan on Thursday, a group of Democratic lawmakers argued that the proposed merger would unfairly bolster Amazon’s dominance in the smart home market by acquiring one of the company’s leading competitors.
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theverge.com/../amazon-irobot-room..
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Politico (Europe),
Thu 09/29:
Digital Bridge: Habemus, Privacy Shield — Foreign interference tactics — Brazilian election
Press play to listen to this article Voiced by Amazon Polly
POLITICO’s weekly transatlantic tech newsletter for global technology elites and political influencers. By MARK SCOTT
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HOWDY. It’s another example of how social media companies struggle to police elections. The United States president and Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission president, signed a political agreement, in principle, on U.S.-European Union data transfers back in March. China is quickly extending its own rules to whoever will listen. One of the major supporters of the most recent attempt at federal privacy standards told me he hoped for a potential breakthrough during the so-called lame-duck session after the upcoming U.S. midterm elections. But relying on another jurisdiction — whose courts have repeatedly ruled U.S. surveillance practices are unlawful — to give your citizens improved protections is never a good look. But given the lack of leadership from Washington, it’s the only regime the West has. THE ANATOMY OF A (FAILED) FOREIGN INTERFERENCE CAMPAIGN
IT WAS AS DARING AS IT WAS BOTCHED.… cont
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politico.eu/../habemus-privacy-shi..
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The Guardian (UK),
Thu 09/29:
Optus tells former Virgin Mobile and Gomo customers they could also be part of data breach
Former Virgin Mobile and Gomo customers are the latest to have been informed by Optus that their personal information was exposed in the company’s massive data breach, as an identification repair service reveals it has fielded a month’s worth of complaint calls in three days. Optus customers continue to raise concerns the company is not providing substantial information, beyond the initial letter informing them of the breach. For more information see our Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. IDCare – an organisation that helps people who are dealing with identity theft – has received 11,500 calls from Optus customers in the past three days, which is the amount of calls the organisation would normally receive in a month.
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theguardian.com/../optus-tells-for..
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The Guardian (UK),
Thu 09/29:
Attorney general flags urgent privacy law changes after Optus data breach
Privacy law changes, including tougher penalties for data breaches, could be legislated as early as this year, the attorney general has said in the wake of the Optus breach. On Thursday, Dreyfus told Radio National that the foreign minister had written to Optus asking it to pay for Australians’ replacement passports and the prime minister had “made very clear … it is going to be a matter for Optus to pay for costs incurred by Australians as a result of the data breach that has occurred”. The attorney general said he hoped to complete a “long-running review” of privacy laws by the end of 2022. Sign up to Guardian Australia's Morning Mail Free daily newsletter Our Australian morning briefing email breaks down the key national and international stories of the day and why they matter Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. “Singtel management and board are treating this incident very seriously and working closely with Optus to address what is a complex issue, holistically,” the company said in a statement.
Read full article here:
theguardian.com/../attorney-genera..
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datanami.com,
Thu 09/29:
The Death of Third-Party Cookies and the Rise of Zero-Party Data
During the Wild West phase of the big data experiment, third-party cookies lodged into people’s Web browsers were a major conduit of actionable data for companies far and wide. Google Chrome, which owns the largest share of the browser market, plans to start blocking third-party cookies by default in late 2024. Where are they going to get such detailed data about their potential users? Any personal information they obtain will have to be accompanied by consent. Instead of using surreptitious cookies to track the activity of people across the Internet–which violates the core tenet of consent at the heart of GDPR and CCPA–zero-party data is data that people share willingly and with full consent, which can make it easier to use in big data analysis. It can be put to use in a variety of ways, including: creating a customer profile, improving customer service, making product recommendations, making better decisions, and improving ad targeting. However, zero-party data bears less similarity to third-party data, which is data that an organization buys or barters for.
Read full article here:
datanami.com/../the-death-of-cooki..
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EFF,
Wed 09/28:
EFF urges FTC to address security and privacy problems in daycare and early education apps
SAN FRANCISCO—The Federal Trade Commission must review the lack of privacy and security protections among daycare and early education apps, the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) urged Wednesday in a letter to Chair Lina Khan. Of 42 daycare apps that privacy experts researched, 13 companies did not specify the data they collect in their privacy policies. The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act also falls short: It restricts schools from disclosing students’ “education records” to certain third parties without parental consent, but does not regulate the actions of third parties who may receive that data, such as daycare apps.
Read full article here:
eff.org/../eff-urges-ftc-address-s..
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The Guardian (UK),
Wed 09/28:
Apple removes Russian Facebook competitor VK from App Store
Apple has removed VK, Russia’s homegrown Facebook competitor, from its App Store globally, citing conflicts with British sanctions. In a statement on the social network’s website, the company said the app would continue to work on smartphones that had already installed it before the takedown, but warned users that “there may be difficulties with notifications and payments” as a result. Sign up to Business Today Free daily newsletter Get set for the working day – we'll point you to the all the business news and analysis you need every morning Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. “Today’s sanctions will target those behind these sham votes, as well as the individuals that continue to prop up the Russian regime’s war of aggression.
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theguardian.com/../vk-apple-remove..
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The Guardian (UK),
Wed 09/28:
Optus customers, not the company, are the real victims of massive data breach | Justin Warren
The Optus data breach has brought data security into the forefront of every Australian’s mind. Privacy harm is real
Straight after the breach, Optus made claims that it was “not currently aware of any customers having suffered harm”. This suggests that Optus doesn’t consider the widespread damage to people’s privacy harmful. Yet the specifics of how the breach happened don’t really matter. Overblown claims about online predators are used to pass ever-more intrusive surveillance laws that compel private companies to spy on us on their behalf. When companies like Optus collect data they don’t need, keep it for too long, or fail to protect it, there should be meaningful consequences. 00:43 Attorney general says FBI is working on Optus data breach – video
Those with power in Australia must be compelled to value our privacy more than their own power, money, or status or we will continue to see data breaches like this. We have pleaded, begged, and asked nicely for decades and have been ignored.
Read full article here:
theguardian.com/../optus-customers..
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The Guardian (UK),
Tue 09/27:
The droids you’re looking for: how Ukrainian AI recreated Darth Vader’s voice
Artificial intelligence developed in Kyiv is taking over one of the most treasured roles in film, as James Earl Jones steps back as the voice of Darth Vader. Photograph: Chip East/Reuters
“Lucasfilm came to us, essentially through word of mouth,”, said Dmytro Bielievtsov, Respeecher’s chief technical officer. “ We convert them with different varieties of the models, and then the client takes a listen and sees if the performance is right. For more information see our Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties.
Read full article here:
theguardian.com/../the-droids-your..
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Last updated on:
2022-10-12 15:15 (Pacific)