Vitalik Buterin has reservations about Sam Altman’s World project
Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin is arguing that the digital identification approach being promoted by Sam Altman’s World project has real privacy risks.
Privacy
Hundreds of data brokers might be breaking state laws, say privacy advocates
The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) and a nonprofit privacy rights group have called on several states to investigate why “hundreds” of data brokers haven’t registered with state consumer protection agencies in accordance with local laws. An analysis done in collaboration with Privacy Rights Clearinghouse (PRC) found that many data brokers have failed to register in […]
WhatsApp’s rollout of ads will change the app forever
This week, WhatsApp did something its founders said it would never do: it’s putting advertisements inside the app. It ends WhatsApp’s decade-plus run of offering an ad-free messaging and calling experience. Meta, which acquired WhatsApp in 2014, attempted to justify the decision by saying ads will be sequestered to its “Update” tab, where you’ll see […]
Trump’s protest threats raise surveillance alarms around his military parade
President Donald Trump’s warning that protesters of Saturday’s US military parade in Washington, DC, will be met with “very heavy force” threatens to chill speech and underscores the need for protesters to take precautions around digital surveillance, privacy advocates tell The Verge. In remarks from the Oval Office on Tuesday, Trump did not distinguish between […]
Moto Tag finally gets precise UWB location tracking
Promised way back in June 2024, the Moto Tag location tracker is finally rolling out UWB support via a firmware update. That makes it the first tracker on Google’s Find Hub network to support ultra-wideband tracking, which is superior to Bluetooth since it uses distance and directional arrows to guide owners with compatible phones to […]
How to secure your phone before attending a protest
Back in June 2020, when this article was first written, people were taking to the streets to organize for justice and protest against systemic racism and police brutality. There have been several other flashpoints for protests since then (for example, when the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade), but the recent activities of ICE, especially […]
How to maximize your privacy using Signal calls and chat
When I first started using Signal, I would connect with friends using our phone numbers. Now, I use Signal to find people to interview for stories, which is why some of my social media posts and articles include a note telling folks how they can reach me on the app. Needless to say, I’d rather […]
Trump tries to ban Harvard from enrolling international students
The Trump administration is trying to strip Harvard of its ability to enroll international students — an effort blocked by a federal judge on Friday, just hours after the university filed a lawsuit claiming Trump was violating its First Amendment rights. On Thursday, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) rescinded Harvard’s access to the Student […]
Signal says no to Windows 11’s Recall screenshots
Signal is taking proactive steps to ensure Microsoft’s Recall feature can’t screen capture your secured chats, by rolling out a new version of the Signal for Windows 11 client that enables screen security by default. This is the same DRM that blocks users from easily screenshotting a Netflix show on their computer or phone, and […]