July 2024 Roundup of Privacy News
A lot of data breaches
Welcome back to another edition of my monthly roundup of privacy-related news. Some of the biggest headlines saw Proton announce new releases, from their end-to-end encrypted document editor to a bitcoin wallet. And with that, let’s get into this month’s roundup.
2024 Paris Olympics and Facial Recognition Technology
The 2024 Paris Olympics open today. You’ve probably seen a lot of headlines, but one that you might have missed is the expansive use of facial recognition technology. FRT is being deployed in order to provide safety for the thousands of athletes, coaches, staff, and spectators that will descend on the city. There are many concer…
1.) Introducing Docs in Proton Drive – collaborative document editing that’s actually private - Link
2.) Brazil data regulator bans Meta from mining data to train AI models - Link
3.) Newsletter writer covering Evolve Bank’s data breach says the bank sent him a cease and desist letter - Link
4.) ‘It’s completely invasive’: New app lets you spy on SF bars to see if they’re poppin’ (June) - Link
5.) How the Rise of the Camera Launched a Fight to Protect Gilded Age Americans’ Privacy - Link
6.) Incogni adds a feature for multiple e-mail addresses - Link
7.) Shopify says stolen customer data was taken in third-party breach - Link
8.) Ever put content on the web? Microsoft says that it's okay for them to steal it because it's 'freeware.' - Link
9.) Windows Recall Remains Insecure, Researcher Says; Google Developing Similar Feature - Link
10.) AdGuard: Protecting privacy is one of the top reasons why people use ad blockers — survey - Link
11.) RockYou2024: 10 billion passwords leaked in the largest compilation of all time - Link
12.) Signal under fire for storing encryption keys in plaintext - Link
13.) OpenAI breach is a reminder that AI companies are treasure troves for hackers - Link
14.) Here We Go Again: EU’s “Upload Moderation” – Just Another Privacy Attacked Again Scheme? - Link
15.) Police Say a Simple Warning Will Prevent Face Recognition Wrongful Arrests. That's Just Not True. - Link
16.) Introducing Privacy Plus - Link
17.) Hackers target WordPress calendar plugin used by 150,000 sites - Link
18.) City of Philadelphia says over 35,000 hit in May 2023 breach - Link
19.) Microsoft-owned adtech Xandr accused of EU privacy breaches - Link
20.) Neiman Marcus data breach: 31 million email addresses found exposed - Link
21.) Peloton accused of providing customer chat data to train AI - Link
22.) No room for privacy: How Airbnb fails to protect guests from hidden cameras - Link
23.) Tuta Blog: 10 types of identity theft and how to spot the warning signs. - Link
24.) AT&T Confirms Data Breach Affecting Nearly All Wireless Customers - Link
25.) iPhone users in 98 countries warned about spyware by Apple - Link
26.) FTC audit of websites and apps finds three-fourths use dark patterns to trick consumers - Link
27.) OpenAI is plagued by safety concerns - Link
28.) Expert warns that Singapore’s growing digital device reliance raises “living room” cybersecurity risks - Link
29.) Firefox version 128 contains a “advertising report” feature you may want to disable - Link
30.) How an AI “artist” stole a woman’s face, with Ali Diamond (Lock and Code S05E15) - Link
31.) Singapore Banks to Phase Out OTPs for Online Logins Within 3 Months - Link
32.) New payment option for Tuta Mail users on iOS - Link
33.) Signal downplays encryption key flaw, fixes it after X drama - Link
34.) Minnesota app users, web surfers will soon have enhanced privacy rights as state joins California, Colorado and others - Link
35.) Google's Gemini AI caught scanning Google Drive hosted PDF files without permission — user complains feature can't be disabled - Link
36.) Digital Health: what does it mean for your rights and freedoms - Link
37.) Proton Pass launches Secure Links for safe, convenient password sharing - Link
38.) 'AI Employees' Managed Through HR Software Is a Capitalist Fever Dream - Link
39.) FW: Misconceptions about Firefox's Privacy Preserving Ad Measurement - Link
40.) Disney’s internal Slack was leaked by hackers mad about AI - Link
41.) Patagonia invaded privacy by using AI to analyze customer service interactions, lawsuit alleges - Link
42.) Switzerland mandates software source code disclosure for public sector: A legal milestone - Link / Additional Link
43.) Twilio says hackers identified cell phone numbers of two-factor app Authy users - Link
44.) How to tell if your online accounts have been hacked - Link
45.) Introducing Proton Scribe, a private writing assistant that writes and proofreads emails for you - Link
46.) MediSecure reveals 12.9 million Australians had personal data stolen in cyber attack earlier this year - Link
47.) USPS shared customer postal addresses with Meta, LinkedIn and Snap - Link
48.) Social media monitoring in the UK: the invisible surveillance tool increasingly deployed by government - Link
49.) Over 400,000 Life360 user phone numbers leaked via unsecured API - Link
50.) LGBTQ+ people in Middle East and North Africa subject to intense digital oppression, research finds - Link
51.) Gen Z breakups tainted by login abuse for spying and stalking, research shows - Link
52.) Modern Cars Can Be Tracking Nightmares. Abuse Survivors Need Real Solutions. - Link
53.) Email addresses of 15 million Trello users leaked on hacking forum - Link
54.) How a little-known tool is sweeping the real estate industry by giving instant access to vast amounts of homebuyer data - Link
55.) Chromium browsers found sending user data to Google, raising privacy & regulatory concerns - Link
56.) Theerma: Group Calls Are Now Available on the Desktop - Link
57.) New Financial Systems: Surveillance and Tokenization Threaten Inclusion - Link
58.) Meta puts a halt to training its generative AI tools in Brazil - Link
59.) US company's geolocation data transaction draws intense scrutiny in Germany - Link
60.) UK school reprimanded for unlawful use of facial-recognition technology - Link
61.) Google Abandons Plan to Phase Out Third-Party Cookies in Chrome - Link
62.) Privacy commissioner investigating customer claims they can't delete PC Optimum accounts - Link
63.) EU threatens to fine Meta for saying Facebook is ‘free’ - Link
64.) How the American war on porn could change the way you use the internet - Link
65.) Courts Close the Loophole Letting the Feds Search Your Phone at the Border - Link
66.) Data anonymity methods and privacy safeguards unfit for modern data, says Oxford data scientist - Link
67.) Introducing Proton Wallet – a safer way to hold Bitcoin - Link
68.) X/Twitter enables default data sharing for AI training without user consent - Link
69.) Meta given weeks to tell EU consumer protection authorities how it’ll fix ‘pay or consent’ - Link
70.) Understanding private surveillance providers and technologies - Link
71.) Department of Education Sued Following Markup Investigation Into FAFSA Data Shared with Facebook - Link
72.) Joint letter to UK retailers regarding the potenital use of facial recognition technology (FRT) within their stores - Link
73.) How to opt out of facial recognition at airports (if you’re American) - Link
74.) How a Microsoft App is Powering Employee Surveillance - Link
75.) ID Scanners Can Change How Your Local Bar Treats You—and Whether It Lets You In - Link
As always, if you have any other privacy related news that you saw in July, feel free to leave it in the comments.
Until Next Time,
Monique 🔏