Museum Collection Of Historical TV Culture At Risk Due To Copyright Takedowns

[…] the informal nature of their collections means that they are exposed to serious threats from copyright, as the recent experience of The Museum of Classic Chicago Television makes clear. The Museum explains why it exists: The Museum of Classic Chicago Television (FuzzyMemoriesTV) is constantly searching out vintage material on old videotapes saved in basements or Read more about Museum Collection Of Historical TV Culture At Risk Due To Copyright Takedowns[…]

ICE, CBP, Secret Service All Illegally Used Smartphone Location Data

In a bombshell report, an oversight body for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) found that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Customs and Border Enforcement (CBP), and the Secret Service all broke the law while using location data harvested from ordinary apps installed on smartphones. In one instance, a CBP official also inappropriately used the Read more about ICE, CBP, Secret Service All Illegally Used Smartphone Location Data[…]

EPIC urges FTC to investigate Grindr’s data practices

On Wednesday, EPIC filed a complaint with the US government watchdog over Grindr’s “apparent failure to safeguard users’ sensitive personal data.” This includes both present and past users who have since deleted their accounts, according to the complaint. Despite promising in its privacy policy to delete personal info if customers remove their account, Grindr allegedly retained Read more about EPIC urges FTC to investigate Grindr’s data practices[…]

Singapore plans to scan your face instead of your passport

[…] “Singapore will be one of the first few countries in the world to introduce automated, passport-free immigration clearance,” said minister for communications and information Josephine Teo in a wrap-up speech for the bill. Teo did concede that Dubai had such clearance for select enrolled travelers, but there was no assurance of other countries planning Read more about Singapore plans to scan your face instead of your passport[…]

UK passport and immigration images database could be repurposed to catch shoplifters

Britain’s passport database could be used to catch shoplifters, burglars and other criminals under urgent plans to curb crime, the policing minister has said. Chris Philp said he planned to integrate data from the police national database (PND), the Passport Office and other national databases to help police find a match with the “click of Read more about UK passport and immigration images database could be repurposed to catch shoplifters[…]

Firefox now has private browser-based website translation – no cloud servers required

Web browsers have had tools that let you translate websites for years. But they typically rely on cloud-based translation services like Google Translate or Microsoft’s Bing Translator. The latest version of Mozilla’s Firefox web browser does things differently. Firefox 118 brings support for Fullpage Translation, which can translate websites entirely in your browser. In other Read more about Firefox now has private browser-based website translation – no cloud servers required[…]

Feds Probing Tesla For Lying About EV Ranges, Bullshitting Customers Who Complained

Back in July, Reuters released a bombshell report documenting how Tesla not only spent a decade falsely inflating the range of their EVs, but created teams dedicated to bullshitting Tesla customers who called in to complain about it. If you recall, Reuters noted how these teams would have a little, adorable party every time they Read more about Feds Probing Tesla For Lying About EV Ranges, Bullshitting Customers Who Complained[…]

Philips Hue / Signify Ecosystem: ‘Collapsing Into Stupidity’

The Philips Hue ecosystem of home automation devices is “collapsing into stupidity,” writes Rachel Kroll, veteran sysadmin and former production engineer at Facebook. “Unfortunately, the idiot C-suite phenomenon has happened here too, and they have been slowly walking down the road to full-on enshittification.” From her blog post: I figured something was up a few Read more about Philips Hue / Signify Ecosystem: ‘Collapsing Into Stupidity’[…]

Chip firm Rivos countersues Apple, alleges illegal contracts and unecessary court cases

A chip startup and several of its employees are being sued by Apple for theft of trade secrets and breach of contract and filed a countersuit. Rivos was sued [PDF] by Apple early last year over claims it lured away a gaggle of Apple employees working on the system-on-chip (SoC) designs like those in its Read more about Chip firm Rivos countersues Apple, alleges illegal contracts and unecessary court cases[…]

Philips Hue will force users to upload their data to Hue cloud – changing their TOS after you bought the product for not needing an account

Today’s story is about Philips Hue by Signify. They will soon start forcing accounts on all users and upload user data to their cloud. For now, Signify says you’ll still be able to control your Hue lights locally as you’re currently used to, but we don’t know if this may change in the future. The Read more about Philips Hue will force users to upload their data to Hue cloud – changing their TOS after you bought the product for not needing an account[…]

T-Mobile US exposes some customer data, but don’t say breach

T-Mobile US has had another bad week on the infosec front – this time stemming from a system glitch that exposed customer account data, followed by allegations of another breach the carrier denied. According to customers who complained of the issue on Reddit and X, the T-Mobile app was displaying other customers’ data instead of Read more about T-Mobile US exposes some customer data, but don’t say breach[…]

EU reinstates $400 million fine on Intel for blocking sales of competing chips

The European Commission has imposed a €376.36 million ($400 million) fine on Intel for blocking the sales of devices powered by its competitors’ x86 CPUs. This brings one part of the company’s long-running antitrust court battle with the European authority to a close. If you’ll recall, the Commission slapped the chipmaker with a record-breaking €1.06 Read more about EU reinstates $400 million fine on Intel for blocking sales of competing chips[…]

Dutch privacy watchdog SDBN sues twitter for collecting and selling data via Mohub (wordfeud, duolingo, etc) without notifying users

The Dutch Data Protection Foundation (SDBN) wants to enforce a mass claim for 11 million people through the courts against social media company X, the former Twitter. Between 2013 and 2021, that company owned the advertising platform MoPub, which, according to the privacy foundation, illegally traded in data from users of more than 30,000 free Read more about Dutch privacy watchdog SDBN sues twitter for collecting and selling data via Mohub (wordfeud, duolingo, etc) without notifying users[…]

The maestro: The man who built the biggest match-fixing ring in tennis

On the morning of his arrest, Grigor Sargsyan was still fixing matches. Four cellphones buzzed on his nightstand with calls and messages from around the world. Sargsyan was sprawled on a bed in his parents’ apartment, making deals between snatches of sleep. It was 3 a.m. in Brussels, which meant it was 8 a.m. in Read more about The maestro: The man who built the biggest match-fixing ring in tennis[…]

Google Chrome’s Privacy Sandbox: any site can now query all your habits

[…] Specifically, the web giant’s Privacy Sandbox APIs, a set of ad delivery and analysis technologies, now function in the latest version of the Chrome browser. Website developers can thus write code that calls those APIs to deliver and measure ads to visitors with compatible browsers. That is to say, sites can ask Chrome directly Read more about Google Chrome’s Privacy Sandbox: any site can now query all your habits[…]

Google taken to court in NL for large scale privacy breaches

The Foundation for the Protection of Privacy Interests and the Consumers’ Association are taking the next step in their fight against Google. The tech company is being taken to court today for ‘large-scale privacy violations’. The proceedings demand, among other things, that Google stop its constant surveillance and sharing of personal data through online advertising Read more about Google taken to court in NL for large scale privacy breaches[…]

Microsoft to stop forcing Windows 11 users into Edge in EU countries

Microsoft will finally stop forcing Windows 11 users in Europe into Edge if they click a link from the Windows Widgets panel or from search results. The software giant has started testing the changes to Windows 11 in recent test builds of the operating system, but the changes are restricted to countries within the European Read more about Microsoft to stop forcing Windows 11 users into Edge in EU countries[…]

Big Tech failed to police Russian disinformation: EU study

[…] The independent study of the DSA’s risk management framework published by the EU’s executive arm, the European Commission, concluded that commitments by social media platforms to mitigate the reach and influence of global online disinformation campaigns have been generally unsuccessful. The reach of Kremlin-sponsored disinformation has only increased since the major platforms all signed Read more about Big Tech failed to police Russian disinformation: EU study[…]

TV Museum Will Die in 48 Hours Unless Sony Retracts YouTube Copyright Strikes on 40 – 60 year old TV shows

Rick Klein and his team have been preserving TV adverts, forgotten tapes, and decades-old TV programming for years. Now operating as a 501(c)(3) non-profit, the Museum of Classic Chicago Television has called YouTube home since 2007. However, copyright notices sent on behalf of Sony, protecting TV shows between 40 and 60 years old, could shut Read more about TV Museum Will Die in 48 Hours Unless Sony Retracts YouTube Copyright Strikes on 40 – 60 year old TV shows[…]

Mozilla investigates 25 major car brands and finds privacy is shocking

[…] The foundation, the Firefox browser maker’s netizen-rights org, assessed the privacy policies and practices of 25 automakers and found all failed its consumer privacy tests and thereby earned its Privacy Not Included (PNI) warning label. If you care even a little about privacy, stay as far away from Nissan’s cars as you possibly can Read more about Mozilla investigates 25 major car brands and finds privacy is shocking[…]

Australian Government, Of All Places, Says Age Verification Is A Privacy & Security Nightmare

In the past I’ve sometimes described Australia as the land where internet policy is completely upside down. Rather than having a system that protects intermediaries from liability for third party content, Australia went the opposite direction. Rather than recognizing that a search engine merely links to content and isn’t responsible for the content at those Read more about Australian Government, Of All Places, Says Age Verification Is A Privacy & Security Nightmare[…]

OpenAI disputes authors’ claims that every ChatGPT response is a derivative work, it’s transformative

This week, OpenAI finally responded to a pair of nearly identical class-action lawsuits from book authors […] In OpenAI’s motion to dismiss (filed in both lawsuits), the company asked a US district court in California to toss all but one claim alleging direct copyright infringement, which OpenAI hopes to defeat at “a later stage of Read more about OpenAI disputes authors’ claims that every ChatGPT response is a derivative work, it’s transformative[…]

Companies are recording your conversations whilst you are on hold with them

Is Achmea or Bol.com customer service putting you on hold? Then everything you say can still be heard by some of their employees. This is evident from research by Radar. When you call customer service, you often hear: “Please note: this conversation may be recorded for training purposes.” Nothing special. But if you call the Read more about Companies are recording your conversations whilst you are on hold with them[…]

Tornado Cash ‘laundered over $1B’ in criminal cryptocurrency

Two founders of Tornado Cash were formally accused by US prosecutors today of laundering more than $1 billion in criminal proceeds through their cryptocurrency mixer. As well as unsealing an indictment against the pair on Wednesday, the Feds also arrested one of them, 34-year-old Roman Storm, in his home state of Washington, and hauled him Read more about Tornado Cash ‘laundered over $1B’ in criminal cryptocurrency[…]

Our Inability To Recognize That Remixing Art Is Transformative Is Now Leading To Today’s AI/Copyright Mess

If you’ve never watched it, Kirby Ferguson’s “Everything is a Remix” series (which was recently updated from the original version that came out years ago) is an excellent look at how stupid our copyright laws are, and how they have really warped our view of creativity. As the series makes clear, creativity is all about Read more about Our Inability To Recognize That Remixing Art Is Transformative Is Now Leading To Today’s AI/Copyright Mess[…]