Category: Global Domination

Android tracks you before you start an app – no consent required. Also, it scans your photos.

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Research from a leading academic shows Android users have advertising cookies and other gizmos working to build profiles on them even before they open their first app. Doug Leith, professor and chair of computer systems at Trinity College Dublin, who carried out the research, claims in his write up that no consent is sought for Read more about Android tracks you before you start an app – no consent required. Also, it scans your photos.[…]

Mozilla updates updated TOS for Firefox and is now more confusing but does not look private

Posted on by Robin Edgar

On Wednesday we shared that we’re introducing a new Terms of Use (TOU) and Privacy Notice for Firefox. Since then, we’ve been listening to some of our community’s concerns with parts of the TOU, specifically about licensing. Our intent was just to be as clear as possible about how we make Firefox work, but in Read more about Mozilla updates updated TOS for Firefox and is now more confusing but does not look private[…]

Microsoft begins turning off uBlock Origin and other extensions in Edge

Posted on by Robin Edgar

If you use the uBlock Origin extension in Google Chrome or Edge, you should probably start looking for alternative browsers or extensions—either way. A few days ago, users noticed that Google had begun disabling uBlock Origin and other Manifest V2-based extensions as part of the migration to Manifest V3. Now, Microsoft Edge appears to be Read more about Microsoft begins turning off uBlock Origin and other extensions in Edge[…]

After Snowden and now Trump, Europe  Finally begins to worry about US-controlled clouds

Posted on by Robin Edgar

In a recent blog post titled “It is no longer safe to move our governments and societies to US clouds,” Bert Hubert, an entrepreneur, software developer, and part-time technical advisor to the Dutch Electoral Council, articulated such concerns. “We now have the bizarre situation that anyone with any sense can see that America is no Read more about After Snowden and now Trump, Europe  Finally begins to worry about US-controlled clouds[…]

Ron Wyden asks for rules about knowing whether you own your digital purchases

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) has sent a letter to Federal Trade Commission (FTC) chair Andrew Ferguson urging the FTC to require that companies admit when you’re not really buying an ebook or video game. Wyden’s letter, shared with The Verge, requests guidance to “ensure that consumers who purchase or license digital goods can make informed Read more about Ron Wyden asks for rules about knowing whether you own your digital purchases[…]

You Should Download Your Kindle E-Books Now, Before It’s Too Late

Posted on by Robin Edgar

This week, Amazon is eliminating the “Download & Transfer via USB” option for Kindle users. If you own a vast library and hope to take your reading elsewhere, this may be your last opportunity. Amazon has stated in a note on users’ library management page that, starting Wednesday, Feb. 26, it was eliminating “Download & Read more about You Should Download Your Kindle E-Books Now, Before It’s Too Late[…]

Google pulls plug on Ad blockers such as uBlock Origin by killing Manifest v2

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Google’s purge of Manifest v2-based extensions from its Chrome browser is underway, as many users over the past few days may have noticed. Popular content-blocking add-on (v2-based) uBlock Origin is now automatically disabled for many in the ubiquitous browser as it continues the V3 rollout. […] According to the company, Google’s decision to shift to Read more about Google pulls plug on Ad blockers such as uBlock Origin by killing Manifest v2[…]

Gravy Analytics sued for data breach containing location data of millions of smartphones

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Gravy Analytics has been sued yet again for allegedly failing to safeguard its vast stores of personal data, which are now feared stolen. And by personal data we mean information including the locations of tens of millions of smartphones, coordinates of which were ultimately harvested from installed apps. A complaint [PDF], filed in federal court Read more about Gravy Analytics sued for data breach containing location data of millions of smartphones[…]

U.K. orders Apple to let it spy on users’ encrypted Data in Secret Order – guess they didn’t learn from the Chinese hack of the US telco system then

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Security officials in the United Kingdom have demanded that Apple create a back door allowing them to retrieve all the content any Apple user worldwide has uploaded to the cloud, people familiar with the matter told The Washington Post. The British government’s undisclosed order, issued last month, requires blanket capability to view fully encrypted material, Read more about U.K. orders Apple to let it spy on users’ encrypted Data in Secret Order – guess they didn’t learn from the Chinese hack of the US telco system then[…]

Unions Sue to Block Elon Musk’s Access to Americans’ Tax and Benefits Records

Posted on by Robin Edgar

A coalition of labor organizations representing federal workers and retirees has sued the Department of the Treasury to block it from giving the newly created Department of Government Efficiency, controlled by Elon Musk, access to the federal government’s sensitive payment systems. After forcing out a security official who opposed the move, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent Read more about Unions Sue to Block Elon Musk’s Access to Americans’ Tax and Benefits Records[…]

AI-assisted works can get finally copyright with enough human creativity, says US copyright office

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Artists can copyright works they made with the help of artificial intelligence, according to a new report by the U.S. Copyright Office that could further clear the way for the use of AI tools in Hollywood, the music industry and other creative fields. The nation’s copyright office, which sits in the Library of Congress and Read more about AI-assisted works can get finally copyright with enough human creativity, says US copyright office[…]

Astronomers Call for Global Ban on Space Advertising Before It’s Too Late

Posted on by Robin Edgar

In a statement adopted in October 2024, the American Astronomical Society declared that humankind’s scientific understanding of the universe is under threat from space activities, including the proliferation of satellite constellations, space debris, and radio- and electromagnetic interference. Of note is the potential for a space-based eyesore: giant billboards hanging out in low Earth orbit. Read more about Astronomers Call for Global Ban on Space Advertising Before It’s Too Late[…]

Phone Metadata Suddenly Not So ‘Harmless’ When It’s The FBI’s Data Being Harvested

Posted on by Robin Edgar

[…] While trying to fend off attacks on Section 215 collections (most of which are governed [in the loosest sense of the word] by the Third Party Doctrine), the NSA and its domestic-facing remora, the FBI, insisted collecting and storing massive amounts of phone metadata was no more a constitutional violation than it was a Read more about Phone Metadata Suddenly Not So ‘Harmless’ When It’s The FBI’s Data Being Harvested[…]

Inheritance, “cronyism and corruption” or monopoly power grows billionaire wealth in 2024 in second-largest annual increase since records began

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The wealth of the world’s billionaires grew by $2tn (£1.64tn) last year, three times faster than in 2023, amounting to $5.7bn (£4.7bn) a day, according to a report by Oxfam. The latest inequality report from the charity reveals that the world is now on track to have five trillionaires within a decade, a change from Read more about Inheritance, “cronyism and corruption” or monopoly power grows billionaire wealth in 2024 in second-largest annual increase since records began[…]

As Zuckerberg Goes Around Whining About Biden, He Made Sure To First Get His New Approach Approved By Trump

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Remember how Zuckerberg was “done with politics”? Remember how he promised that he was going to stop doing what politicians demanded he do? Now it turns out that he not only did his big set of moderation changes to please Trump, but did so only after he was told by the incoming administration to act. Read more about As Zuckerberg Goes Around Whining About Biden, He Made Sure To First Get His New Approach Approved By Trump[…]

NY Post: Fact Checking Is Now Censorship

Posted on by Robin Edgar

This was inevitable, ever since Donald Trump and the MAGA world freaked out when social media’s attempts to fact-check the President were deemed “censorship.” The reaction was both swift and entirely predictable. After all, how dare anyone question Dear Leader’s proclamations, even if they are demonstrably false? It wasn’t long before we started to see Read more about NY Post: Fact Checking Is Now Censorship[…]

Why Has Zuckerberg stopped Meta Fact Checking? Trump lifetime prison threats and FCC section 230 removal threats?

Posted on by Robin Edgar

If you only remember two things about the government pressure campaign to influence Mark Zuckerberg’s content moderation decisions, make it these: Donald Trump directly threatened to throw Zuck in prison for the rest of his life, and just a couple months ago FCC Commissioner (soon to be FCC chair) Brendan Carr threatened Meta that if Read more about Why Has Zuckerberg stopped Meta Fact Checking? Trump lifetime prison threats and FCC section 230 removal threats?[…]

You don’t need to make up like a clown to defeat AI face detection

Posted on by Robin Edgar

In a pre-print paper titled “Novel AI Camera Camouflage: Face Cloaking Without Full Disguise,” David Noever, chief scientist, and Forrest McKee, data scientist, describe their efforts to baffle face recognition systems through the minimal application of makeup and manipulation of image files. Noever and McKee recount various defenses that have been proposed against facial recognition Read more about You don’t need to make up like a clown to defeat AI face detection[…]

Meta says it isn’t ending fact-checks outside the US yet

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Social media platform Meta has confirmed that its fact-checking feature on Facebook, Instagram and Threads will only be removed in the US for now, according to a Jan. 13 letter sent to Brazil’s government. “Meta has already clarified that, at this time, it is terminating its independent Fact-Checking Program only in the United States, where Read more about Meta says it isn’t ending fact-checks outside the US yet[…]

Venezuela’s Internet Censorship Sparks Surge in VPN Demand

Posted on by Robin Edgar

What’s Important to Know: Venezuela’s Supreme Court fined TikTok USD$10 million for failing to prevent viral video challenges that resulted in the deaths of three Venezuelan children. TikTok faced temporary blockades by Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in Venezuela for not paying the fine. ISPs used IP, HTTP, and DNS blocks to restrict access to TikTok Read more about Venezuela’s Internet Censorship Sparks Surge in VPN Demand[…]

VPN Demand Surge in Florida after Adult Sites Age Restriction Kicks In

Posted on by Robin Edgar

What’s important to know: On March 25, 2024 Florida’s Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a law requiring age verification for accessing pornographic sites. This law, known as House Bill 3 (HB3), passed with bipartisan support and has caused quite a stir in the online community. HB3 was set to come into effect on January 1, 2025. Read more about VPN Demand Surge in Florida after Adult Sites Age Restriction Kicks In[…]

Google brings back digital fingerprinting to track users for advertising

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Google is tracking your online behavior in the name of advertising, reintroducing a data collection process that ingests all of your online signals (from IP address to complex browser information) and pinpoints unique users or devices, also known as “digital fingerprinting.” The company’s updated platform program policies include relaxed restrictions on advertisers and personalized ad Read more about Google brings back digital fingerprinting to track users for advertising[…]

Telegram hands over data on 2253 users last year (up from 108 in 2023) to US law enforcement alone after arrest of boss

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Telegram reveals that the communications platform has fulfilled 900 U.S. government requests, sharing the phone number or IP address information of 2,253 users with law enforcement. This number is a steep increase from previous years, with most requests processed after the platform’s policy shift on sharing user data, announced in September 2024. While Telegram has long Read more about Telegram hands over data on 2253 users last year (up from 108 in 2023) to US law enforcement alone after arrest of boss[…]

Google goes to court for collecting data on users who opted out… again…

Posted on by Robin Edgar

A federal judge this week rejected Google’s motion to throw out a class-action lawsuit alleging that it invaded the privacy of users who opted out of functionality that records a users’ web and app activities. A jury trial is scheduled for August 2025 in US District Court in San Francisco. The lawsuit concerns Google’s Web Read more about Google goes to court for collecting data on users who opted out… again…[…]