MEPs exclude audiovisual sector in geo-blocking regulation reassessment – Sabine Verheyen shows who’s pocket she is in.

In 2018, the European Parliament voted to ban geo-blocking, meaning blocking access to a network based on someone’s location. Geo-blocking systems block or authorise access to content based on where the user is located. On Wednesday, following a 2020 evaluation by the Commission on the regulation, MEPs advocated for reassessing geo-blocking, taking into account increased Read more about MEPs exclude audiovisual sector in geo-blocking regulation reassessment – Sabine Verheyen shows who’s pocket she is in.[…]

US Law enforcement can obtain prescription records from pharmacy giants without a warrant

America’s eight largest pharmacy providers shared customers’ prescription records to law enforcement when faced with subpoena requests, The Washington Post reported Tuesday. The news arrives amid patients’ growing privacy concerns in the wake of the Supreme Court’s 2022 overturn of Roe v. Wade. The new look into the legal workarounds was first detailed in a Read more about US Law enforcement can obtain prescription records from pharmacy giants without a warrant[…]

Italian “Piracy Shield” Instant Facisct Takedown Orders Apply to All ISPs, DNS & VPN Providers & Google

Italy’s Piracy Shield anti-piracy system reportedly launched last week, albeit in limited fashion. Whether the platform had any impact on pirate IPTV providers offering the big game last Friday is unclear but plans supporting a full-on assault are pressing ahead. […] When lawmakers gave Italy’s new blocking regime the green light during the summer, the Read more about Italian “Piracy Shield” Instant Facisct Takedown Orders Apply to All ISPs, DNS & VPN Providers & Google[…]

Proposed US surveillance regime makes anyone with a modem a big brother spy. Choice is between full on spying and full on spying.

Under rules being considered, any telecom service provider or business with custodial access to telecom equipment – a hotel IT technician, an employee at a cafe with Wi-Fi, or a contractor responsible for installing home broadband router – could be compelled to enable electronic surveillance. And this would apply not only to those involved with Read more about Proposed US surveillance regime makes anyone with a modem a big brother spy. Choice is between full on spying and full on spying.[…]

Bad genes: 23andMe leak highlights a possible future of genetic discrimination

23andMe is a terrific concept. In essence, the company takes a sample of your DNA and tells you about your genetic makeup. For some of us, this is the only way to learn about our heritage. Spotty records, diaspora, mistaken family lore and slavery can make tracing one’s roots incredibly difficult by traditional methods. What Read more about Bad genes: 23andMe leak highlights a possible future of genetic discrimination[…]

Governments, Apple, Google spying on users through push notifications – they all go through Apple and Google servers (unencrypted?)!

In a letter to the Department of Justice, Senator Ron Wyden said foreign officials were demanding the data from Alphabet’s (GOOGL.O) Google and Apple (AAPL.O). Although details were sparse, the letter lays out yet another path by which governments can track smartphones. Apps of all kinds rely on push notifications to alert smartphone users to Read more about Governments, Apple, Google spying on users through push notifications – they all go through Apple and Google servers (unencrypted?)![…]

Alternative browsers about to die? Firefox may soon be delisted in the US govt support matrix :'(

A somewhat obscure guideline for developers of U.S. government websites may be about to accelerate the long, sad decline of Mozilla’s Firefox browser. There already are plenty of large entities, both public and private, whose websites lack proper support for Firefox; and that will get only worse in the near future, because the ’fox’s auburn Read more about Alternative browsers about to die? Firefox may soon be delisted in the US govt support matrix :'([…]

If Creators Suing AI Companies Over Copyright Insanley Win, It Will Further Entrench Big Tech

There’s been this weird idea lately, even among people who used to recognize that copyright only empowers the largest gatekeepers, that in the AI world we have to magically flip the script on copyright and use it as a tool to get AI companies to pay for the material they train on. But, as we’ve Read more about If Creators Suing AI Companies Over Copyright Insanley Win, It Will Further Entrench Big Tech[…]

Automakers’ data privacy practices “are unacceptable,” says US senator

US Senator Edward Markey (D-Mass.) is one of the more technologically engaged of our elected lawmakers. And like many technologically engaged Ars Technica readers, he does not like what he sees in terms of automakers’ approach to data privacy. On Friday, Sen. Markey wrote to 14 car companies with a variety of questions about data Read more about Automakers’ data privacy practices “are unacceptable,” says US senator[…]

The UK tries, once again, to age-gate pornography, keep a list of porn watchers

UK telecoms regulator Ofcom has laid out how porn sites could verify users’ ages under the newly passed Online Safety Act. Although the law gives sites the choice of how they keep out underage users, the regulator is publishing a list of measures they’ll be able to use to comply. These include having a bank Read more about The UK tries, once again, to age-gate pornography, keep a list of porn watchers[…]

Web browser suspended because it can browse the web is back on Google Play after being taken down by incomplete DMCA

Google Play has reversed its latest ban on a web browser that keeps getting targeted by vague Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) notices. Downloader, an Android TV app that combines a browser with a file manager, was restored to Google Play last night. Downloader, made by app developer Elias Saba, was suspended on Sunday after Read more about Web browser suspended because it can browse the web is back on Google Play after being taken down by incomplete DMCA[…]

FBI Director Admits Agency Rarely Has Probable Cause When It Performs Backdoor Searches Of NSA Collections

After years of continuous, unrepentant abuse of surveillance powers, the FBI is facing the real possibility of seeing Section 702 curtailed, if not scuttled entirely. Section 702 allows the NSA to gather foreign communications in bulk. The FBI benefits from this collection by being allowed to perform “backdoor” searches of NSA collections to obtain communications Read more about FBI Director Admits Agency Rarely Has Probable Cause When It Performs Backdoor Searches Of NSA Collections[…]

Copyright Bot Can’t Tell The Difference Between Star Trek Ship And Adult Film Actress

Given that the overwhelming majority of DMCA takedown notices are generated by copyright bots that are only moderately good at their job, at best, perhaps it’s not terribly surprising that these bots keep finding new and interesting ways to cause collateral damage unintentionally. […] a Tumblr site, called “Mapping La Sirena.” If you’re a fan Read more about Copyright Bot Can’t Tell The Difference Between Star Trek Ship And Adult Film Actress[…]

Ubisoft blames ‘technical error’ for showing pop-up ads in Assassin’s Creed

Ubisoft is blaming a “technical error” for a fullscreen pop-up ad that appeared in Assassin’s Creed Odyssey this week. Reddit users say they spotted the pop-up on Xbox and PlayStation versions of the game, with an ad appearing just when you navigate to the map screen. “This is disgusting to experience while playing,” remarked one Read more about Ubisoft blames ‘technical error’ for showing pop-up ads in Assassin’s Creed[…]

US government pays AT&T to let cops search phone records without warrant

A senator has alleged that American law enforcement agencies snoop on US citizens and residents, seemingly without regard for the privacy provisions of the Fourth Amendment, under a secret program called the Hemisphere Project that allows police to conduct searches of trillions of phone records. According to Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR), these searches “usually” happen Read more about US government pays AT&T to let cops search phone records without warrant[…]

Google admits it’s making YouTube worse for ad block and non-chrome (Edge, Firefox) users

[…] Earlier this year, YouTube began interrupting videos for those using advert blockers with a pop-up encouraging them to either disable the offending extension or filter, or pay for YT’s ad-free premium tier. More recently, netizens have reported experiencing delays in playback when using non-Chrome browsers as well. Upon launching a video, Firefox users have Read more about Google admits it’s making YouTube worse for ad block and non-chrome (Edge, Firefox) users[…]

The Oura Ring Is a $300 Sleep Tracker Suddenly needs a Subscription

[…] Now in its third iteration, the Oura Ring tracks and analyzes a host of metrics, including your heart-rate variability (HRV), blood oxygen rate, body temperature, and sleep duration. It uses this data to give you three daily scores, tallying the quality of your sleep, activity, and “readiness.” It can also determine your chronotype (your Read more about The Oura Ring Is a $300 Sleep Tracker Suddenly needs a Subscription[…]

The Epic Vs. Google Courtroom Battle Shows Google Routinely Hiding and Deleting Chats and Documents They Should (legally) Keep

[…] back in 2020 Epic added an option to Fortnite on mobile that let players buy Fortnite’s in-game V-Bucks currency directly from the company at a discount, bypassing both Apple’s and Google’s app store fees. This violated Apple and Google policies Epic agreed to and quickly led to both companies removing Fortnite from their respective Read more about The Epic Vs. Google Courtroom Battle Shows Google Routinely Hiding and Deleting Chats and Documents They Should (legally) Keep[…]

The EU Commission’s Alleged CSAM Regulation ‘Experts’ giving them free reign to spy on everyone: can’t be found. OK then.

Everyone who wants client-side scanning to be a thing insists it’s a good idea with no potential downsides. The only hangup, they insist, is tech companies’ unwillingness to implement it. And by “implement,” I mean — in far too many cases — introducing deliberate (and exploitable!) weaknesses in end-to-end encryption.End-to-end encryption only works if both Read more about The EU Commission’s Alleged CSAM Regulation ‘Experts’ giving them free reign to spy on everyone: can’t be found. OK then.[…]

Google Sues Men Who Weaponized DMCA Notices to Crush Competition

Two men who allegedly used 65 Google accounts to bombard Google with fraudulent DMCA takedown notices targeting up to 620,000 URLs, have been named in a Google lawsuit filed in California on Monday. Google says the men weaponized copyright law’s notice-and-takedown system to sabotage competitors’ trade, while damaging the search engine’s business and those of Read more about Google Sues Men Who Weaponized DMCA Notices to Crush Competition[…]

New Israeli Law Makes Consuming ‘Terrorist’ Content A Criminal Offense

It’s amazing just how much war and conflict can change a country. On October 7th, Hamas blitzed Israel with an attack that was plainly barbaric. Yes, this is a conflict that has been simmering with occasional flashpoints for decades. No, neither side can even begin to claim it has entirely clean hands as a result Read more about New Israeli Law Makes Consuming ‘Terrorist’ Content A Criminal Offense[…]

European digital identity: Council and Parliament reach a provisional agreement on eID

[…] Under the new law, member states will offer citizens and businesses digital wallets that will be able to link their national digital identities with proof of other personal attributes (e.g., driving licence, diplomas, bank account). Citizens will be able to prove their identity and share electronic documents from their digital wallets with a click Read more about European digital identity: Council and Parliament reach a provisional agreement on eID[…]

What does that free vs ad supported Facebook / Instagram warning mean, why is it there?

In the EU, Meta has given you a warning saying that you need to choose for an expensive ad free version or continue using targetted adverts. Strangely, considering Meta makes it’s profits by selling your information, you don’t get the option to be paid a cut of the profits they gain by selling your information. Read more about What does that free vs ad supported Facebook / Instagram warning mean, why is it there?[…]

9th Circuit Advances Lawsuit Over Fortnite ‘Emotes;’ Says Dance Moves Are As Protected As Songs

[…] Many courts have already dealt with these lawsuits-come-lately filed by opportunistic people who failed to capitalize on their own pop culture cache but thought it was worth throwing a few hundred dollars in filing fees towards a federal court in hopes that the eventual payoff would be millions. Most of these efforts have failed. Read more about 9th Circuit Advances Lawsuit Over Fortnite ‘Emotes;’ Says Dance Moves Are As Protected As Songs[…]