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Category Archives: Privacy

New Privacy Badger Prevents Google From Mangling More of Your Links and Invading Your Privacy

EFF: “We released a new version of Privacy Badger that updates how we fight “link tracking” across a number of Google products. With this update Privacy Badger removes tracking from links in Google Docs, Gmail, Google Maps, and Google Images results. Privacy Badger now also removes tracking from links added after scrolling through Google Search results. Link tracking is a creepy surveillance tactic that allows a company to follow you whenever you click on a link to leave its website. As we wrote in our original announcement of Google link tracking protection, Google uses different techniques in different browsers. The techniques also vary across Google products. One common link tracking approach surreptitiously redirects the outgoing request through the tracker’s own servers. There is virtually no benefit 1 for you when this happens. The added complexity mostly just helps Google learn more about your browsing. It’s been a few years since our original release of Google link tracking protection. Things have changed in the meantime. For example, Google Search now dynamically adds results as you scroll the page (“infinite scroll” has mostly replaced distinct pages of results). Google Hangouts no longer exists! This made it a good time for us to update Privacy Badger’s first party tracking protections…”

UK Guide on the use of Generative AI

UK Gov: Guide on the use of Generative AI – “Overview – Generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools offer many potential benefits to Government of Canada (GC) institutions. Federal institutions should explore potential uses of generative AI tools for supporting and improving their operations. However, because these tools are evolving, they should not be used in… Continue Reading

Exploring Congress’ Framework for The Future of AI

“U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA), ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, released a white paper – Exploring Congress’ Framework for The Future of AI – on artificial intelligence (AI) and the technology’s potential benefits and risks to society. Additionally, Cassidy requested feedback from stakeholders on the role of government… Continue Reading

Pete Recommends – Weekly highlights on cyber security issues, September 16, 2023

Via LLRX – Pete Recommends – Weekly highlights on cyber security issues, September 16, 2023 – Privacy and cybersecurity issues impact every aspect of our lives – home, work, travel, education, finance, health and medical records – to name but a few. On a weekly basis Pete Weiss highlights articles and information that focus on the increasingly… Continue Reading

You Should Worry About the Data Retailers Collect About You

The Atlantic [free to read]: “…Smartphones gave stores even more refined information about their customers, facilitating new kinds of in-store spying that most people probably don’t even know exists. Mousetrap-size radio transmitters called beacons ping off apps on your phone and can track your location down to the inch inside a store, giving retailers granular… Continue Reading

How to finally ditch Chrome and move all your data and bookmarks to another browser

PopSci: “The latest version of Google Chrome introduced new settings that have raised privacy concerns. Google says these tools “give you more choice over the ads you see,” which sounds nice. But it’s also a jargony way to say the browser will track your web surfing and share some of your data with advertisers so… Continue Reading

The Atlantic’s Guide to Privacy

The Atlantic’s Guide to Privacy [read free]: “In 2023, digital privacy is, in many ways, a fiction: Knowingly or not, we are all constantly streaming, beaming, being surveilled, scattering data wherever we go. Companies, governments, and our fellow citizens know more than we could ever imagine about our body, our shopping habits, even our kids.… Continue Reading

Pete Recommends – Weekly highlights on cyber security issues, September 9, 2023

Via LLRX – Pete Recommends – Weekly highlights on cyber security issues, September 9, 2023 – Privacy and cybersecurity issues impact every aspect of our lives – home, work, travel, education, finance, health and medical records – to name but a few. On a weekly basis Pete Weiss, highlights articles and information that focus on the… Continue Reading

Mozilla Multi-Account Containers

Mozilla Support: “Multi-Account Containers is an extension developed by Mozilla that allows you to separate your browsing experience into different color-coded tabs, to help protect your privacy. By using these containers, you can categorize their browsing based on purpose and create tabs for Work, Banking, Shopping and Personal browsing. For an extra layer of privacy,… Continue Reading

Google’s Cookie Killing Tech Is Now on Almost Every Chrome Browser

Gizmodo: “Google’s Privacy Sandbox, a controversial set of tools and settings meant to replace third-party cookies, is now on almost every single Chrome browser, according to a company blog post published Thursday. Google says Privacy Sandbox is now available to around 97% of Chrome users, and that number will reach 100% in the next few… Continue Reading

Cars Are the Worst Product Category We Have Ever Reviewed for Privacy

Mozilla Foundation: “Modern cars are a privacy nightmare. Car makers have been bragging about their cars being “computers on wheels” for years to promote their advanced features. However, the conversation about what driving a computer means for its occupants’ privacy hasn’t really caught up. While we worried that our doorbells and watches that connect to… Continue Reading