Popular Science – You can now access the app’s security and privacy tools more easily. “WhatsApp’s new Privacy Checkup menu gives you the ability to block unknown callers, but that’s not the only way it will protect your one-on-one conversations and thriving group chats. The messaging app has come a long way in terms of… Continue Reading
Accurate, Focused Research on Law, Technology and Knowledge Discovery Since 2002
Category Archives: E-Records
Report – Meta and Tax Prep Companies “Recklessly” Shared Taxpayers’ Data
Elizabeth Warren: “Today I released a new 54-page report revealing that Big Tax Prep companies have recklessly shared personal and financial data of millions of taxpayers with Big Tech for years. Regulators need to fully investigate and prosecute those who violated the law… Via The MarkUp: “Meta and major tax preparation companies inappropriately shared millions… Continue Reading
TikTok: Technology Overview and Issues
CRS Report – TikTok: Technology Overview and Issues, Updated June 30, 2023: “TikTok is a globally popular video-sharing smartphone application (app) owned by ByteDance Ltd., a privately held company headquartered in Beijing, China. It is under increasing scrutiny by the U.S. government as a potential privacy and security risk to U.S. citizens. This is because… Continue Reading
Google hit with lawsuit alleging it stole data from millions of users to train AI tools
CNN: “…The complaint alleges that Google “has been secretly stealing everything ever created and shared on the internet by hundreds of millions of Americans” and using this data to train its AI products, such as its chatbot Bard. The complaint also claims Google has taken “virtually the entirety of our digital footprint,” including “creative and… Continue Reading
Facebook could be tracking your online Plan B or HIV test purchases
Popular Science: “Looking for an at-home HIV test on CVS’ website is not as private an experience as one might think. An investigation by The Markup and KFF Health News found trackers on CVS.com telling some of the biggest social media and advertising platforms the products customers viewed. And CVS is not the only pharmacy… Continue Reading
Why the paperless office hasn’t fully caught on
Washington Post: “…This year, the U.S. home and office market for printers is expected to reach $10.47 billion with more than 16.9 million laser and inkjet devices sold, according to data from market researcher International Data Corp. That would represent a 15 percent decline in sales and an 11 percent drop in market value in… Continue Reading
Your printing service might read your documents
Washington Post – Here’s what to know [free link]: “If you’re printing something on actual paper, there’s a good chance it’s important, like a tax form or a job contract. But popular printing products and services won’t promise not to read it. In fact, they won’t even promise not to share it with outside marketing… Continue Reading
How Threads’ privacy policy compares to Twitter’s (and its rivals’)
Ars Technica: “Here’s what is collected by Threads, as well as by Twitter, Bluesky, Mastodon, Spill, and Hive Social. Meta’s long-awaited Twitter alternative is here, and it’s called Threads. The new social media app launches at a time when alternatives, like Bluesky, Mastodon, and Spill, are vying for users who are dissatisfied with Elon Musk’s… Continue Reading
Civic Information Handbook
Civic Information Handbook by Karen Kornbluh and Adrienne Goldstein, May 11, 2023. Offering insight on how to compete with coordinated deceptive information campaigns – created in collaboration with UNC Center for Information, Technology, and Public Life. “This handbook aims to: Educate civic information providers about coordinated deceptive campaign…including how they build their audiences, seed compelling… Continue Reading
Pete Recommends – Weekly highlights on cyber security issues, June 30, 2023
Via LLRX – Pete Recommends – Weekly highlights on cyber security issues, June 30, 2023 – Privacy and cybersecurity issues impact every aspect of our lives – home, work, travel, education, 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
‘AI Arms Race’: Privacy Class Action Claims ChatGPT Is ‘Catastrophic Risk to Humanity’
Law.com – The lawsuit likens Open AI’s alleged privacy violations to complaints against Clearview AI for scraping photos off the internet for commercial gain: “A proposed class action lawsuit against Open AI and ChatGPT investor Microsoft Corp. is seeking a court order requiring the generative artificial-intelligence platform to stop its alleged secret “harvesting” of personal… Continue Reading
How to send a text message from Gmail
Tom’s Guide: “Sending someone a text message from your Gmail account is one of those features not everyone will use very often, but it’s super handy to know how to do it —especially in a pinch. Maybe you need to get in touch with someone notorious for never checking their phone (guilty, your honor) but… Continue Reading
