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Category Archives: Privacy

Americans’ Views on Book Restrictions in U.S. Public Schools 2024

“A study from the Knight Free Expression Research Series produced by Knight Foundation in partnership with Langer Research Associates. Book challenges and restrictions in U.S. public schools have increased dramatically since 2021. Yet research on public awareness, attitudes and engagement in these activities is limited. In an effort to fill this critical knowledge gap in… Continue Reading

Is Your SSN in the National Public Data Breach? Here’s How to Find Out

PC Mag: “Two cybersecurity firms launch separate websites that can tell you if your personal information, including Social Security number, was exposed in the National Public Data breach. A massive data breach has Americans worried about their private info getting into the wrong hands, but a pair of newly released websites could make it easier… Continue Reading

Rejecting Dogmas Around AI, User Privacy, and Tech Policy

Via LLRX – Rejecting Dogmas Around AI, User Privacy, and Tech Policy – The Markup’s Ross Teixeira had a virtual discussion with Jonathan Frankle, Chief Scientist at DataBricks, about the the ethics of companies using customer data to train models, the growing trend of integrating AI models into our personal devices and lives, and how people can… Continue Reading

National Public Data Published Its Own Passwords

Krebs on Security: “New details are emerging about a breach at National Public Data (NPD), a consumer data broker that recently spilled hundreds of millions of Americans’ Social Security Numbers, addresses, and phone numbers online. KrebsOnSecurity has learned that another NPD data broker which shares access to the same consumer records inadvertently published the passwords… Continue Reading

NationalPublicData.com Hack Exposes a Nation’s Data

Krebs on Security: “A great many readers this month reported receiving alerts that their Social Security Number, name, address and other personal information were exposed in a breach at a little-known but aptly-named consumer data broker called NationalPublicData.com. This post examines what we know about a breach that has exposed hundreds of millions of consumer… Continue Reading

How Loophole in Privacy Law Makes Opting Out of Facebook Data Sharing Difficult

“A new report from Consumer Watchdog shows how thousands of companies share your data with Facebook, including financial companies and health care providers, and how a loophole in California’s premier privacy law makes opting out difficult and time consuming. The report details how the big three web browsers do not offer a global opt out… Continue Reading

Hackers may have stolen the Social Security numbers of every American. How to protect yourself

LA Times via Yahoo: “…Data breaches have been so common over the years, some security experts say sensitive information about you is almost certainly available in the dark corners of the internet. And there are a lot of people capable of finding it; VPNRanks, a website that rates virtual private network services, estimates that 5… Continue Reading

Texas AG Sues GM for Unlaw­ful­ly Col­lect­ing Dri­vers’ Pri­vate Data and Sell­ing It To Sev­er­al Com­pa­nies, Includ­ing Insur­ance Companies

“Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued General Motors for its false, deceptive, and misleading business practices related to its unlawful collection and sale of over 1.5 million Texans’ private driving data to insurance companies without their knowledge or consent. This action follows Attorney General Paxton’s June 2024 announcement that he opened an investigation into several car… Continue Reading

US government wants to make it easier for you to click the ‘unsubscribe’ button

“Today, President Biden and Vice President Harris are launching “Time Is Money,” a new governmentwide effort to crack down on all the ways that corporations—through excessive paperwork, hold times, and general aggravation—add unnecessary headaches and hassles to people’s days and degrade their quality of life. Americans are tired of being played for suckers, and President… Continue Reading

Who Has Your Face

EFF – Who Has Your Face – “Law enforcement and government agencies have access to over 641 million photos for facial recognition purposes—photos of more than half of Americans. Knowing which agencies can access these images is necessary to fight back against this invasion of privacy. Learn more below. Table of Contents State Licenses/IDs Passports,… Continue Reading