LinkedIn Profile Visitor Lists Belong to the People, Says Noyb
A LinkedIn user in the EU is challenging Microsoft’s refusal to provide a full list of profile visitors under GDPR Article 15, arguing that the data should be available for free because LinkedIn processes it and sells a more complete version to Premium users. Privacy group Noyb says the case could set a broader precedent over whether companies can mone … ⌘ Read more

Murena /e/OS Tablet Review: Privacy for a Price
Murena’s /e/OS tablet offers an iPadOS- and Google-free, privacy-friendly tablet experience, but you’ll have to pay for it. ⌘ Read more

OpenAI Enables Marketing Cookies by Default for Free ChatGPT Users
ChatGPT’s new privacy policy states how the company uses cookies for tracking, to turn free users into paying subscribers. ⌘ Read more

Privacy Advocate Accuses US Government of Investing in AI-Powered Mass Surveillance
The Conversation published this warning from privacy/tech law/electronic surveillance attorney Anne Toomey McKenna (also an affiliated faculty member at Penn State’s Institute for Computational and Data Sciences). The U.S. government “is able to purchase Americans’ sensitive data because the information it buy … ⌘ Read more

Millions of renters hit by unlawful data collection
The Privacy Commissioner’s landmark ruling comes as Australia’s rental market reaches crisis levels. ⌘ Read more

PlayStation To Require Age Verification For Messages and Voice Chat
A new email from Sony says that PlayStation will require players to verify their age later this year to keep using communication features like messages and voice chat. Insider-Gaming reports: The initiative comes from the goal of providing “safe, age-appropriate experiences for players and families while respecting their privacy” and provi … ⌘ Read more

Audit Finds Google, Microsoft, and Meta Still Tracking Users After Opt-Out
alternative_right shares a report from 404 Media: An independent privacy audit of Microsoft, Meta, and Google web traffic in California found that the companies may be violating state regulations and racking up billions in fines. According to the audit from privacy search engine webXray, 55 percent of the sites it checked set a … ⌘ Read more

EU Parliament Fails To Renew Loophole Allowing Tech Firms To Report Abuse
Bruce66423 shares a report from the Guardian: The European parliament has blocked the extension of a law that permits big tech firms to scan for child sexual exploitation on their platforms, creating a legal gap that child safety experts say will lead to crimes going undetected. The law, which was a carve-out of the EU Privacy Ac … ⌘ Read more

Google Rolls Out Gmail End-To-End Encryption On Mobile Devices
Gmail’s end-to-end encryption is now available on all Android and iOS devices, letting enterprise users send and read encrypted emails directly in the app without any extra tools. “This launch combines the highest level of privacy and data encryption with a user-friendly experience for all users, enabling simple encrypted email for all customers from s … ⌘ Read more

OkCupid Settles FTC Case On Alleged Misuse of Its Users’ Personal Data
OkCupid and parent company Match Group settled an FTC case dating back to 2014 over allegations that the dating app shared users’ photos and other personal data with a third party without proper disclosure or opt-out rights. Engadget reports: According to the FTC, OkCupid’s privacy policy at the time noted that the company wouldn’t shar … ⌘ Read more

Roblox, YouTube caught in major children’s privacy overhaul
A new draft code would give children the right to demand deletion of their data and ban “dark patterns” designed to trick them into sharing more. ⌘ Read more

AMD Introduces GAIA Agent UI For Privacy-First Web App For Local AI Agents
AMD’s GAIA AI agent framework (that previously stood for “Generative AI Is Awesome” albeit they seemed to have dropped promoting it as that name) for Ryzen AI hardware is out with a new version. AMD GAIA 0.17 introduces Agent UI as a new privacy-first web application for local AI agents… ⌘ Read more

California Bill Would Require Parent Bloggers To Delete Content of Minors On Social Media
A California bill would let adults demand the removal of social media posts about them that were created by paid family content creators when they were minors. Supporters say Senate Bill 1247 addresses privacy, dignity, and safety harms caused when parents monetize their children’s lives online. Th … ⌘ Read more

Mozilla and Mila Team Up On Open Source AI Push
BrianFagioli writes: Mozilla just teamed up with Mila, the Quebec Artificial Intelligence Institute, to push open source AI – and it feels like a direct response to Big Tech tightening its grip on the space. Instead of relying on closed models, the goal here is to build “sovereign AI” that’s more transparent, privacy-focused, and actually under the control of developers and even … ⌘ Read more

OnlyFans Owner Dies At 43
Computershack shares a report from NBC News: Leonid Radvinsky, the owner of adult-content platform OnlyFans, has died of cancer at the age of 43, the company said in a statement on Monday. “We are deeply saddened to announce the death of Leo Radvinsky. Leo passed away peacefully after a long battle with cancer,” an OnlyFans spokesperson said. “His family have requested privacy at this difficult time.”

Radvinsky, a Ukrain … ⌘ Read more

GrapheneOS Refuses to Comply with Age-Verification Laws
An anonymous reader shared this report from Tom’s Hardware:

GrapheneOS, the privacy-focused Android fork, said in a post on X on Friday that it will not comply with emerging laws requiring operating systems to collect user age data at setup. “GrapheneOS will remain usable by anyone around the world without requiring personal information, identification or an acco … ⌘ Read more

Firefox Announces Built-In VPN and Other New Features - and Introduces Its New Mascot
A free built-in VPN is coming to Firefox on Tuesday, Mozilla announced this week:

Free VPNs can sometimes mean sketchy arrangements that end up compromising your privacy, but ours is built from our data principles and commitment to be the world’s most trusted browser. It routes your browser traffic throug … ⌘ Read more

Porn laws push users to illegal sites, OnlyFans creators warn
As sites like Pornhub go dark, Australian OnlyFans creators and sex workers say they face lower earnings and privacy risks. ⌘ Read more

Six of my last eight posts were about twtxt itself. As much as it’s understandable between all the excitement and confusion with finding out and using a new technology, I really don’t want this feed to become something like this:

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FSF Hiring New Manager For Leading Their Hardware Certification Program
The Free Software Foundation is hiring a new engineering and certification manager for leading the Respect Your Freedom “RYF” hardware certification program. The FSF RYF program is about certifying hardware that respects the user’s freedom and privacy for control over the device, such as no proprietary firmware blobs needed to be loaded at run-time, no digital rights management / digital restrictions, and complies with their other free software … ⌘ Read more

System76 Comments On Recent Age Verification Laws
In a blog post on Thursday, System76 CEO Carl Richell criticized new state laws in California, Colorado, and New York that would require operating systems to verify users’ ages and expose that information to apps, arguing the rules are easy for kids to bypass and ultimately undermine privacy and freedom more than they protect minors.

“System76’s position is interesting given … ⌘ Read more

Proton Mail Helped FBI Unmask Anonymous ‘Stop Cop City’ Protester
Longtime Slashdot reader AmiMoJo shares a report from 404 Media: Privacy-focused email provider Proton Mail provided Swiss authorities with payment data that the FBI then used to determine who was allegedly behind an anonymous account affiliated with the Stop Cop City movement in Atlanta, according to a court record reviewed by 404 Media. The recor … ⌘ Read more

TikTok Says End-To-End Encryption Makes Users Less Safe
An anonymous reader quotes a report from the BBC: TikTok will not introduce end-to-end encryption (E2EE) – the controversial privacy feature used by nearly all its rivals – arguing it makes users less safe. E2EE means only the sender and recipient of a direct message can view its contents, making it the most secure form of communication available to the general … ⌘ Read more

Apple Might Use Google Servers To Store Data For Its Upgraded AI Siri
Apple has reportedly asked Google to look into “seting up servers” for a Gemini-powered upgrade to Siri that meets Apple’s privacy standards. The Verge reports: Apple had already announced in January that Google’s Gemini AI models would help power the upgraded version of Siri it delayed last year, but The Information’s report indicates … ⌘ Read more

Motorola Partners With GrapheneOS
At MWC 2026, Motorola announced a partnership with the GrapheneOS Foundation to bring the hardened, Google-free Android variant to future devices. Until now, the OS had been designed exclusively for Google Pixel phones. “We are thrilled to be partnering with Motorola to bring GrapheneOS’s industry-leading privacy and security-focused mobile operating system to their next-generation smartphone,” a GrapheneOS … ⌘ Read more

Colorado Lawmakers Push for Age Verification at the Operating System Level
Colorado lawmakers are proposing SB26-051, a bill that would require operating systems to register a user’s age bracket and share it with apps via an API. PCMag reports: The bill comes from state Sen. Matt Ball and Rep. Amy Paschal, both Democrats. “The intent is to create thoughtful safeguards for kids online through a privacy … ⌘ Read more

Samsung’s new phone feature blocks prying eyes
Samsung’s flagship smartphone for 2026 will launch with an industry-first privacy feature. ⌘ Read more

US Lawyers Fire Up Privacy Class Action Accusing Lenovo of Bulk Data Transfers To China
A US law firm has accused Lenovo of violating Justice Department strictures about the bulk transfer of data to foreign adversaries, namely China. From a report: The case filed by Almeida Law Group on behalf of San Francisco-based “Spencer Christy, individually and on behalf of all others similarly situ … ⌘ Read more

EU Parliament Blocks AI Features Over Cyber, Privacy Fears
An anonymous reader shares a report: The European Parliament has disabled AI features on the work devices of lawmakers and their staff over cybersecurity and data protection concerns, according to an internal email seen by POLITICO. The chamber emailed its members on Monday to say it had disabled “built-in artificial intelligence features” on corporate tablets … ⌘ Read more

Samsung Ad Confirms Rumors of a Useful S26 ‘Privacy Display’
Samsung has all but confirmed that its upcoming Galaxy S26 will feature a built-in privacy display, releasing an ad that demonstrates a “Zero-peeking privacy” toggle capable of blacking out on-screen content for anyone peering over the user’s shoulder.

The underlying technology is reportedly Samsung Display’s Flex Magic Pixel OLED panel, first shown at MWC … ⌘ Read more

DuckDuckGo Users Vote Overwhelmingly Against AI Features
DuckDuckGo recently asked its users how they felt about AI in search. The answer has come back loud and clear: more than 90% of the 175,354 people who voted said they don’t want it.

The privacy-focused search engine has since set up two versions of its tool: noai.duckduckgo.com for the AI-averse and yesai.duckduckgo.com for the curious. Users can also tweak se … ⌘ Read more

Supreme Court To Decide How 1988 Videotape Privacy Law Applies To Online Video
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Ars Technica: The Supreme Court is taking up a case on whether Paramount violated the 1988 Video Privacy Protection Act (VPPA) by disclosing a user’s viewing history to Facebook. The case, Michael Salazar v. Paramount Global, hinges on the law’s definition of the word “consumer.” … ⌘ Read more

TikTok Alternative ‘Skylight’ Soars To 380K+ Users After TikTok US Deal Finalized
Skylight, an open-source, TikTok-style video app built on the AT Protocol, surged past 380,000 users after last week’s shake-up around TikTok’s U.S. ownership and privacy concerns. TechCrunch reports: Launched last year and backed by Mark Cuban and other investors, Skylight’s mobile app is built on the AT Protocol, … ⌘ Read more

Nike Says It’s Investigating Possible Data Breach
Nike says it is investigating a potential data breach, after a group known for cyber attacks reportedly claimed to have leaked a trove of data related to its business operations. From a report: “We always take consumer privacy and data security very seriously,” Nike said in a statement. “We are investigating a potential cyber security incident and are actively assessing the situ … ⌘ Read more

New Linux/Android 2-in-1 Tablet ‘Open Slate’ Announced by Brax Technologies
Brax Technologies just announced “a privacy-focused alternative to locked-down tablets” called open_slate that can double as a consumer tablet and a Linux-capable workstation on ARM.

Earlier Brax Technologies built the privacy-focused smartphone BraX3, which co-founder Plamen Todorov says proved “a privacy-focused mobile devi … ⌘ Read more

TikTok Is Now Collecting Even More Data About Its Users
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Wired: When TikTok users in the U.S. opened the app today, they were greeted with a pop-up asking them to agree to the social media platform’s new terms of service and privacy policy before they could resume scrolling. These changes are part of TikTok’s transition to new ownership. In order to continue operating in the U.S., … ⌘ Read more

Italy’s Privacy Watchdog, Scourge of US Big Tech, Hit By Corruption Probe
The powerful data privacy watchdog in Italy long known for aggressively policing U.S. and Chinese AI giants is under investigation for possible corruption and embezzlement. Reuters reports: Rome prosecutors are investigating the agency’s president, Pasquale Stanzione, and three other board members over alleged excessive spending and … ⌘ Read more

Travelling to America? Here’s how to protect your privacy in phone searches
US Customs and Border Protection agents have broad authority to look through travellers’ phones, laptops and other electronic devices. Here’s what you need to know. ⌘ Read more

The Nation’s Strictest Privacy Law Goes Into Effect
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Ars Technica: Californians are getting a new, supercharged way to stop data brokers from hoarding and selling their personal information, as a recently enacted law that’s among the strictest in the nation took effect at the beginning of the year. […] Two years ago, California’s Delete Act took effect. It required data brokers to … ⌘ Read more

There Is No One Left On Debian’s Data Protection Team
Besides Debian’s aging bug tracker interface, another challenge as the Debian Linux distribution project begins 2026 is that all volunteers have left their Data Protection Team. The Debian Data Protection Team deals with General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) issues and related data protection/privacy related matters… ⌘ Read more

Apple Fined $116 Million Over App Privacy Prompts
Apple has been fined $116 million by Italy’s antitrust regulator over the “excessively burdensome” privacy rules it imposes on third-party apps. From a report: The Italian Competition Authority (AGCM) says that Apple abused its dominant app store market position by burdening developers with “disproportionate” terms around data collection that exceed privacy law requirements, c … ⌘ Read more

The phone situation
I need to write something about this or I’ll burst.

I have a new phone. It’s an old iPhone SE 2022. Yes, I know. Evil,
evil Apple. Won’t someone please think of the privacy issues? Right,
well, Apple has at least better reputation about these things than
Google does, but we’ll come to that.

It feels like I’m betraying the FLOSS cause. I feel horrible, although
probably not just because of this.

Let’s recap:

• My main phone has been a de-googled (not even microG) Fairphone 4
  with CalyxOS. CalyxOS … ⌘ Read more

Flock Executive Says Their Camera Helped Find Shooting Suspect, Addresses Privacy Concerns
During a search for the Brown shoogin suspect, a law enforcement press conference included a request for “Ring camera footage from residents and businesses near Brown University,” according to local news reports.

But in the end it was Flock cameras according to an article in Gizmodo, after a Redd … ⌘ Read more

Firefox Survey Finds Only 16% Feel In Control of Their Privacy Choices Online
Choosing your browser “is one of the most important digital decisions you can make, shaping how you experience the web, protect your data, and express yourself online,” says the Firefox blog. They’ve urged readers to “take a stand for independence and control in your digital life.”

But they also recently polled 8,000 adu … ⌘ Read more

‘End-To-End Encrypted’ Smart Toilet Camera Is Not Actually End-To-End Encrypted
An anonymous reader quotes a report from TechCrunch: Earlier this year, home goods maker Kohler launched a smart camera called the Dekoda that attaches to your toilet bowl, takes pictures of it, and analyzes the images to advise you on your gut health. Anticipating privacy fears, Kohler said on its website that the Dekod … ⌘ Read more

India Pulls Its Preinstalled iPhone App Demand
India has withdrawn its order requiring Apple and other smartphone makers to preinstall the government’s Sanchar Saathi app after public backlash and privacy concerns. AppleInsider reports: On November 28, the India Ministry of Communication issued a secret directive to Apple and other smartphone manufacturers, requiring the preinstallation of a government-backed app. Less than a we … ⌘ Read more

‘Big Brother cannot watch us’: Indian government phone app plan sparks outrage
New Delhi wants a government app installed on all of the country’s mobile phones, but opposition MPs and privacy advocates have voiced concerns about surveillance. ⌘ Read more

Poland Probes Apple Again Over App Tracking Transparency Rules
Poland has launched a new antitrust investigation into Apple’s App Tracking Transparency rules, questioning whether Apple misled users about privacy while giving its own apps a competitive advantage over third-party developers. AppleInsider reports: On November 25, Poland’s UOKiK has started another investigation into App Tracking Transparency, and w … ⌘ Read more

Arduino’s New Terms of Service Worries Hobbyists Ahead of Qualcomm Acquisition
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Ars Technica: Some members of the maker community are distraught about Arduino’s new terms of service (ToS), saying that the added rules put the company’s open source DNA at risk. Arduino updated its ToS and privacy policy this month, which is about a month after Qualcomm ann … ⌘ Read more

Mozilla Says It’s Finally Done With Two-Faced Onerep
Mozilla is officially ending its partnership with Onerep after more than a year of controversy over the company’s founder secretly running people-search and data-broker sites. Monitor Plus will be discontinued by December 2025, existing subscribers will receive prorated refunds, and Mozilla says it will focus on privacy tools it fully controls. KrebsOnSecurity reports: I … ⌘ Read more