Privacy

TikTok is an easy scapegoat, but the lack of tech regulation and data protection is the underlying cause of our collective anxiety in the digital age.

Encryption, cybersecurity, and technology policies, like the RESTRICT and EARN-IT Acts, with nonexistent tradeoffs address symptoms, not problems, and they do it badly.    

The EARN IT Act is back for a third time. The current version purports to both maintain privacy and protect children, but this is a false dichotomy; the act would expand state power and decrease users' privacy.

Few safeguards protect our private data in today’s information economy. What can be done about the fact that our personal images and data can be exploited, potentially threatening personal as well as national security?

Senate committee proposes new privacy bill; China targets U.S. telecoms; FBI seizes dark web marketplace; Senators propose new cryptocurrency regulations; China signs data cooperation agreement.

Pegasus used to spy on American diplomats; Swiss firm accused of selling access to users' phone information; Microsoft seizes Chinese threat actor's domains; Life360 is selling precise user data.

An excerpt from Steven Feldstein's new book: The Rise of Digital Repression: How Technology Is Reshaping Power, Politics, and Resistance.

Data leak exposes 533 million Facebook users; Belgian authorities decrypt half a billion messages on Sky ECC, confiscate twenty-seven tons of cocaine; Automobile manufacturers call upon U.S. government amid chip shortage; Chinese supercomputing companies added to U.S. blacklist; and Vietnam considers legislation to regulate tech firms.

Its announcement, which follows years of scrutiny from privacy advocates and regulators, is not as benevolent as it appears.

China restricts use of Tesla vehicles by military and state employees; Amazon adopts AI-powered cameras, forces delivery drivers to sign “biometric consent” form; Intel to expand advanced chip spending and development; Major companies call on G7 to form “Data and Technology Forum;” and Facebook takes action against Chinese hackers.

A Russian disinformation campaign seeks to undermine confidence in COVID-19 vaccines; Government Accountability Office finds insufficient cybersecurity guidelines for weapons contractors; Hackers breach security startup and access thousands of security camera feeds; Chinese threat actor targets Microsoft Exchange email servers in large-scale intrusion; and FBI warns of increasing use of synthetic content. 

Hacktivist targets far-right platform Gab; China to suspend bitcoin mining in Inner Mongolia; Virginia adopts data privacy legislation; Moscow metro to adopt facial recognition payment system; and YouTube bans Myanmar military channels.

The United States, with its history of police brutality, mass incarceration, and systemic racism, should take similar if not more drastic measures.

New activity from and against North Korean hackers; Russian hackers target French IT monitoring company; Cambodia adopts China-style internet firewall; Facebook blocks Australian news outlets; and Most of London’s boroughs using Chinese surveillance tech linked to Xinjiang.