#privacy-rights
#privacy-rights

EDPB to address 'pay or consent' at next plenary

The European Data Protection Board will discuss Meta's advertising subscription model and enforcement of GDPR. [ more ]

Theregister

IAB Europe's ad consent popups pose privacy problem

Popup solicitations for targeted ads in Europe count as personal information.

Real-Time Bidding (RTB) conflicts with GDPR and ePrivacy Directive. [ more ]

moregdpr

surveillance

www.nytimes.com

Opinion | Government Surveillance Keeps Us Safe

This article discusses the reauthorization of a key intelligence power in the United States to enhance surveillance while preserving privacy rights. [ more ]

www.aljazeera.com

US Senate votes to reauthorise controversial surveillance programme FISA

President Biden to swiftly sign bill allowing intelligence agencies to conduct surveillance without warrant. [ more ]

ComputerWeekly.com

Government agrees law to protect confidential journalistic material from state hacking

MI5 and GCHQ require independent approval for accessing journalistic material through hacking.

Proposed legislation aims to protect confidential journalistic sources and material from state intrusion. [ more ]

www.theguardian.com

Facial recognition cameras in supermarkets targeted at poor areas' in England

Facial recognition cameras used by Southern Co-op disproportionately target poorer areas.

Privacy rights groups raise concerns about the targeting of marginalized communities.

Surveillance is more intensely focused on minorities and disadvantaged individuals. [ more ]

Iapp

Thoughts on behavioral advertising, Meta and privacy

Targeted advertising criticism leads to legal challenges for companies like Meta. [ more ]

euronews

Meta must stop charging for people's right to privacy

EU institutions are scrutinizing Meta's new paid subscription model to evaluate its impact on privacy rights and data protection. [ more ]

Iapp

EDPS presents annual report

Emphasis on adaptability in digital and regulatory advancements for 2023

Need for human-centric policies in AI development for privacy and data protection [ more ]

TechCrunch

Worldcoin hit with temporary ban in Spain over privacy concerns | TechCrunch

Spanish data protection authority orders Worldcoin to stop processing personal data in Spain due to GDPR violations.

The GDPR empowers data protection authorities to stop unlawful data processing if people's rights are at risk. [ more ]

TechCrunch

European digital rights group say the future of online privacy is on a knife edge | TechCrunch

A coalition of digital and democratic rights groups, including noyb and Wikimedia Europe, are urging the European Data Protection Board to reject Meta's 'consent or pay' approach.

The organizations warn that allowing this tactic could create a fatal loophole in the EU's data protection regime and undermine privacy rights. [ more ]

moredata-protection

section-702

www.theguardian.com

What is Fisa, and what does it mean for no-warrant spying?

The US Congress passed a two-year reauthorization of the controversial section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, allowing warrantless surveillance on communications, sparking debates on privacy vs. security. [ more ]

WIRED

House Votes to Extend-and Expand-a Major US Spy Program

The controversial US wiretap program Section 702 of FISA has been extended for two years, permitting government wiretapping of communications between Americans and foreigners overseas. [ more ]

www.theguardian.com

US House votes to re-authorize law that allows warrantless surveillance of citizens

Reauthorization of controversial Fisa Section 702 for warrantless surveillance of Americans amid divided opinions. [ more ]

Electronic Frontier Foundation

The White House is Wrong: Section 702 Needs Drastic Change

The White House released an objection to the SAFE Act legislation reforming Section 702 of FISA.

The SAFE Act, while not comprehensive, is viewed as a potential option to bring some checks to Section 702 surveillance. [ more ]

moresection-702

privacy rights

Electronic Frontier Foundation

In Landmark Battle Over Free Speech, EFF Urges Supreme Court to Strike Down Texas and Florida Laws that Let States Dictate What Speech Social Media Sites Must Publish

The Electronic Frontier Foundation argues that a 1998 federal law criminalizing access to digital works for lawful purposes is unenforceable and violates the First Amendment.

The EFF is urging the Supreme Court to reverse a ruling that allows the Justice Department to censor a platform's ability to publish information about government data requests. [ more ]

The Washington Times

House Judiciary Committee demands warrant, other safeguards on feds' FISA spy powers

The House Judiciary Committee released new legislation to overhaul the government's electronic spying law, proposing new limits on who can access communications.

The bill would require a warrant if the FBI wants to use an American's identity for a search of the data. [ more ]

Electronic Frontier Foundation

Latest Draft of UN Cybercrime Treaty Is A Big Step Backward

The new draft of the UN cybercrime treaty is raising concerns about criminalizing expression and dissent and enabling extensive surveillance powers.

The new draft retains a provision that poses a threat to encryption and allows states to access data stored by companies abroad. [ more ]

Theregister

Another S.702 reform bill lands, but no warrant requirement

US lawmakers have introduced alternative legislation to reauthorize Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act without requiring a warrant for US law enforcement agencies to access electronic communications.

Section 702 allows US intelligence agencies to monitor communications involving foreigners but can also be used to access the private communications of US citizens and green-card holders in certain circumstances.

The legislation introduced by Senator Mark Warner and others includes some safeguards for US person queries under Section 702, but has been criticized for not going far enough to protect privacy. [ more ]

TechCrunch

Meta's EU ad-free subscription faces early privacy challenge | TechCrunch

Privacy rights group noyb has filed a complaint against Meta's 'pay or okay' tactic to circumvent EU privacy rules.

noyb argues that the cost of Meta's ad-free subscription is far higher than the value the company derives from tracking users in the region.

The complaint is on behalf of an individual in financial distress who cannot afford the subscription cost to protect their privacy. [ more ]

www.ocregister.com

California can share gun owners' personal information with researchers, appeals court rules

A state appeals court in California reversed a previous decision and ruled that the state can continue providing personal information of gun owners to researchers for studying gun violence.

California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a law allowing the Department of Justice to share identifying information of over 4 million gun owners with qualified research institutions.

Gun owners and organizations had sued the state, claiming that the data sharing violated their privacy rights. [ more ]

moreprivacy rights

PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news

1 week ago

LGBT

University investigating after trans woman filmed and confronted in bathroom

Universities need to ensure a safe environment for all students including trans individuals. [ more ]

Los Angeles Times

1 week ago

California

Police officers won't be forced to disclose their gender identity to state officials following lawsuit

Police officers in California no longer need to disclose their gender identity during traffic stops reporting. [ more ]

www.coindesk.com

1 week ago

Business

Fatemeh Fannizadeh on Crypto Law, Switzerland and How KYC Is Failing

Financial surveillance and compliance with financial laws can disproportionately impact innocent individuals, leading to a call for innovative solutions like DeFi and privacy technology. [ more ]

Electronic Frontier Foundation

19 hours ago

EFF to Court: Electronic Ankle Monitoring Is Bad. Sharing That Data Is Even Worse.

The government violates privacy rights by continuously tracking individuals on pretrial release through electronic monitoring. [ more ]

www.ocregister.com

Who's selling your digital data? California offers tools to protect online privacy

California requires data brokers to report location data sales, revealing extensive personal data collection. [ more ]

Kqed

Worried About Data Brokers in California? Here's How to Protect Yourself Online | KQED

The article highlights how data brokers track personal information and the need for consumer data protection regulations. [ more ]

Bitcoin Magazine - Bitcoin News, Articles and Expert Insights

The Patriot Act 2.0

Edward Snowden criticizes FISA 702 renewal as a major privacy rights infringement. [ more ]

Electronic Frontier Foundation

U.S. Senate and Biden Administration Shamefully Renew and Expand FISA Section 702, Ushering in a Two Year Expansion of Unconstitutional Mass Surveillance

RISAA bill expands government surveillance authority, including Section 702 of FISA, with minimal reforms. [ more ]

WIRED

The Next US President Will Have Troubling New Surveillance Powers

The US extended and enhanced warrantless surveillance program, allowing interception of Americans' communications for foreign intelligence purposes. [ more ]

LGBTQ Nation

Education

Forced outing policies increase risks of major depression in LGBTQ+ youth

Forced outing of LGBTQ+ students can lead to increased depression, low family support, and high stress levels. [ more ]

Advocate.com

NYC LGBT

Forced outing leads to high depression rates among LGBTQ+ youth, yet legislation persists

Forced outing of LGBTQ+ individuals, especially youth, leads to mental health issues and lack of support, emphasizing the need for awareness and education on gender identity and sexuality. [ more ]

Brooklyn Eagle

4 weeks ago

NYC politics

Brooklyn Defender Services files suit against NYC Department of Correction over phone call surveillance

The class-action lawsuit accuses the New York City Department of Correction of unlawful mass surveillance of phone calls within city jails. [ more ]

Electronic Frontier Foundation

EFF Submits Comments on FRT to Commission on Civil Rights

Governments and businesses are increasingly using facial recognition technology to track individuals, posing threats to privacy and security. [ more ]

Truthout

Left-wing politics

House Poised to Vote on Mass Spying Authority Critics Call "Patriot Act 2.0"

FBI and NSA have abused surveillance authority to collect US citizens' communications. [ more ]

Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles

Michael Jackson's accusers seek to open sealed records that include nude photos of the singer

MJJ Productions is fighting to keep sealed court records, specifically nude photographs of Michael Jackson, out of the hands of his accusers.

The production company argues that the photographs were not taken willingly and are protected by a court-entered protective order. [ more ]

Privacy International

GPS tagging of migrants UNLAWFUL, UK authority finds after PI complaint

The UK's Data Protection Authority found the GPS tagging of migrants arriving via irregular routes unlawful.

The complaint was based on extensive anonymous testimonies highlighting the negative impact of tagging on individuals' privacy, family life, and health.

The Information Commissioner's Office issued an Enforcement Notice and formal warning to the UK's borders and immigration ministerial department. [ more ]

www.dw.com

EU top court upholds ruling on fingerprints for ID cards DW 03/21/2024

The European Court of Justice upheld the regulation of having two fingerprints on identity cards, citing the importance in preventing identity theft.

The ECJ justified the decision by stating that fingerprints are crucial for the interoperability of verification systems and can be more efficient than facial images. [ more ]

www.independent.co.uk

All the legal claims Prince Harry has been involved in

Prince Harry lost his High Court challenge against the government's decision to reduce his publicly-funded protection in the UK.

Prince Harry won previous legal battles involving privacy and data protection issues. [ more ]

Iapp

Germany's BMI approves Federal Data Protection Act draft

Germany's Federal Ministry of the Interior has approved a draft amendment of the Federal Data Protection Act.

The amendment includes a credit scoring regulation that prevents companies from discriminating against consumers based on certain personal information. [ more ]

Independent.ie

Helen McEntee receives Cabinet approval for legislation to help gardai tackle online crime

The legislation will provide gardaí with a basis to seize potential digital and online evidence in criminal investigations, subject to privacy safeguards.

The bill will give law enforcement agencies modern tools to access online evidence while respecting individuals' privacy rights. [ more ]

Iapp

EDPS says regulations on migrant smuggling, human trafficking have privacy risks

The regulations proposed to prevent human trafficking and migrant smuggling could have privacy implications.

Wojciech Wiewirowski is concerned about the lack of an impact assessment and the sensitive biometric data that would be involved. [ more ]

The Verge

Data science

Google agrees to destroy browsing data collected in Incognito mode

Google agreed to destroy or de-identify records from Incognito mode

Settlement mandates greater disclosure and limits on data collection [ more ]

Electronic Frontier Foundation

EFF Asks Oregon Supreme Court Not to Limit Fourth Amendment Rights Based on Terms of Service

EFF is advocating for the protection of individuals' privacy rights in their browsing history.

Courts have acknowledged that browsing history reveals sensitive personal information, warranting protection under the Fourth Amendment. [ more ]

www.independent.co.uk

Starmer says everyone should butt out' and give Kate some privacy after surgery

Sir Keir Starmer emphasized the Princess of Wales' right to privacy during her recovery from surgery.

The UK privacy watchdog is assessing a breach report related to the alleged accessing of Kate's private details. [ more ]

The Hill

Government must be careful not to kill the work-from-home golden goose

Workplace surveillance is a growing concern in remote work environments

Employers are using various forms of monitoring to track employees [ more ]

Electronic Frontier Foundation

European Court of Human Rights Confirms: Weakening Encryption Violates Fundamental Rights

Weakening encryption allows general surveillance violating privacy rights

EFF supports strong privacy guarantees and encryption for freedom of expression. [ more ]

Electronic Frontier Foundation

Voting No on Prop E Is Easy and Important for San Francisco

Proposition E threatens privacy, safety, and democratic ideals

Misleading arguments from tech billionaires support Proposition E [ more ]

Washington Post

European court favors strong encryption, calling it key to privacy rights

European Court of Human Rights upholds strong encryption as a fundamental right to privacy

Ruling may ease pressure on U.S.-based social media platforms regarding providing access to encrypted messages [ more ]

Privacy International

NEWS: GPS tagging of migrants UNLAWFUL, UK authority finds after PI complaint

The UK's Data Protection Authority deemed the Government's GPS tagging of migrants arriving via irregular routes unlawful.

Privacy International's complaint in 2022 led to a significant legal recognition of unnecessary intrusions on migrants' privacy and data protection. [ more ]

WIRED

The UK's GPS Tagging of Migrants Has Been Ruled Illegal

Migrant-tracking GPS pilot ruled illegal by UK privacy regulator

Potential fine of up to £17.5 million for the Home Office if tagging resumes [ more ]

Electronic Frontier Foundation

EFF Statement on Nevada's Attack on End-to-End Encryption

End-to-end encryption in Facebook Messenger for under-18s in Nevada is facing a legal challenge.

EFF opposes Nevada's move to block minors' access to encryption due to constitutional concerns. [ more ]

Electronic Frontier Foundation

Privacy Isn't Dead. Far From It.

Privacy is a concern for many people who feel there is little they can do to protect it.

There are numerous organizations, such as EFF, working to protect privacy rights. [ more ]

Iapp

Ireland's High Court to allow Schrems into Meta data transfer case

NOYB, a privacy rights group, will participate in two cases connected to Meta's data transfers.

27 data privacy groups are calling on EU authorities to find Meta's targeted advertising model unlawful. [ more ]

EFDPO - European Federation of Data Protection Officers

Business intelligence

National Insights: Navigating Data Protection Challenges under HinSchG: A Closer Look * EFDPO - European Federation of Data Protection Officers

European Data Protection Day is a day of action initiated by the Council of Europe

It has been celebrated annually since 2007 on January 28 [ more ]

Slate Magazine

Digital life

We're Completely Unprepared for the Deepfake Porn Boom

Deepfake technology makes it easier for everyday people to create and distribute fake sexual images of women.

The history of fake nude images dates back to the late 19th century when photographs of high-society women's faces were pasted onto nude bodies and circulated. [ more ]

Theregister

Senator says NSA is buying up Americans' browser habits

US Senator Ron Wyden has called on the US Director of National Intelligence to stop intelligence agencies from purchasing Americans' unlawfully collected personal data from data brokers.

The NSA has been purchasing Americans' domestic internet metadata and location data harvested from Americans' smartphones, without a warrant.

The acquisition of Americans' personal data is facilitated by the flow of information from apps to data brokers, without the app users' informed consent. [ more ]

Advocate.com

California judge blocks rule requiring police to disclose their gender identity

A California judge has temporarily suspended a rule requiring police officers to disclose their gender identity when reporting traffic stops.

The requirement was challenged in a lawsuit by law enforcement groups, who argued it violated officers' privacy rights.

The judge's decision is a temporary suspension, pending a preliminary injunction hearing on March 19. [ more ]

Slate Magazine

Phony Originalism Could Cost Florida Women Their Abortion Rights

A challenge to Florida's abortion laws is currently before the conservative Supreme Court.

The case revolves around the original public meaning of the privacy right in the Florida Constitution. [ more ]

TechCrunch

4 months ago

Meta faces another EU privacy challenge over 'pay for privacy' consent choice | TechCrunch

Privacy rights advocacy group noyb is filing a complaint against Meta for allegedly breaching EU law by making it harder for users to withdraw consent to tracking ads.

Meta's previous legal bases for processing Europeans' data for ad targeting were invalidated in 2021.

Meta requires users who don't want to be tracked to pay for monthly subscriptions, while those who want free access have to 'consent' to tracking; noyb disagrees with this framing. [ more ]

Theregister

Google shakes up Location History to limit geofence warrants

Google is making changes to its handling of Location History data to limit the use of geofence warrants by law enforcement authorities.

Geofence warrants allow authorities to request information on all network-connected devices in a specific area at a given time, potentially turning innocent people into suspects. [ more ]

Ars Technica

Law

Suspects can refuse to provide phone passcodes to police, court rules

Criminal suspects can refuse to provide phone passcodes to police under the Fifth Amendment privilege against self-incrimination.

The ruling from Utah's state Supreme Court could potentially be taken up by the US Supreme Court. [ more ]

Electronic Frontier Foundation

The Intelligence Committees' Proposals for a 702 Reauthorization Bill are Beyond Bad

Both congressional intelligence committees have released proposals for reauthorizing Section 702 spying powers, largely unchanged despite repeated abuse.

The House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI) released a report calling for reauthorization of Section 702, justifying the program with old justifications and referencing threats like ISIS and terrorism. [ more ]

The Sacramento Bee

California can share gun owners' personal information with researchers, appeals court rules

A state appeals court in California has ruled that the state can continue providing personal information of gun owners to researchers for studying gun violence.

The court found that the lower court failed to consider the state's interest in studying and preventing gun violence when it temporarily blocked the law.

The data sharing law is among several gun measures in California that are being legally challenged. [ more ]

english.elpais.com

6 months ago

European lawmakers try to balance protection and privacy with law on explicit images of children

European Union lawmakers adopt amendments to draft law on preventing circulation of sexually explicit content of minors online.

Law would require internet providers to assess risks and take mitigation measures, but exclude end-to-end encrypted material from detection.

Reports of online child sexual abuse have increased globally, prompting the proposal to force online platforms to detect and remove the material. [ more ]