privacy
Android 17 to expand banking scam call and privacy protections
Android 17, expected to roll out next month, will introduce several security and privacy features focused on device theft, threat detection, and banking scam calls. Google will be expanding protections against scammers spoofing caller IDs to impersonate financial institutions and trick users into transferring money or revealing account-related information. Android will work with banking apps to detect […]
GM agrees to $12.75M California settlement over sale of drivers’ data
California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced a $12.75 million settlement agreement with General Motors (GM) over allegations that the company violated the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). The violations arise from allegations that the car maker illegally collected and sold Californians’ driving and location data to data brokers Verisk Analytics and LexisNexis Risk Solutions, between 2020 and […]
FTC to ban data broker Kochava from selling Americans’ location data
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) will ban data broker Kochava and its subsidiary Collective Data Solutions (CDS) from selling location data without consumers’ explicit consent to settle charges brought nearly four years ago. The FTC sued Idaho-based Kochava in August 2022, alleging it collected and sold precise geolocation data from hundreds of millions of mobile devices. […]
LinkedIn secretly scans for 6,000+ Chrome extensions, collects data
A new report dubbed “BrowserGate” warns that Microsoft’s LinkedIn is using hidden JavaScript scripts on its website to scan visitors’ browsers for installed extensions and collect device data. According to a report by Fairlinked e.V., which claims to be an association of commercial LinkedIn users, Microsoft’s platform injects JavaScript into user sessions that checks for thousands of […]
FBI warns against using Chinese mobile apps due to privacy risks
The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) warned Americans against using foreign-developed mobile applications, particularly those created by Chinese developers. In a public service announcement (PSA) issued via its Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) platform this Tuesday, the FBI warned of privacy and data security risks associated with these apps. “As of early 2026, many […]
Proton launches new “Meet” privacy-focused conferencing platform
Proton has announced a new video conferencing service named Meet and positioned it as a privacy-focused alternative to mainstream services like Google Meet, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams. Meet provides end-to-end encrypted (E2EE) calls to protect the confidentiality of the conversations and does not require a paid plan or even a Proton account to use. It […]
Firefox now has a free built-in VPN with 50GB monthly data limit
Mozilla released Firefox 149 with added privacy protection through a built-in VPN tool offering up to 50GB of monthly traffic. The feature uses a secure proxy server to route only traffic from the browser, unlike the company’s commercial Mozilla VPN, which covers system-wide traffic. “Whether you’re using public Wi-Fi while traveling, searching for sensitive health information, […]
WhatsApp introduces parent-managed accounts for pre-teens
WhatsApp has begun rolling out parent-managed accounts for pre-teens, allowing parents and guardians to decide who can contact them and which groups they can join. These accounts are restricted to messaging and calling and do not include access to Meta AI, Channels, Status, or location sharing. The child’s messages remain end-to-end encrypted and cannot be […]
Samsung TVs to stop collecting Texans’ data without express consent
Samsung and the State of Texas have reached a settlement agreement over the alleged unlawful collection of content-viewing information through its smart TVs As part of the agreement, the TV manufacturer will revise its privacy disclosures to clearly explain its data collection and processing practices to consumers. Last December, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed […]
Microsoft adds Copilot data controls to all storage locations
Microsoft is expanding data loss prevention (DLP) controls to block the Microsoft 365 Copilot AI assistant from processing confidential Word, Excel, and PowerPoint documents, regardless of their location. Currently, Microsoft Purview DLP policies apply only to files stored in SharePoint or OneDrive, but not to those stored on local devices. This change will be deployed through […]