Privacy win? Google will automatically delete user’s website searches and visits, as well as some location data, after 18 months
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Microsoft Bans Facial Recognition Sales To Police
Software giant follows IBM and Amazon with police facial recognition ban until there is national regulation of the technology
Tech Firms Pledge Child Abuse Disclosures To Blunt Anti-Encryption Drive
Strategic move? Google, Facebook, Microsoft pledge to improve and standardise annual disclosures around online child exploitation
Amazon Joins Police Ban Of Facial Recognition Tech
E-commerce giant Amazon joins other tech firms with announcement it will pause police use of its facial recognition software
IBM Cancels All Facial Recognition Programs, Urges Police Reform
Big Blue cancels its facial recognition programs and calls for reform and new ways to work with law enforcement, “to advance justice and racial equity”
Apple Tracks iPhones Stolen By Looters
We are tracking you. Apple warns looters after some street protests in the United States result in the looting of Apple stores
Google Hit With Lawsuit For Tracking Internet Use
Class action lawsuit seeks $5 billion from Google, for allegedly tracking people’s internet usage via browser’s ‘private mode’
ACLU File Lawsuit Against Clearview AI
American Civil Liberties Union has filed a lawsuit against facial recognition firm alleging “privacy-destroying surveillance activities”
Coronavirus: France Approves Contact Tracing App
French minister defends centralised approach of its Covid-19 contact-tracing app, citing the French and UK’s nuclear deterrent
Google Chrome Follows Firefox Lead With DoH Option
Three months after Firefox turned on privacy feature called DNS-over-HTTPS (DoH), Google’s Chrome browser gets same feature, but only if ISPs support it
Coronavirus: NHS Contact Tracing App Has Flaws, Aussie Researchers Warn
Security flaws in the NHS coronavirus contact-tracing app could pose risk to user privacy, as the NCSC promises to fix the issues
Coronavirus Tracing Apps Must Not Be Used For Surveillance, Says EU
EU officials warn member states that Covid-19 tracing apps must not be used for ‘mass surveillance’ and need to be deactivated when pandemic ends
Coronavirus: NHS Publishes Source Code Of Contact-Tracing App
Nothing to hide. The NHS has released the source code of its contact-tracing app, as its trial in the Isle of Wight continues
Coronavirus: Government Grants GCHQ Access To NHS IT
Fresh twist in privacy debate surrounding Covid-19 tracing app, after government reportedly grants GCHQ access to security data of NHS IT tech
Coronavirus: Amazon Uses Blacklisted Chinese Firm For Thermal Cameras
Chinese firm banned by the United States over allegations it aided the Chinese government, supplies thermal cameras to Amazon for Coronavirus protection
WhatsApp Alleges NSO Was ‘Deeply Involved’ In Hack – Report
Facebook unit files new court documents alleging NSO was ‘deeply involved’ in mobile phone hack of 1,400 WhatsApp users, including government officials
Coronavirus: British Covid-19 Tracing App Ready In 3 Weeks
The NHS confirms its coronavirus tracing app will be ready in two to three weeks, but concerns remain over its approach to privacy
Coronavirus: France Asks For Easing Of Privacy For Covid-19 Tracing API
France asks Google and Apple for their ‘private’ Coronavirus tracing API to be a little less private, with the easing of data sharing with governments
Coronavirus: EU Sets Out Guidance For Covid-19 Tracking App
European Commission publishes detailed guidance for EU member states developing their own Coronavirus tracking and warning apps
Coronavirus: Apple Begins Publishing Mobility Data
Not as detailed as Google’s Covid-19 Community Mobility reports, but Apple has released a tool that shows changes in people’s travel or mobility patterns
Coronavirus: EU Seeks Unified Approach For Covid-19 Tracking App
European Union warns against fragmented approach for digital technologies and mobile apps, used to help track the Coronavirus pandemic
Coronavirus: Google Releases Location Data To Help Authorities Check Lock-downs
Location data is being released by Google in 131 countries so officials can see if people are obeying self-isolating rules
Coronavirus: NSO Offers Covid-19 Tracking Software
Surveillance specialist NSO offers Western governments software that uses mobile phone data to monitor and predict the spread of coronavirus
Russia To Delay Electronic Sales Ban
Delay to implementation of law banning sales of electronic devices in Russia unless they come pre-loaded with Russian-made software
Coronavirus: WHO Expert Calls For Mobile Phone Tracking
Time to track? To ensure people follow self isolation, their smartphones need to be tracked, expert at World Health Organisation warns
Coronavirus: Has The Government Requested Mobile Location Data?
Contradictory reports state the government has requested location data of citizens to see if they are obeying Coronavirus advice
Coronavirus: Operators Share Location Data With Health Authorities
European mobile operators are sharing location data with health authorities in certain European countries to limit the spread of the pandemic
NSO Asks US Court To Sanction Facebook Over Lawsuit
NSO alleges Facebook failed to follow ‘international law’, after the Israeli firm failed to show up in US court to contest WhatsApp lawsuit
Amazon Ring Logs All Doorbell And App Interactions
Privacy issue emerges as Amazon confirms it logs records of every motion detected by installed Ring doorbells, and interactions with its app
Met Boss: Facial Recognition Less Concerning Than Knife In Chest
The United Kingdom’s most senior police officer Cressida Dick has strongly defended the use of facial recognition by police forces