A New York judge has set quite the precedent, ordering a woman to turn over her Facebook login details so that her profile can be scoured for evidence in a custody case. The New York Post says that 47-year-old Christina…
Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, and Others Demand Specific Privacy Rules for ISPs
In order to obtain the necessary services that the country’s various internet service providers offer, Americans must give up a lot of personal information. And what those companies do with said information should be a concern of every single American.…
Google Reminds You It’s Tracking Your Every Move with Creepy, Somewhat Useful New Maps Feature
Here’s the thing: We all know that Google knows everything about us – and of course that includes where you are and where you’ve been. But seeing all of that tracking in a neat little timeline is a tad disconcerting.…
Uber: We Don’t Collect Background Location Data, But We Might at Some Point
On July 15, Uber is putting a new privacy statement into effect, and part of it is raising some eyebrows. A few paragraphs down in the new policy, under the heading “Collection of Information”, you’ll find this: Location Information: When…
Facebook’s New App Isn’t Available in Europe Thanks to Facial Recognition Fears
Earlier this week, Facebook launched yet another standalone app. It’s called Moments, and it lets friends easily sync photos with each other. Here’s how product manager Will Ruben describes the app: “Syncing photos with the Moments app is a private…
Which Companies Best Protect Your Data from the Government’s Prying Eyes?
According to the Electronic Frontier Foundation’s annual report on companies’ commitment to protecting user data, Adobe, Apple, Wikimedia, WordPress, and Yahoo have your back more than everyone else. The EFF’s Who Has Your Back? report looks at 24 major tech…
Obama Urged to Reject Encryption Backdoors in Tech-Backed Letter
President Obama is about to receive a letter signed by dozens upon dozens of companies and organizations, urging him to resist giving government agencies access to citizens’ personal data via backdoors in encrypted devices. “We urge you to reject any…
Yes, Your Google Hangouts Can Be Wiretapped
Google encrypts your Hangouts conversations, but it doesn’t use end-to-end encryption. This means that Google can wiretap your Hangouts at the government’s request. That’s one big revelation from a recent reddit AMA with Richard Salgado, Google’s director for law enforcement…
How To Remove Your House From Google Street View
Apparently it’s really easy to get your home blurred out on Google Maps Street View if you don’t like the idea of people looking at where you live. In fact, you can also let Google know you want other things,…
Obama’s Police Body Camera Initiative Kicks into Gear
On the day that Baltimore state’s attorney Marilyn Mosby charged six police officers in the death of Freddie Gray, the Obama administration has announced it’s kicking its police body camera initiative into full gear. The first step is to spend…
Hillary Clinton: Body Cameras Should Be Worn by All Police Departments
Speaking at the David N. Dinkins Leadership & Public Policy Forum, Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton called for body cameras to become “the norm”, saying that all police departments in America should have access to the devices. “We should make sure…
Uber Denies Breach After User Info Goes Up for Sale
Uber says that it has found no evidence of a security breach following reports that user data has popped up for sale on dark web sites. Motherboard reports that thousands of active Uber accounts are currently for sale on sites…
Tech Companies Call for End to Mass Surveillance in Letter to Obama, Congress
The group Reform Government Surveillance, which includes Apple, AOL, Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Twitter, Yahoo, and more, has joined dozens of other organizations in calling on the US government to reform mass surveillance and end the bulk data collection programs revealed…