surveillance

A white security camera mounted on a black wall, angled downward. The camera is cylindrical with a dark, rounded front that houses the lens. The wall has subtle blue dots in the background.

May 10, 2021

In Moscow, Big Brother Is Watching and Recognizing Protesters

Police tapped the surveillance system to identify and detain dozens of people who attended last week’s protests in the Russian capital in support of jailed Kremlin foe Alexey Navalny.

May 7, 2021

Signal’s smartass ad exposes Facebook’s creepy data collection

Signal tried to buy “multi-variant targeted” ads on Instagram to show what parent company Facebook knows about its users.

May 7, 2021

Testing Apple’s Airtag’s privacy features

While AirTags are explicitly intended for items only, Apple has added safeguards to cut down on unwanted tracking.

A living room features a flat-screen TV displaying a scene of Earth from space. Wooden shelves surround the TV, filled with books, decor, and a game console. A large potted plant sits to the left, and a wooden door with frosted glass is on the right. The floor is tiled in dark brown.

May 5, 2021

Chinese TV maker Skyworth under fire for excessive data collection that users call spying

Skyworth apologised and ended its partnership with a Beijing analytics firm after a user found one of its smart TVs was collecting data on all connected devices.

May 5, 2021

Facebook and Instagram threaten to charge for access on iOS 14.5 unless you give them your data

Facebook and Instagram are worried that people won’t let them track them.

A man with short hair and a slight smile is facing forward. There is a digital overlay on his face displaying facial recognition features, with lines and points marking facial geometry. To the left, the word "PROCESSING" is shown above a progress bar. The background is blurred.

May 3, 2021

North Carolina school district buys face biometrics to monitor students and staff

A facial recognition surveillance system from Verkada has been purchased in North Caroline by a rural school district in northwest of Charlotte.

A woman with red hair is focused on her work at a desk with two large monitors displaying code. She operates a laptop nestled among desk items, including a penguin toy and a plant. The office environment is bright and modern, with other workspaces visible in the background.

April 30, 2021

Half a million Dutch home workers monitored via software

For 13% of homeworkers, the employer uses software to monitor whether they are at work.

April 29, 2021

This Tool Can Make Your Pics Undetectable To Facial Recognition

A new tool is promising to make your pictures undetectable to facial recognition software without significantly changing their appearance.

A person holds a smartphone displaying the home screen filled with various app icons, including Messages, Photos, and Settings. The wallpaper shows a beach scene with sand and waves. The time at the top is 9:42. The background is a plain, blurred, grayish color.

April 28, 2021

To Be Tracked or Not? Apple Is Now Giving Us the Choice.

With Apple’s latest mobile software update, we can decide whether apps monitor and share our activities with others. Here’s what to know.

April 26, 2021

Mexico requiring biometric data for cellphone users is a gift to criminals

. In addition to asking for a copy of an ID, telecoms will now be required to collect people’s fingerprints, faceprints, and home addresses.

Aerial view of downtown Cincinnati, showcasing tall buildings, including Fifth Third Bank and US Bank towers. The streets below are busy with cars and buses. The urban setting is vibrant, with a mix of architectural styles and city infrastructure, captured in cool, muted tones.

April 23, 2021

U.S. banks deploy AI to monitor customers, workers amid tech backlash

Several U.S. banks have started deploying camera software that can analyze customer preferences, monitor workers and spot people sleeping near ATMs, even as they remain wary about possible backlash over increased surveillance.

A man with gray hair wearing a dark suit is talking on a mobile phone. He is facing away, towards large windows with a blurred view of the outside. The setting appears to be indoors, possibly an office or airport terminal. The lighting is natural and soft.