technology

October 18, 2021

Facebook is researching AI systems that see, hear, and remember everything you do

Facebook outlines ambitions for augmented reality glasses.

October 18, 2021

Cybersecurity Experts Sound Alarm on Apple and E.U. Phone Scanning Plans

More than a dozen prominent cybersecurity experts criticized plans by Apple and the European Union to monitor people’s phones for illicit material.

October 18, 2021

WhatsApp to bring in encryption for backup chats after privacy fears

WhatsApp is allowing users to encrypt their backed-up chats, making them unreadable without access to a password or 64-digit encryption key.

A person is using a laptop displaying analytics data, including a pie chart, line graphs, and bar charts. Their hands are on the keyboard. Beside the laptop, there is a smartphone and a pair of eyeglasses on the table. The setting appears to be a workspace.

October 18, 2021

Publisher and agency executives scrutinize email-based universal IDs

Email-based universal IDs may improve upon the cookie in some ways, but relying upon the email address can introduce privacy concerns.

A woman with long dark hair is facing a small, rectangular device labeled "fuse". The device projects a blue light forming a geometric pattern on her face, indicating facial recognition technology. She wears a white top, and the background is dark gray.

October 17, 2021

Moscow metro launches facial recognition payment system despite privacy concerns

The Moscow metro has launched what authorities say is the first mass-scale deployment of a facial recognition payment system.

A chocolate chip cookie with a bite taken out rests on a white background. Crumbs are scattered around, adding texture to the scene. The cookie is golden brown with visible chocolate chips, and its rough, crumbly texture is evident.

October 17, 2021

Is the Cookie Web Tracker Dying?

The internet’s original data collection tool is still ubiquitous, even as the web moves away from it

Close-up of pipettes dispensing liquid into rows of clear, open plastic test tubes. The pipettes are metallic and aligned, each transferring a dark liquid. The test tubes are arranged closely together on a tray, with a blurred background indicating a laboratory setting.

October 14, 2021

Experts concerned about Netherlands working with China in DNA research

Three top Dutch laboratories have been working together with Chinese scientists to develop sensitive DNA techniques for years.

October 13, 2021

Big Tech to be forced to hand over data on political ads

Social media companies could face hefty fines if they don’t publish detailed information on political ad buyers, according to an EU internal document.

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.

October 11, 2021

London’s Met Police Buying Retrospective Facial Recognition Technology

The UK’s Metropolitan Police Service has been authorised to buy and use retrospective facial recognition technology.

A person wearing a blue sleeve is shown with a white-banded smartwatch on their wrist. The watch display shows various app icons and information. The image focuses on the hand and wrist, with a blurred background.

October 11, 2021

Intimate data: can a person who tracks their steps, sleep and food ever truly be free?

Big tech now encourages us to monitor everything via smartphones and watches. How much privacy have we lost to the promise of self improvement – and is it time to stop?

A digital composite image featuring a woman's face overlaid with a circuit board pattern on the right. The background is filled with colorful lines of programming code. The combination suggests a connection between human intelligence and technology or artificial intelligence.

October 8, 2021

The Privacy and Equity Implications of Using Self-Harm Monitoring Technologies

Self-harm monitoring systems are an unproven technique for effectively identifying and assisting students who may be considering self-harm simply based on their online activities.