October 11 – We, the undersigned, support strong encryption, which plays a crucial role in protecting personal data, privacy, intellectual property, trade secrets and cyber security. It also serves a vital purpose in repressive states to protect journalists, human rights defenders and other vulnerable people, as stated in the 2017 resolution of the UN Human…
Category: Featured News
Live facial recognition is tracking kids suspected of being criminals
Karen Hao reports: In a national database in Argentina, tens of thousands of entries detail the names, birthdays, and national IDs of people suspected of crimes. The database, known as the Consulta Nacional de Rebeldías y Capturas (National Register of Fugitives and Arrests), or CONARC, began in 2009 as a part of an effort to…
Here’s US Homeland Security collaring a suspected arsonist after asking Google for the IP addresses of folks who made a specific search
Shaun Nichols reports: An unsealed warrant in a case involving alleged pedophile R&B star R. Kelly has shown how the Feds can get Google to hand over the details of people who make specific web search queries. It raises a mild concern that if Uncle Sam’s request is too broad, and Google can’t or won’t…
The IRS Is Being Investigated for Using Location Data Without a Warrant
Joseph Cox reports: The body tasked with oversight of the IRS announced in a letter that it will investigate the agency’s use of location data harvested from ordinary apps installed on peoples’ phones, according to a copy of the letter obtained by Motherboard. The move comes after Senators Ron Wyden and Elizabeth Warren demanded a formal…