The only way to fight deepfakes is by making deepfakes
The only way to fight deepfakes is by making deepfakes I was unsure if my parents would notice that the voice on the other end wasn’t mine – or that it was mine, sort of, but it wasn’t me. The voice said hello, asked my dad how he was doing, and asked again when he […]
Privacy advocates want Google to stop handing consumer data over to ICE
Privacy advocates want Google to stop handing consumer data over to ICE The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) is asking the attorneys general of California and New York to investigate Google for deceptive trade practices, saying the tech giant fails to notify users before handing over their data to law enforcement agencies like ICE. “For nearly […]
Little Snitch’s software counter surveillance jumps from Mac to Linux
Little Snitch's software counter surveillance jumps from Mac to Linux The popular macOS app Little Snitch brought its network-monitoring tools over to Linux this week. In a blog post announcing the launch, one of the developers at Objective Development shared some early results from using the app on Linux: “On Ubuntu, I found 9 system […]
Congress can finally close a mass surveillance loophole — but will they?
Congress can finally close a mass surveillance loophole — but will they? A warrantless wiretapping authority that has facilitated surveillance for decades is up for renewal in Congress. Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), last reauthorized in 2024, is set to expire on April 20th. A bipartisan coalition of progressive Democrats and […]
OkCupid settles claims it shared user photos with a facial recognition company
OkCupid settles claims it shared user photos with a facial recognition company Dating app OkCupid agreed to settle claims from the Federal Trade Commission that it deceived millions of users by sharing their photos with a third-party facial recognition company without their consent. OkCupid and parent company Match Group did not admit wrongdoing as part […]
Online age checks came first — a VPN crackdown could be next
Online age checks came first — a VPN crackdown could be next This is The Stepback, a weekly newsletter breaking down one essential story from the tech world. For more news about online age verification and your privacy, follow Emma Roth. The Stepback arrives in our subscribers’ inboxes at 8AM ET. Opt in for The […]
The FBI is buying Americans’ location data
The FBI is buying Americans' location data WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 18: Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Kash Patel testifies during a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on worldwide threats in the Hart Senate Office Building on March 18, 2026 in Washington, DC. A closed session immediately followed the hearing. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images) | […]
Instagram is getting rid of end-to-end encrypted DMs that ‘very few’ people used
Instagram is getting rid of end-to-end encrypted DMs that 'very few' people used Instagram will no longer support end-to-end encrypted messages starting May 8th. In a statement to The Verge, Meta spokesperson Dina El-Kassaby Luce says the platform is discontinuing the feature because “very few people” were using E2EE in their DMs. Instagram has begun […]
Anthropic doesn’t trust the Pentagon, and neither should you
Anthropic doesn't trust the Pentagon, and neither should you Today we’re talking about the messy, fast-moving situation at Anthropic, the maker of Claude that now finds itself in a very ugly legal battle with the Pentagon. The back-and-forth is complicated, but as of a few days ago, the Pentagon had deemed Anthropic a supply chain […]
Lawmakers just advanced online safety laws that require age verification at the app store
Lawmakers just advanced online safety laws that require age verification at the app store A package of child safety bills is headed to the House floor following an hours-long session that left Democrats and Republicans divided. On Thursday, lawmakers on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce voted to advance the Kids Internet and Digital Safety […]