Data privacy news covering regulations, GDPR, user data protection, privacy policies, and digital privacy rights developments.
Dayton, Ohio, and Evanston, Illinois, covered Flock automated license plate reader cameras with black trash bags as a low-tech fix to prevent data access after deciding to end contracts but before removal. Dayton suspended its program after finding 7,100 immigration-related searches, while Evanston ordered removal after unauthorized reinstallations.
New York State lawmakers voted to ban 'surveillance pricing,' which uses personal data to set different prices for customers. The bill now goes to Governor Kathy Hochul for her signature. The Assembly declined to vote on a companion bill banning electronic price labels.
This commentary argues that Amazon's Ring Familiar Faces feature, which uses AI to recognize frequent visitors, raises privacy concerns because it scans and stores faces of non-consenting individuals like delivery drivers and passersby. The author contends that the feature's optional nature does not fully address the privacy implications, especially given Amazon's history of privacy violations.
JEE (Advanced) authorities stated a cloud storage misconfiguration did not result in mass data extraction, with no impact on records or rankings. IIT-Roorkee said the issue arose during technical interventions on June 2. Access was limited to less than 0.05% of data, with no evidence of bulk downloads.
This commentary argues that US Customs and Border Protection's seizure of a traveler's phone at the airport raises constitutional concerns under the Fourth Amendment. It contends that CBP is systematically targeting activists, using counterterrorism tools to suppress political dissent, and that travelers often have no choice but to comply.