EFF
Stories
California Wants to Ban Deepfakes Within 60 Days of an Election
Many who support the legislation talk about the danger deepfakes present to celebrities and politicians who might be discredited.
Joe Biden Thinks He Can Introduce Background Checks for Accessing 3D Printed Gun Code
The big picture of this issue is that the State Department’s unchecked power to control what information is published online can lead to sweeping censorship.
Digital Rights Groups Hit Back After US and UK Alliance Push to Cut Privacy in Messaging Apps
For one thing, the intent seems one-sided as it would make life easier for law enforcement, but at the same time putt users in jeopardy – for example, journalists, activists, and abuse victims who rely on safe, encrypted communication, sometimes for their lives.
Apple Bans Hong Kong Protest Safety App and Is Accused of “Sucking Up to China”
Hong Kong protestors and residents used the app to avoid conflict and areas that local police had marked as “illegal assembly” zones.
Reddit Outlines New Vague and Ambiguous Bullying and Harassment Guidelines
Reddit’s vague policy update is the latest of many vague policies and guidelines introduced by the tech giants this year.
Google Blocks Pro-Privacy Motion at World Wide Web Consortium
One paragraph said PING could ask the W3C to give it the power to block any projects that the group felt undermined user privacy.
Amazon, LinkedIn, and WhatsApp Join Big Tech Anti-Terror Coalition for Fighting “Extremist” Content Online
The announcement follows warnings from the EFF that innocent users will be hurt the most when attempting to crush “extremist” speech online.
EFF Warns That Frantic Push to Crush “Extremist” Speech Online Will Hurt Innocent Users
Hard questions are being asked about the way content is treated and censored online by some of the world’s most powerful platforms.
Tech Giants Tried but Failed to Prevent California Consumer Privacy Act
Only five amendments went through and none of them managed to compromise its goal or introduce loopholes that could be exploited in a future by tech giants.
Facebook and Microsoft Are Creating Their Own Deepfakes
This Deepfake Detection Challenge (DFDC) raises new questions about how these types of detection tools will be applied to memes and other types of satirical content.
Google Gives Police Data on All Users Within 100 Feet of Bank Robbery
These controversial reverse location search warrants force Google to give law enforcement data on anyone who was near the scene of a crime.
Apple Co-Founder Steve Wozniak Says “Big Tech Has Gotten Too Powerful a Force” and Should Be Broken Up
“Competition forces companies to make good products and be the best at it, and not just say; we’ve got you trapped!” Wozniak said.
