Privacy
France’s ID Portal Hacked: 19 Million Records Up for Sale
The breach puts roughly a third of France’s population on a criminal forum just as the government lobbies for mandatory digital IDs.
Turkey to Ban Anonymous VPNs
Ankara wants a VPN market where “approved” means logged and “unlicensed” means illegal, leaving Turkish users a choice between surveillance and a criminal record.
MembersThe Opt-Out Button Is Decorative: A Guide to Hardening Your Browser
The opt-out button you’ve been clicking is decorative, so here is the browser build that stops asking nicely.
California Lawmakers Advance Bills to Impose AI Chatbot Censorship and Age Verification
California’s new bills would let state lawmakers define, by statute, exactly how agreeable a chatbot is allowed to be.
Ofcom Investigates Telegram Under UK “Online Safety Act”
The regulator’s list of duties runs far beyond child safety into foreign interference, false communications, and public-order speech.
“Nothing to Fear” Is Back: The UK High Court Clears Way for Police Facial Recognition
The policy that turns every Oxford Street shopper into a biometric template just got the judicial nod its architects were waiting for.
Illinois House Bill Would Force Operating Systems To Check Your Age
Illinois is one Senate vote away from making every laptop in the state card you at setup.
Federal Judge Blocks Arkansas Social Media Law on First Amendment Grounds
The same judge blocked the same state’s second attempt to regulate online speech in as many years.
Sam Altman’s World ID Expands Biometric Identity Checks
Eighteen million scanned irises in, the company has found its real business model: charging advertisers a premium for verified eyeballs.
How the KYC Mandate Became a Biometric Heist
The same KYC mandates designed to stop money laundering now supply the face scans that enable it.
Brussels’ New Age Verification App: Hacked in Two Minutes
Governments are racing to mandate digital ID systems that turn every citizen’s passport into another entry on the next breach notification.
US Bill Mandates On-Device Age Verification
Buried in the definitions is a mandate that reaches every laptop, console, smart TV, and car infotainment system in the country.