Your Car Is Watching You. Soon It Won't Let You Drive.

The EU just mandated infrared cameras in every new car. The hardware is installed. The data is already being sold. And the "kill switch" is one regulation away.

Key findings: EU GSR2 mandates IR cameras. LexisNexis has 9M cars and a $22.1M ICE contract. Smart Eye can now read your heart rate. Mozilla rated cars worse than sex toys for privacy.

https://thomaster.substack.com/p/your-car-is-watching-you-soon-it

#CarSurveillance #Privacy #DMS #GSR2 #Biometrics #DataPrivacy

The use of ambiguous audio, possibly for political reasons, suddenly has people thinking about privacy in Trinidad and Tobago.

The audio itself was of someone effectively venting about the government, for context.

https://www.guardian.co.tt/news/aboud-raises-queries-on-privacy-rights-6.2.2636069.b09a9876df

#privacy #trinidadandtobago

🔐 #Privacy news & updates from @privacyguides:

“🚨 This Week In Privacy #63 will be live in 30 minutes, we'll be talking about Mullvad's Co-owner making a controversial political donation and covering the latest privacy & security news. 👋 Come and watch and join the...”

https://mastodon.neat.computer/@privacyguides/116976374139420830

🤖 via RSS feed. May not reflect our views.

Sigh, I found two good videos on the virtues of buying old cars (price, esthetics, privacy), and discovered that they were run by (sometimes religious) conservatives.

It’s funny, but sometimes I feel that progressives aren’t pushing back as hard as some conservatives against the invasive #surveillance tech that is ever more present in modern cars. It’s truly appalling what data carmakers are collecting, and how difficult cars are getting to repair thanks to an over-reliance on software, computers, and displays. Sadly, EVs mostly come with surveillance problems, because they are relatively new.

We really need consumer rights laws, like yesterday. But short of that, having a healthy car enthusiast population that steadfastly rejects intrusive car tech is a good thing.

https://www.mozillafoundation.org/en/privacynotincluded/articles/its-official-cars-are-the-worst-product-category-we-have-ever-reviewed-for-privacy/

#cars #privacy #surveillance

#Reminder Activist Checklist was launched in mid-2024 to cut confusion and improve digital security for Palestine solidarity organizing—without requiring anyone to become an expert. Built by experienced activists; guidance updates as surveillance tactics evolve. Subscribe: https://activistchecklist.org 🔒🛡️📱 #DigitalSecurity #PalestineSolidarity #SurveillanceAwareness #MutualAid
#Privacy #Security

You do not need something to hide to want privacy. You lock your front door and close the blinds without a second thought. Privacy online is the same idea, choosing who gets to know your business. A lot of that choice has quietly moved into app settings and default toggles. The good part is that you can move it back, and it takes less time than you would guess.

#privacy #digitalprivacy #indigoprivacy

#eBay reaches $56M settlement with e-commerce newsletter writers it terrorized in 2019

https://techcrunch.com/2026/07/28/ebay-reaches-56m-settlement-with-e-commerce-newsletter-writers-it-terrorized-in-2019/

#privacy

Decentralized browser-based P2P E2EE messaging.

The key detail that sets this apart from other messaging apps is the browser-based client-side cryptography philosophy.

No need to install anything. Your ID is crypto-random and so the app doesnt need to rely on any central registration system like phone numbers. Your ID is unguessable and to connect to someone, you have to explicitly share it.

WebRTC has other nuances like being to route through a shared network for secure/faster transfer.

I hope this project has reached a level i can share the following details. I've made a genuine effort towards documentation and transparancy. I dont think it'll ever be enough and so im still concerned it isnt ready to share. While im using AI throughout. This is not a vibecoded project. There is attention throughout for unit tests and formal-verification. With your feedback, id like to make improvements for clarity throughout.

This version of the app demonstrates a fairly unique approach using a browser-based, local-only and webrtc approach. I know it's impossible for any system to be the "world's most secure", but that isnt a reason to not try. By rigorously implementing an exhaustive list of security features and practices, the aim is to get as close as possible.

* [Enkrypted.Chat](https://enkrypted.chat/)

This is intended to demonstrate client-side managed secure cryptography.

* [Introducing Enkrypted Chat](https://positive-intentions.com/blog/introducing-enkrypted-chat)
* [Whitepaper (work-in-progress)](https://positive-intentions.com/docs/technical/whitepaper/complete-whitepaper)
* [Protocol Spec (work-in-progress)](https://positive-intentions.com/docs/technical/whitepaper/complete-protocol-spec)
* [Roadmap](https://positive-intentions.com/docs/technical/p2p-messaging-technical-breakdown/)

I know ive tried to compress a lot of my journey into one post. The project above is going to be tricky to understand. Feel free to reach out for clarity on any of the details.

IMPORTANT: While this is aiming to provide a secure experience, It is [not audited or reviewed](https://www.reddit.com/r/CyberSecurityAdvice/comments/1su8lir/security_audit_feedback_from_radically_open/). **Shared for testing, feedback and demo purposes only.** Please use responsibly.

#Privacy #OnlinePrivacy #DataPrivacy #Infosec #CyberSecurity #OpSec #DigitalRights #AntiSurveillance #DataOwnership #E2EE #P2P #PeerToPeer #WebRTC #LocalFirst #LocalOnly #NoCloud #NoRegistration #PWA #SignalProtocol #PostQuantum #Cryptography #SecureMessaging #PrivateChat #EncryptedChat #Decentralized #OpenSource #SelfHosted #BetaTesting #FeedbackWelcome #TechDemo #ProofOfConcept #BuildInPublic #IndieDev #DevCommunity

Voice stress analysis software marketed for use in lie detection by law enforcement and insurance investigators has no established scientific validity.

#privacy #surveillance #AIethics #indigoprivacy

#DEFCON bans #Meta-style 'pervert glasses'

https://www.theregister.com/security/2026/07/28/def-con-bans-meta-style-pervert-glasses/5279763

#SmartGlasses #IoT #AI #RayBan #Oakley #privacy

#SanFrancisco : Don’t Fall for Industry Defense of #SurveillancePricing

The concept of “#surveillance pricing” is just one part of a much larger problem and business model: corporations maximizing their profits by invading our #privacy. The all-too-common business model is to systematically harvest, collate, and store as much of our personal data as possible, and then monetize it through use and sale. When it comes to surveillance pricing, that looks like corporations offering the same product to two different people at two different prices, based on harvested personal information. That's why @eff supports A.B. 2654, authored by Assemblymember Chris Ward, which bans this harmful practice.
#ab2654

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2026/07/san-francisco-dont-fall-industry-defense-surveillance-pricing

#GrapheneOS Defends Data-Wiping Function That Blocked US #Border Search

https://www.pcmag.com/news/grapheneos-defends-data-wiping-function-that-blocked-us-border-search

#privacy #cybersecurity #Android #CBP #politics

#Podcast : #Flock Came to My Town. Here’s What I Did

We start this week with Matthew’s experience of what happened when Flock came to his small town. It’s a microcosm of what is happening all across the United States. After the break, Sam tells us about a bunch of no phone Luddite events. In the subscribers-only section, Jason explains why anti-Flock influencers making up BS are bad, actually.
#alpr #privacy #surveillance

https://www.404media.co/podcast-flock-came-to-my-town-heres-what-i-did/

‘The Government Hopes To Set a Precedent’: An Interview With the Man Charged for Allegedly Wiping His #GrapheneOS Phone

https://www.404media.co/the-government-hopes-to-set-a-precedent-an-interview-with-the-man-charged-for-allegedly-wiping-his-grapheneos-phone/

#privacy #politics #cybersecurity

Why Are Gay Bars Building Databases of Their Patrons?

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2026/07/why-are-gay-bars-building-databases-their-patrons

#LGBTQ #Pride #surveillance #privacy

'I Would Never Do This To You:' Protesting #Flock, #Arizona Man Presents Plan to Surveil Government Officials

https://www.404media.co/casa-grande-arizona-flock-city-council/

#surveillance #privacy #ALPR #politics

"#Apple’s #iMessage Scanning Flagged a Video of My Friend's Dog as Nudity"

https://www.404media.co/apples-imessage-scanning-flagged-a-video-of-my-friends-dog-as-nudity/

#privacy #AI #ChatControl #nsfw

#Brazil gives parents #SocialMedia controls for their kids. Should the #US?

https://themarkup.org/privacy/2026/07/28/brazil-gives-parents-social-media-controls-for-their-kids-should-the-u-s

#privacy #SocialMediaBan #AgeVerification

Some Municipalities Are Replacing #Flock Cameras With #Axon, But Is There A Difference?

https://www.jalopnik.com/2215173/flock-cameras-replaced-by-axon-difference/

#ALPR #privacy #surveillance

This guy is brilliant, bravo!

404 Media: 'I Would Never Do This To You:' Protesting Flock, Arizona Man Presents Plan to Surveil Government Officials

https://www.404media.co/casa-grande-arizona-flock-city-council/

#flock #alpr #privacy

#DataBreach at #medical billing firm #MCBS affects 1.26 million people

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/data-breach-at-medical-billing-firm-mcbs-affects-126-million-people/

#healthcare #privacy #cybersecurity

#HuggingFace Has a #Deepfake Nudes Problem

https://www.wired.com/story/hugging-face-has-a-nonconsensual-deepfakes-problem/

#nsfw #nudify #privacy #AI

…Tunick’s lawyers argued during the hearing last week that the seizure was unlawful, & that he was targeted because of his #political #activism against #Atlanta’s plan to build a police & fire training center within a 1,000-acre stretch of urban #woodland. Opponents argue that the center, known as #CopCity, would militarize officers & destroy precious #GreenSpace.

#law #InfoSec #privacy

#GiftArticle

A #US Citizen Deleted His #Phone’s #Data. Now He Faces a #Felony Charge.

Federal prosecutors charged a man returning to the United States with #obstruction because he gave them a passcode that erased his #smartphone during a customs search.

#law #InfoSec #privacy
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/28/us/duress-password-phone-wipe-charge.html?unlocked_article_code=1.1VA.PB_S.E8UqK3lm4peR&smid=nytcore-ios-share

As a sysadmin and cybersecurity professional, every single one of my devices has a duress mechanism in place. 🔒💥

Attempt a forced access or coercive search? All data gets wiped instantly, and firmware goes into lock-out. Don't think for a second I won't trigger it.

If law enforcement has an issue with defensive privacy controls, tough luck. I couldn't care less. Protect against illegal search and seizure—end of story. 🛑📱

#GrapheneOS #CyberSecurity #SysAdmin #InfoSec #Privacy #DigitalRights #Encryption #FourthAmendment #TechNews

The always-invaluable 404 Media has scored another minor coup. We all know ICE is heavily invested in surveillance tech, ranging from its purchases of cell location data from data brokers to throwing money at Clearview AI, the most notorious of facial recognition tech firms. But there’s so much more to it than that. On top […]

𝗞𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼:

#ObjectStorage #Privacy #Kinto

https://thewhale.cc/posts/kinto

Kinto is a generic JSON document store with sharing and synchronisation capabilities. It's like Firebase but you store the data on your own server, it respects user privacy, works offline, stores data remotely, and synchronises across devices.

Alt...

Kinto is a generic JSON document store with sharing and synchronisation capabilities. It's like Firebase but you store the data on your own server, it respects user privacy, works offline, stores data remotely, and synchronises across devices.

Pi-hole is free, open-source software that blocks ads and trackers at the DNS level for every device on your network — including the TVs, thermostats, and doorbells that can't run a browser extension. It runs on a Raspberry Pi; a Pi 4 with 1GB is about $35. DNS blocking only: no firewall, no intrusion detection.

#pihole #raspberrypi #dns #privacy #indigoprivacy

...The FCC decision was based on a national security determination made on Monday by a White House-convened interagency body, which warned that internet-connected robots could pose data privacy risks and cybersecurity vulnerabilities...

Umm. Yet the extraction from social media and ai companies doesn't pose privacy risks?

I am not fighting for Chinese bots. Just pointing that bit out.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/07/29/tech/us-china-robot-ban-intl-hnk

#privacy #China #fcc #robot

Privacy you have to take on faith isn't worth much.

Catchlight's iOS code is open source, Apache-2.0, encryption and all, on GitHub.

You don't have to trust me that there's no backdoor, no quiet phone-home, no analytics. You, or someone you trust, can read it.

For a privacy app I think that should be the minimum, not a bonus.

https://github.com/Considus/Catchlight-iOS

#Privacy #OpenSource #FOSS #BuildInPublic

If it's possible for a user to send an unencrypted message across the wire on your "end-to-end encrypted" app, then it's not actually E2EE.

- This means that email can't be E2EE (because a user could easily hit reply without encrypting, accidentally sending the full conversation thread in plaintext).

- It refers to RCS texting, where, at least on Android, it will often drop down into unencrypted SMS when the RCS protocol is having trouble.

- It's the case for Matrix even, where E2EE is a setting that can switch on or off.

In no world would we accept an application as being encrypted between client and server if it was possible for packages to get sent in plaintext occasionally. We wouldn't put up with HTPPS occasionally sending HTML forms over HTTP on accident. Why do many people feel comfortable with the same issue when applied between two users, instead of a user and a server?

If it's possible to send a plaintext message in an E2EE platform, then the platform isn't really E2EE.

#encryption #security #privacy #email #pgp

🔐 #Privacy news & updates from @privacyguides:

“🚨 This Week In Privacy Update 🚨 ℹ️ To make the show more accessible, we're moving the show forward 2 hours ⏰ We'll be going live Friday at 2PM CDT ⏰ We hope you can make it! 👋 https://www. youtube.com/@privacyg...”

https://mastodon.neat.computer/@privacyguides/116926004128549982

🤖 via RSS feed. May not reflect our views.

🛡️ #Cybersecurity news & tips across the #fediverse

“Forcing VPN Companies To Become Palantir | Canada's Data Harvesting Law (CA-22)

#cdnpoli #privacy #CA22 #surveillance

youtube.com/watch?v=Vj7x...

Forcing VPN Companies to Becom...”

https://bsky.brid.gy/r/https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:3c5jgoau5nb42r6ecka4pmpw/post/3mrppg76owc2x

🤖 via RSS feed. Not an endorsement.

A first-of-its-kind US case: Samuel Tunick gave Customs agents at Atlanta's airport a GrapheneOS 'duress' passcode - a feature that wipes the phone when entered instead of the real unlock code. The DOJ is now prosecuting him under a statute against destroying property to prevent government seizure; his lawyers argue the seizure was unconstitutional and he was denied a lawyer. Follows a recent ruling that border agents can search phones without a warrant. #privacy #GrapheneOS #indigoprivacy

The US is definitely a very awkward society. Instead of restricting the personal ownership of guns, they implement mechanisms for total surveillance..

"Recent reports have raised alarm about the use of PatronScan, an ID-checking and face-scanning system, at multiple LGBTQ+ bars in San Francisco’s Castro neighborhood. Much of the attention has focused on reports that the system photographs patrons as they enter venues and questions about whether those images are used for facial recognition.

A broader privacy concern also deserves scrutiny. For years, PatronScan has marketed itself not just as an ID-verification tool, but as a system that allows bars and clubs to identify patrons, keep records about them, and share information across venues. As one news article published in 2019 documented, PatronScan built a network that allowed participating bars to flag patrons and share information about them with other establishments.

And in California, it’s not at all clear how PatronScan’s business model of scanning IDs and sharing the information from those scans with other bars comports with the law. California’s ID privacy law, which was amended in 2018 to add ID “scans,” states that no businesses shall “retain or use” any information from a scanned ID card except for limited purposes such as to verify age, comply with a legal requirement, or prevent fraud.

A venue cannot claim to be a safe space while feeding its patrons’ data to a third party database."

#USA #California #Surveillance #PatronScan #FacialRecognition #Privacy

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2026/07/why-are-gay-bars-building-databases-their-patrons

"In charging a man for allegedly typing in a duress password which wiped his privacy-focused GrapheneOS phone, the U.S. government is trying to intimidate other activists from protecting their data and participating in social movements, Samuel Tunick, the man charged, told 404 Media in an interview on Tuesday.

The case of Tunick, who participated in the Stop Cop City movement in Atlanta, has resonated across privacy and civil liberties circles. 404 Media first broke news of the case in December. Last week, The Guardian reported additional details including from a court hearing in the case. The maximum sentence for the alleged crime is five years in federal prison.

“I hope people understand that the charges against me are meant to intimidate people against protecting their data and their privacy, and the government hopes to set a precedent that no one has the right to privacy,” Tunick told 404 Media in a conference call with his federal public defender Matthew Dodge."

https://www.404media.co/the-government-hopes-to-set-a-precedent-an-interview-with-the-man-charged-for-allegedly-wiping-his-grapheneos-phone/

#USA #FBI #CivilLiberties #Privacy #Activism #GrapheneOS #Surveillance

People think a lot about the output they get from AI tools and chatbots.

But they don't think enough about the input they give to AI tools and chatbots.

Your input is very likely collected, tagged, evaluated, shared, and reused. Every word, every image, every line of code, every data point you share with them, knowingly or unknowingly.

You're not using them.
They're using you.

#NoAI #Privacy #DigitalRights #MassSurveillance

It must be said that while the #FlamingoRevolution is a big tent movement, most of its real movers & shakers are....students and student age.

#Protest #Privacy #Corruption #Surveillance #Albania

Alt...

“Any behavior that is potentially dangerous or in violation of the law is detected through artificial intelligence and generates an alert here at the Command and Control Center, which is immediately forwarded to the nearest police patrol. The system is designed to identify, analyze, and warn of risks in real time, enabling proactive and preventive action,” he said. Referring to the first phase of the project, Lamallari said beginning with 20 of Tirana’s busiest schools was a strategic decision. “It is no coincidence that we are launching this project—which represents a major leap forward in ensuring public safety in Albania—by focusing on the capital’s 20 most frequented schools. A country’s security is measured not only by crime statistics but also by its ability to protect its children,” the minister stated.

Palantir's infamy should have caused us to abandon this kind of privacy violation. Instead we now have double the number of problems.
#ai #privacy
https://www.luxtimes.lu/europeanunion/palantirs-infamy-opens-doors-for-french-challenger/159250028.html

🧐 Headlines in #privacy from @thenewoil

“You Can Now Verify Your # Facebook Account With a Video # Selfie https:// lifehacker.com/tech/you-can-no w-verify-your-facebook-account-with-a-video-selfie # Meta # privacy # biometrics”

https://mastodon.thenewoil.org/@thenewoil/116992770350835381

🤖 via RSS feed. Not an endorsement.

Mass surveillance is a violation of consent and a violation of democracy.

Stop normalizing surveillance.

#Privacy #Democracy #StopSurveillance

The most fundamental concept to comprehend to understand privacy is consent.

The most important concept to comprehend to understand why most AI training data is unethical is consent.

Consent is one the least understood concept in our society, yet the most likely to save it.

If you have difficulty understanding why privacy is important and why nonconsensual data sets are problematic, start learning more about consent.

It will benefit all aspects of your life,
and society as a whole as well.

#Consent #Privacy #HumanRights #NoAI

#Surveillance Cameras Can Now Be Retrofitted to Track Your Wireless Device Fingerprint

https://www.privacyguides.org/news/2026/07/27/surveillance-cameras-can-now-be-retrofitted-to-track-your-wireless-device-fingerprint/

#privacy #Leonardo #ALPR

Cal[.]diy is a community-driven fork of Cal[.]com that's 100% MIT licensed and removes proprietary enterprise features.

Unlike the open-core version, there are no license keys, locked features, or closed-source components. Self-host it to keep full control over your scheduling data and infrastructure.


More details: https://digitalescapetools.com/tools/tool.html?id=caldiy

#OpenSource #SelfHosting #Privacy #FOSS #Calendar #Scheduling #Linux #DigitalEscapeTools

Alt...

Screenshot of the Cal.diy project page in dark mode. The header describes it as a "community-driven, open-source scheduling platform" with links to GitHub, Issues, and Contributing. Badges show the MIT license, 47k GitHub stars, contributor information, and commit activity. Below, an "About Cal.diy" section displays a dark-themed scheduling interface with a monthly calendar, appointment details on the left, and a weekly time grid for booking and managing meetings.

🔐 #Privacy news & updates from @privacyguides:

“🚨 This Week In Privacy #61 will be live in 30 minutes, we'll be talking about Apple adding a keylogger to the iOS app store, and covering the latest privacy & security news. 👋 Join us live and join the Q&A! https:/...”

https://mastodon.neat.computer/@privacyguides/116897573682346088

🤖 via RSS feed. May not reflect our views.

France forces all adults to show ID
with 'age verification' as excuse https://reclaimthenet.org/french-parliament-reaches-deal-on-social-media-ban
EU intends to follow, even though Australia already proves this doesn't work!

Better: #privacy
- Interoperability
- Ban surveillance advertising
- Regulate algorithms

Alt...

French Parliament Reaches Deal Social Media Ban in a closed room, France agreed anonymity online was a price worth paying for a headline about protecting children

5th Circuit blocks #Texas law requiring websites to filter “harmful” speech

https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/07/5th-circuit-blocks-texas-law-requiring-websites-to-filter-harmful-speech/

#FreeSpeech #privacy #AgeVerification

GrapheneOS is making headlines after a U.S. case involving its duress PIN feature, which can securely wipe a device if a special password is entered during an unlock attempt.

The case raises broader questions about privacy, encrypted devices, and digital rights during border searches not just for GrapheneOS users, but for anyone who values secure mobile devices.

Read more: https://digitalescapetools.com/2026/07/grapheneos-duress-wipe-border-search-doj-case.html

#GrapheneOS #Privacy #DigitalRights #CyberSecurity #Android #OpenSource #TechNews

**So this is how it went. **

2 month ago ‘Flock No’ wants cameras removed

1 month ago Flock cameras set to go dark June 29th

1 week ago Cleveland city council set to vote on Flock Safety camera contract renewal

Pokemon Cards shouldn't be worth your privacy!

The Pokémon Company is bringing facial recognition to stores to fight scalpers

https://www.polygon.com/pokemon-facial-recognition-japan-stores-tcg-set-storm-emeralda/

#PokemonCompany #Pokemon #FacialRecognition #TradingCards #Scalpers #Privacy #Surveillance #Tech #Gaming

A first-of-its-kind US case: Samuel Tunick gave Customs agents at Atlanta's airport a GrapheneOS 'duress' passcode - a feature that wipes the phone when entered instead of the real unlock code. The DOJ is now prosecuting him under a statute against destroying property to prevent government seizure; his lawyers argue the seizure was unconstitutional and he was denied a lawyer. Follows a recent ruling that border agents can search phones without a warrant. #privacy #GrapheneOS #indigoprivacy

Phone users used to see Twitter as a phone app that they loaded from their app store. Mastodon is the only *blogging thing in the Fediverse that they can load from their app store.

This is one reason why just about all Mastodon newbies use the official app and why they're on mastodon.social (it's the default in the official app, and since they don't know what this setting does, they leave it on default).

Mastodon even gets away with an official app that's far from good, much less fully features. All the newbies don't have anything to compare with. If Mastodon is a phone app to them, then the official app's feature set is Mastodon's feature set. If a feature isn't implemented in the official app, then Mastodon doesn't have it. I dare say that well over 80% of all Mastodon users have never in their lives used Mastodon's Web UI.

If someone takes the step and moves from the official Mastodon app to Ivory or Mona or IceCubes or Tusky or Fedilab or something like this, it's almost always the first time in their lives that they use an online service through an app that has a different name than the online service. Many people couldn't even imagine doing that.

This means that if Friendica and Hubzilla want to be more successful, growing beyond Mike's old "if you build it, they'll come" credo and advertising more isn't sufficient. People must be able to load Friendica/Hubzilla onto their phones from their app store. This requires an official app named "Friendica"/"Hubzilla" with a native, up-to-date iOS UI in the Apple App Store and one with a native, up-to-date Android UI in the Google Play Store. The existence of an official phone app in the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store is essential for being considered existent in the first place.

A commonplace attitude on Friendica and even more so on Hubzilla is that both can be installed as a PWA. But seriously, 99.9% of all phone users don't even know that PWAs exist. They don't know what that is. Not to mention that they expect and demand a native mobile UI in the style of their phone OS and not a generic Web UI.

Now, what would this app have to look like?

If the advantages of Friendica and Hubzilla over Mastodon are to be emphasised and underlined, and if this app is to become people's one and only daily driver UI, it will have to be fully featured. Minus the settings for the Web UI (e.g. the theme settings and the PDL editor on Hubzilla), minus stuff that you'll never need if you only ever use the phone app and never the server UI (e.g. Webpages on Hubzilla), but otherwise fully featured. This would also demonstrate just how vastly more powerful Friendica and Hubzilla are than Mastodon.

The obvious downside is that such an app would be a feature monster. Bigger and more feature-laden than any Android e-mail app or OpenStreetMap editor.

There has been some talk about building an official Hubzilla phone app. Some Hubzilla users have proposed an app that only offers the very basics. However, their idea behind this is not to make the app easier for newbies to use, but to make it easier for the developers to build. They're often still stuck in the early 2010s when phone apps for websites were considered gimmicks. They think that people will only use the app when they're out and about, and when they're back home, they'll sit down behind their computers and use the Web interface. Thus, phone apps only need the most basic features implemented.

But 2026 is not 2011. The huge majority of Mastodon users only use Mastodon through a phone app. Even when they're at home. As I've said: If the app doesn't have a feature, the whole product doesn't have the feature, regardless of whether or not the feature is implemented in the server backend and even in the Web frontend.

Besides, even Friendica's basic features that you'll need all the time are a lot. Hubzilla's basic features that you'll need all the time are even more numerous.

Shall people be limited to posting in public when they're on a phone because the phone app doesn't have any permission settings?

Shall people be limited to posting to their contacts when they're on a phone because someone decided that support for groups would make the phone app too complex?

Shall people wait until they're home, and they've got some time to fire up a computer, open a Web browser and log onto the Web interface to accept connection requests because the phone app doesn't have any connection settings? What if they don't have a computer?

Let's face it, social networking itself is a complex thing. And I mean actual social networking. Not misusing glorified SMS as a social network. Real social networking. Facebook-level social networking. Google+-level social networking. MySpace-level social networking.

Thus, a social networking phone app with all features necessary for real social networking has to be complex. This isn't a Friendica/Hubzilla issue. Don't believe that the official Facebook apps are simple.

This is also why so many prefer 𝕏 over Facebook. Facebook is complex. Facebook isn't just register, follow, post. 𝕏 is much more simple. 𝕏 is glorified SMS. 𝕏 is literally just register, follow, tweet. Facebook is rocket science whereas 𝕏 is for dumb-dumbs.

And it's because Mastodon is so lacking that it's for dumb-dumbs by Fediverse standards. In fact, if you don't read those panicky "it's too complicated because you have to know what a server is" posts, if you just load the app and create an account, Mastodon, through the official app, is for dumb-dumbs by all standards.

However, those who actually are on Facebook are willing to put up with something more complex. They need something more complex than glorified SMS for dumb-dumbs. They need the extra features that Facebook has that 𝕏 doesn't, even if these are the very features that deny Facebook the "for dumb-dumbs" attribute.

Send them to Mastodon, and they'll be irritated and even repelled because this feature isn't there, and that feature isn't there, and that feature is cut down beyond recognition, and they can't find any interesting people (not because Mastodon is decentralised, and the interesting people are on other servers, but because Mastodon's directory sucks arse in comparison with Facebook's), and what's with that stupid character limit?

On Friendica and Hubzilla, this feature and that feature have been there for longer than Mastodon itself, that feature is even more powerful than on Facebook proper, interesting people are being shoved into their faces once they've filled out their profile, even more so once they've got some connections, and there is no character limit worth speaking of.

But as long as Friendica and Hubzilla don't have official, fully daily-driveable phone apps named "Friendica" and "Hubzilla" respectively, they simply don't exist.

Granted, there's another obstacle. Many Mastodon users say the Fediverse needs a Facebook alternative. If you tell them about Friendica and its descendants, some will be very thankful because they've genuinely never heard of any of these.

Others will tell you that they know Friendica and maybe even Hubzilla. But they also say that none of these are Facebook alternatives. For when they say, "alternative," what they really mean is, "1:1 clone, just with a different name and decentralised and with ActivityPub and without spying and without the recent enshittification and without the evil CEO, otherwise absolutely identical."

One big aspect of this is that, as they say, the Fediverse needs an alternative to Facebook Groups. Friendica groups are exactly that because they were designed to be exactly that. Hubzilla forums, (streams) groups, Forte groups, all just that. But according to these people, they don't count because they aren't handled in precisely the same way as Facebook groups. Facebook groups aren't separate accounts. And different equals bad.

What really has me shake my head is that those who want a 1:1 Facebook clone continue to use Mastodon as a Facebook alternative. Even though Friendica and its family are vastly closer to Facebook regardless. Even though Mastodon not only doesn't have groups at all, but it doesn't even have any support for external groups. Is shouting into the void with a bunch of hashtags and hoping the right people will hear you really that much better than a Friendica group or a Hubzilla forum or maybe a PieFed community?

By the way: Just how faithful a Twitter clone is Mastodon really, seeing as Misskey and the Forkeys have the odd Twitter feature that Mastodon still lacks, seeing as even Mastodon gradually becomes more complex than 𝕏, much more so than when-it-still-was-good Twitter?

#Long #LongPost #CWLong #CWLongPost #FediMeta #FediverseMeta #CWFediMeta #CWFediverseMeta #CharacterLimit #CharacterLimits #CharacterLimitMeta #CWCharacterLimitMeta #Fediverse #Mastodon #Friendica #Hubzilla #Streams #(streams) #Forte #Misskey #Forkey #Forkeys #PieFed #Privacy #Permission #Permissions #Groups #FediverseGroups #FediGroups #App #PhoneApp #iPhoneApp #iOSApp #AndroidApp #SocialNetwork #SocialNetworking #Twitter #𝕏 #Facebook #FacebookGroups

Keep the family safe with #ArcaneChat 🤗💜

No phone numbers required for registration, just set a name and start chatting!

No strangers discovering and contacting your family members!

All your conversations encrypted, only visible by family members, no 3rd party trust needed!

#digitalindependence #privacy #security #family #encryption #autonomy #europe #european #android

Zerion 3.0 is close. Our own protocol stack replacing the inherited Bramble layers: Tor-only, post-quantum on every message, constant-rate cover traffic so an observer can’t tell messages from noise.

In final testing now, two more transports:

I2P as an opt-in alternative to Tor. And a Bluetooth mesh for communicating with no internet at all, blackouts, protests, disasters.

Tor stays mandatory. The rest is additive.

zerion.chat

#privacy #tor #i2p #foss

🔐 #Privacy news & updates from @privacyguides:

“🚨 This Week In Privacy #60 will be live in 30 minutes, we'll be talking about CalyxOS coming back with a stable build, and covering the latest privacy & security news. 👋 Come join and chat with us live! https:// s...”

https://mastodon.neat.computer/@privacyguides/116857937018675870

🤖 via RSS feed. May not reflect our views.

We read the privacy news so you don't have to. One story, clearly explained, every Monday morning.

#privacy #indigoprivacy

Law enforcement knocking? 😬 Learn how GrapheneOS's duress PIN can create a decoy profile to protect your data and privacy. A clever safeguard for your digital rights. New video – check it out! #GrapheneOS #Privacy #DigitalRights

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2dMDwsRIP4

Alt...

🔴 LIVE

TL;DR: v1.4.2 is the latest stable release. Since v1.0, I’ve added P2P synchronization, ArchiveBox integration, and expanded platform support to Windows and BSD.

Release v1.4.2

GitHub: github.com/blob42/gosuki Documentation: gosuki.net

---

Hi All,

It has been about a year since I posted the first version of GoSuki here. For those who missed it, I built this tool because I was tired of bookmark managers that require a cloud account or a browser extension that tracks every page I visit.

Since v1.0, the project has evolved from a simple aggregator into a more robust local-first data tool.

What has changed since v1.0 The core philosophy remains the same—no extensions, no cloud, no telemetry—but the implementation is significantly more capable:

• P2P Synchronization (Gosuki+): I implemented a real-time peer-to-peer sync mechanism. You can now synchronize bookmarks across multiple devices without a central server or a third-party provider.
• Archival Integration: I’ve integrated ArchiveBox support, allowing users to automatically trigger local snapshots of their bookmarks to prevent linkrot.
• Expanded Browser Support: Beyond the basics, GoSuki now supports Zen Browser, IceCat, Pale Moon, and Basilisk.
• Database Resilience: The storage layer has been hardened with schema versioning and automatic backups before migrations to ensure data integrity.

Highlights of the v1.4.x Series

The latest updates focus on platform accessibility and developer workflow:

• Windows and BSD Support: GoSuki is no longer Linux-only. It now builds for Windows (with a native systray icon) and Open/Net/Free-BSD.
• macOS: Available via homebrew Tap / Cask
• Decoupled Browser Definitions: Anyone can participate to add support for new browser by defining default paths in a simple YAML file.
• Enhanced CLI: The suki command now supports advanced search and sort syntax.

Upcoming feature: Local Reddit Archival

I am currently building a deeper archival system for the Reddit module that will keep a full local copy of all your liked/upvoted posts, including comment tree and media. Lemmy would be an easy update afterwards.

GoSuki remains open source under the AGPLv3 license. If you value data ownership and want a tool that treats your bookmarks as your own, I invite you to check out the latest release.

Tons of Peoples’ #Claude Chats and Creations are Exposed on #Google

https://www.404media.co/tons-of-peoples-claude-chats-and-creations-are-exposed-on-google/

#AI #privacy #Anthropic

Inside the dystopian world of #Germany’s #FreeSpeech crackdown

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/07/20/germany-europe-free-speech-crisis-rainer-zitelmann-afd/

#privacy

#Apple’s #SmartGlasses are running late because they don’t want to stir a #privacy storm

https://www.digitaltrends.com/wearables/apples-smart-glasses-are-running-late-because-they-dont-want-to-stir-a-privacy-storm/

#IoT #AI

#Garbage trucks may soon start spying on people—where it’s happening

https://www.msn.com/en-us/technology/artificial-intelligence/garbage-trucks-may-soon-start-spying-on-people-where-it-s-happening/ar-AA28hIjk

#privacy #surveillance #infrastructure #trash #Florida

Secluso is an open-source home security system that runs on a Raspberry Pi, giving you encrypted remote access to live video, recordings, and alerts without relying on cloud surveillance.

If you want a privacy-first alternative to cloud-connected security cameras, Secluso keeps your camera data under your control.

More details: https://digitalescapetools.com/tools/tool.html?id=secluso

#OpenSource #SelfHosting #Privacy #HomeSecurity #RaspberryPi #Linux #FOSS #DigitalEscapeTools

Alt...

Screenshot of the Secluso website in dark mode. A banner reads “Private home security without cloud surveillance” with mentions of end-to-end encrypted remote viewing, alerts, and recordings on Raspberry Pi. The page title “Secluso” appears above the description: “Private DIY home security for Raspberry Pi, with encrypted remote access and a 5-minute software setup.” Blue links are shown for deployment, build guide, security model, and website. The text explains that Secluso is a private home security camera system for Raspberry Pi that allows live video viewing, alerts, and access to recordings from a phone without uploading footage to a cloud provider.

RE: https://mastodon.social/@janvlug/116991928856888810

CONTEXT:

privacy laws, including court cases, only recorgnize passwords as part of your right to privacy. so if you lock your phone with biometrics, DHS/TSA/ICE can force you physically to unlock the device. not so with passwords… until now.

prosecutors in Atlanta want to use this case to completely take away the right to privacy with passwords.

this would open EVERYTHING ―including emails, bank accounts, health care records―, to fascist predation.

#privacy #GrapheneOS #laws #passwords

Employer wellness programs increasingly sync with Fitbit-style wearables and apps, streaming your steps, sleep, and heart rate straight to the company's health insurer — a biometric feed that can quietly move your premiums.

#privacy #healthcare #workplacemonitoring #indigoprivacy

FireDragon 13 è disponibile con una riscrittura completa del progetto, nuove funzioni dedicate alla privacy e una gestione più flessibile delle impostazioni del browser. #Linux #FireDragon #Firefox #OpenSource #Privacy

https://www.linuxeasy.org/firedragon-13-rivoluziona-il-browser-con-una-nuova-architettura/

The hacker who humiliated #spyware makers and was never caught

https://techcrunch.com/2026/07/25/the-hacker-who-humiliated-spyware-makers-and-was-never-caught/

#cybersecurity #privacy #malware

You Can Now Verify Your #Facebook Account With a Video #Selfie

https://lifehacker.com/tech/you-can-now-verify-your-facebook-account-with-a-video-selfie

#Meta #privacy #biometrics