#Kansas Town Uses #LicensePlateReaders to Go After Man Who Wrote Op-Ed

Police in #Lenexa , Kansas used automated license plate reader ( #ALPR ) technology to pursue a man who wrote a critical op-ed about the police department, according to reporting by Kansas public radio station #KCUR. This is a rare public example of exactly the kind of #abuse that we’ve long warned against when it comes to mass-surveillance systems like #licenseplate readers.
#surveillance #privacy

https://www.aclu.org/news/privacy-technology/alpr-against-op-ed-writer

You can refuse to provide official ID or biometric data for social media accounts requiring age verification.

Actually, I bet if everyone did refuse, and let their account dormant for a couple of weeks, you would suddenly see American Big Tech transforming into the fiercest defender of your privacy rights, using their powerful network of lobbyists to fight these invasive government regulations.

They need you more than you need them.
Force them to work for your rights.
Do not comply.

#Privacy #AgeVerification #Biometrics #AusPol #USpol

»I made 20 #GDPR data deletion requests in the past year. 2 complied immediately. 6 complied after I filed complaints with data protection offices. 12 still haven't. The regulation exists, the enforcement doesn't.«

https://nikolak.com/gdpr-failure/

#privacy #EU

As expected, the #UK House of Lords recently voted in favor of banning VPNs for under-18s. It's now the turn of The House of Commons, and the British government has announced three months of consultations on "online safety for children."

Some larger, less privacy-oriented #VPN providers (ExpressVPN, Surfshark, NordVPN, Windscribe) already said they wanted to "engage" with the consultations.

So: age verification for VPNs is coming to the UK, and the government will be delighted to point out "the big providers" were "involved in the consultations".

It's only a matter of time before this will also be on the agenda of other European countries.

If you want to resist such surveillance you should choose privacy-oriented VPN providers such as @ivpn and @mullvadnet. They can be paid for in unconventional ways, including even the good old cash-in-an-envelope.

However, dodgy allegedly "free" VPNs with their snooping browser plugins are not a solution. They're a massive attack on privacy.

(This PSA certainly wasn't written just for adults.)

https://www.techradar.com/vpn/vpn-privacy-security/vpn-companies-open-to-meaningful-dialogue-with-uk-government-during-childrens-online-safety-consultation

#privacy #surveillance

***infosec specialists are needed in the resistance ***

The world needs tech security specialists to run workshops at public libraries for all ages & abilities to remove spyware, AI, reduce surveillance, understand the issues, & for more advanced, move to Linux, degooglefy, etc.

(Some) Libraries will pay for these workshops. There may be grants too.
If you have these skills, please consider offering them.

#libraries #library #tech #infosec #privacy #security #activism #antifa #resistance

I can use my desktop computers at home and work, too. I am not tied to a single device. I have zero stress about losing or damaging "my phone".

My every move is NOT tracked by "Smart Phone" apps.

Follow me for more privacy and tech tips.

#retro #privacy #tech

Alt...

Things nobody said in the 80s - "I lost my phone"

Your screen is one of the biggest security risks in the room.

Open laptops in cafés, shared offices, airport lounges, or Zoom calls expose:
• Emails and client data
• Password managers and MFA codes
• Internal dashboards and financials

Screen privacy isn’t paranoia — it’s basic operational security, for individuals and businesses alike.

#Security #Privacy #OpSec #CyberSecurity #WorkFromAnywhere

https://www.theverge.com/tech/872493/signal-community-organizing-guide-group-chat

Signal can be a great tool for private messaging, but it’s at its best if you know how to use all the privacy options. Not all of these options are automatic or even immediately obvious; there are also some best practices that are helpful for participating in and leading group chats.

#Signal #Privacy #Security #Protest #CivilRights #CivilLiberties

A community organizer’s guide to Signal group chats
Key privacy settings and best practices

https://www.theverge.com/tech/872493/signal-community-organizing-guide-group-chat

#signal #theverge #privacy

Microsoft gave FBI a set of BitLocker encryption keys to unlock suspects’ laptops

Microsoft provided the FBI with the recovery keys to unlock encrypted data on the hard drives of three laptops as part of a federal investigation.

BitLocker recovery keys are uploaded to Microsoft’s cloud, allowing the tech giant — and by extension law enforcement — to access them.

#Microsoft #bitlocker #FBI #encryption #privacy #technology #tech

https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/23/microsoft-gave-fbi-a-set-of-bitlocker-encryption-keys-to-unlock-suspects-laptops-reports/

"How Data Brokers Can Fuel Violence Against Public Servants"

"A new report from the Public Service Alliance finds state privacy laws offer public servants few ways to protect their private data, even as threats against them are on the rise."

https://www.wired.com/story/how-data-brokers-can-fuel-violence-against-public-servants/

#Privacy

Great blog which makes again clear for me, why everybody should leave Whatsapp and move to safer alternatives like Signal. Although it can also be interpreted as a defense of Whatsapp.
https://blog.cryptographyengineering.com/2026/02/02/whatsapp-encryption-a-lawsuit-and-a-lot-of-noise/
#whatsapp #signal #security #privacy

I'm willing to drop my GMail account.
What I need is an imap access, no app lock-in, and a good privacy policy, preferably with server located in the EU.

I am evaluating @soverin and @eclipso so far, with the latter lokking a bit more feature full but suspiciously less pricy.

Do you have any experience with any of those services? Have you any suggestion about them or other services I may look into?

Thanks in advance!

#mastoHelp #Privacy #DeGoogle #Email #EUPrivacy #DigitalSovereignty

@EUCommission

Then stop Chat Control now, privacy is an inalienable right.

#ChatControl #StopChatControl #EU #EuropeanUnion #Privacy #ClientSideScanning

Daily Digest | 3 February 2026

Your daily dose of Privacy, Data Protection, AI & Cybersecurity news.

5 stories you should not miss.

Read more: https://www.nicfab.eu/daily-digest/

#Privacy #AI #GDPR #Cybersecurity #TechLaw

Cryptomator is a client-side encryption tool for cloud storage services.

Data protected via AES-256 encryption.
Individual and business features.
Managed and self-hosted options.

ENCRYPTED

File content.
File/Folder name.

NOT ENCRYPTED

File/Folder access/creation/modification timestamp.
Number of files/folders in a folder/vault.
File size.

Website: https://cryptomator.org
Mastodon: @cryptomator

#Cryptomator #Encryption #InfoSec #Privacy #CyberSecurity #FreeSoftware #FOSS #FLOSS #OpenSource

Alt...

Cryptomator logo.

NicFab Newsletter #06 is out!

This week: Garante Privacy, EDPB, EDPS, European Commission, Parliament & Council updates, Digital Markets regulation, AI Standards & Certifications (CEN-CENELEC, ForHumanity), International developments, Cybersecurity, AI Act deep-dive, and more.

Read: https://www.nicfab.eu/en/newsletter/2026-02-03-issue-06/

Subscribe: https://www.nicfab.eu/en/pages/newsletter/#subscribe-now

#Privacy #DataProtection #AIAct #Cybersecurity #GDPR #AI #artificialIntelligence

Our Zine About #ICE #Surveillance Is Here

We are very proud to present 404 Media’s zine on the surveillance technology used by #Immigrations and #Customs Enforcement. While we have always covered surveillance and #privacy, for the last year, you may have noticed that we have spent an outsized amount of our attention and time reporting on the ways technology companies are powering Donald Trump’s #deportation raids.
#Trump

https://www.404media.co/icezine/

What could possibly go wrong?
🤔
"The Albanese government is giving the Trump administration and agencies like ICE access to Australians’ biometric data — and we’re not being told anything about it."
https://www.crikey.com.au/2026/02/03/australian-biometric-id-data-access-donald-trump-ice/

#AusPol #privacy

"The ultimate gear guide for a privacy-obsessed home office: 33 essentials for creating a secure workspace sanctuary"

"Work in peace and privacy with stylish home office decor and essential gadgets."

https://www.techradar.com/pro/the-ultimate-gear-guide-for-a-privacy-obsessed-home-office-33-essentials-for-creating-a-secure-workspace-sanctuary

#Privacy

Surveillance States Are Expanding... and the courts aren't helping.

#News #TechNews #Cybersecurity #Surveillance #Flock #Ring #Privacy

https://youtu.be/OlFDupB3nts

Daily podcast: Surveillance States Are Expanding... and the courts aren't helping.

#News #TechNews #Cybersecurity #Surveillance #Flock #Ring #Privacy #podcast

https://soundcloud.com/nickaesp/sse

Gizmodo: Amazon’s Ring Wants to Wash Away Your Surveillance Concerns With Lost Puppies

https://gizmodo.com/ring-wants-to-wash-away-your-surveillance-concerns-with-lost-puppies-2000716802?

#privacy #cybersecurity #fascism #ring #bigbrother

Alt...

Gizmodo: Amazon’s Ring Wants to Wash Away Your Surveillance Concerns With Lost Puppies

Looking for a #privacy aware #cloudflare replacement, an easy way to create a #tunnel to your #homelab webservices or DynDNS? Ask me for an invite to https://prot.li ! Currently in closed testing phase.

"Freedom on the Net 2025: An Uncertain Future for the Global Internet"
"How Hackers Are Fighting Back Against ICE"
"UK Lords vote to ban VPNs for children as pressure on the privacy tools increases"
"Data Privacy Week"

Here's some of the headlines I caught for the first month of 2026. Check out the complete list.

https://theprivacycloud.substack.com/p/january-2026-privacy-news-roundup

#privacy #dataprivacy #security #technology #news #newsletter

Samsung's biggest feature upgrade for the #S26 Ultra will be hidden in plain sight.

'Privacy Display' effectively blocks out parts of the phone screen when viewed at an angle, preventing snoopers and nosey passersby from seeing essential information. Think privacy screen protector, but built into the phone and much more customizable. #Samsung #privacy

https://www.zdnet.com/article/samsung-galaxy-s26-ultra-privacy-display-feature-unpacked-2026/

ICYMI: Your internet anonymity has an economy behind it.

Tor and onion services aren’t just tech — they’re part of a broader business of privacy, hosting, resilience, and risk. Some services support free access; others are funded or monetized in ways that affect real users and networks.

Understanding how the anonymity ecosystem works matters for personal privacy and organizational risk.

Read:
https://medium.com/@biytelum/tor-onion-services-and-the-business-of-anonymity-bcfe760ffb4e

#Privacy #Anonymity #Tor #CyberSecurity #DigitalRights

Your sexting with your car being swapped within Elon's companies. Curious if they just have a general "audio snooping" mode they turn on for people they want to follow/monitor.

"...team members were suddenly exposed to a stream of sexually charged audio, including lewd conversations that Tesla occupants had with the car’s #chatbot..."

https://masto.ai/@Nonilex/116001916745709612

#sexting #tesla #privacy

Canadians!

Bill S-209 is due for a section by section consideration in the Senate this Thursday (i.e. the equivalent of a full committee markup to Americans)!

Reminder: This bill would mandate privacy invasive Age Verification as well as give the Canadian government the ability to block ANY website that isn't compliant (search engines, Wikipedia, social media, etc.), not just "commercial pornographic websites" like the bill claims! One of the bills' sponsors essentially admitted this!

If this bill passes, it would be massively chilling to privacy and free speech in Canada! The Canadian government would control what you're allowed to see!

VPNs are, at best, a temporary solution here.

Call your Senators and House of Commons Representatives ASAP!

#Privacy #FreeSpeech #Censorship #DigitalRights #Internet #SocialMedia #Canada #AgeVerification #BillS209

Daily Digest | 2 February 2026

Your daily dose of Privacy, Data Protection, AI & Cybersecurity news.

5 stories you should not miss.

Read more: https://www.nicfab.eu/daily-digest/

#Privacy #AI #GDPR #Cybersecurity #TechLaw