Google’s new QR-based reCAPTCHA ties web verification to Play Integrity and Apple attestation systems instead of traditional CAPTCHA check 🌐
Privacy-focused Android variants like GrapheneOS and LineageOS risk losing access as device approval becomes part of web authentication 🔐

@GrapheneOS
@lineageos

🔗 https://www.heise.de/en/news/Google-s-new-reCAPTCHA-Potential-hurdle-for-Google-free-Android-variants-11288619.html

#TechNews #Google #reCAPTCHA #Captcha #GooglePlay #PlayIntegrity #GrapheneOS #LineageOS #Privacy #OpenWeb #Android #Security #FOSS #Telemetry #Web #Freedom #OpenSource

EU negotiations to extend the “Chat Control 1.0” ePrivacy derogation collapsed after Parliament, Council, and Commission failed to agree on privacy safeguards. 🇪🇺
The expired measure had allowed platforms like Meta and Microsoft to scan private messages for CSAM, raising concerns over mass surveillance and legal basis. 🔒

🔗 https://edri.org/our-work/did-the-eu-parliament-really-vote-not-to-protect-children-online/

#TechNews #EU #Europe #Privacy #ChatControl #Parliament #Commission #Encryption #Surveillance #Cybersecurity #Meta #Microsoft #Policy #Freedom #CSAM

Mozilla, Proton, Mullvad, Tor Project, and EFF signed a letter opposing UK online age-verification proposals over privacy and surveillance risks 🌐
The coalition warned mandatory age gates could centralize identity checks, weaken anonymity, and push open web toward closed, monitored platforms 🔒

🔗 https://cyberinsider.com/mozilla-mullvad-proton-sign-letter-opposing-uk-age-verification/

#TechNews #Mozilla #Proton #Mullvad #Tor #UnitedKingdom #EFF #Privacy #Cybersecurity #OpenSource #FOSS #VPN #Surveillance #UK #DigitalRights #Internet #Freedom #AgeVerification

I build all of my apps with the simple philosophy that decentralization is good, individuality is important, and power is best left in the hands of individuals - not governments, banks, or corporations.

Users have full control. No data is sent out of the system by default. Offline use is expected and encouraged.

If you want to help me build this vision, check out my GitHub and try one of my apps!
https://github.com/pdschneider

#software #dev #decentralization #freedom

"The #USA has the best #military and growing #freedom!"

Mmm. Yeah. Uh huh. Mmm

While my fellow Americans huff that cringe lying #cope, the truth is that there is a country that has the best military and growing freedom

#Ukraine

Ukraine is now the real "leader of the free world"

The USA is rotting

I wish my fellow Americans would FUCKING #VOTE ALREADY. Entitled assholes

In the #primaries. Real left candidates

Not #voting is submission to #fascism

https://united24media.com/war-in-ukraine/ukraine-rises-to-55th-in-2026-world-press-freedom-index-ahead-of-several-g7-countries-18366

Alt...

The World Press Freedom Index showing that in 2025 USA ranked 57, and Ukraine ranked 62. But in 2026 Ukraine ranked 55, and USA ranked 64

I've generally been suspicious of free speech for a while, so I wrote an essay articulating why. We’ve all likely heard that the freedom to swing one’s fist ends at the tip of another’s nose. I can accept this without argument for this assertion. Your freedom TO violates my freedom FROM. These freedoms should cancel out.

https://philosophics.blog/2026/05/05/free-speech-pseudo-invariance-and-the-grammar-of-liberal-rights-part-1/?utm_source=masto&utm_medium=social

#philosophy #freespeech #freedom #violence #language #silence #commons #grammar #essay #video #rights #liberalism #blog #YouTube #spotify #podcast

#USA is once again doing #Israel ’s bidding at the expense of its own citizens and the very principles of #freedom and human rights it claims to uphold.

Instead of defending U.S. citizens kidnapped and beaten on the high seas, it attacks human rights activists and echoes smears used to criminalize solidarity.

FR en Alt
1/2👇

#1000Madleens #FreedomFlotillaCoalition #FreedomFlotilla #humanrights #solidarity #freesaif #freethiago #freethemall #freepalestine #GlobalSumudFlotilla

Alt...

FREEDOM FLOTILLA COALITION ET THOUSAND MADLEENS TO GAZA CONDAMNENT L'ATTAQUE AMÉRICAINE CONTRE LA FLOTTILLE MONDIALE SUMUD La récente déclaration des États-Unis menaçant la Flottille mondiale Sumud (GSF) n'est rien d'autre qu'une reprise honteuse de la propagande israélienne visant à criminaliser la résistance non violente face aux crimes d'Israël

Alt...

L'appareil de la politique étrangère américaine a une fois de plus démontré qu'il n'était qu'un porte-voix des discours israéliens. Après avoir laissé Israël l'entraîner dans une guerre illégale et coûteuse contre l'Iran, fondée sur des renseignements fabriqués de toutes pièces et une campagne de peur, les États-Unis emboîtent désormais le pas à Israël en s'attaquant à une initiative purement civile visant à mettre fin au siège, à l'occupation et au génocide en cours dont est victime le peuple palestinien. Cela s'inscrit dans un schéma de longue date où les États-Unis sacrifient les droits, la sécurité et même la vie de leurs propres citoyens au service de la politique israélienne.

Alt...

Au lieu de condamner Israël pour avoir violé les droits de 15 citoyens américains — parmi les quelque 170 civils enlevés et brutalisés par les forces israéliennes en haute mer —, les États-Unis ont choisi de saper et de mettre en danger ceux qui cherchent à défendre les droits de l’homme et à faire respecter le droit international. Les organisateurs de la flottille n’ont commis aucun crime — seulement un acte de principe consistant à contester l’apartheid brutal par le biais d’une action directe non violente.

Signal is developing a standalone desktop app without requiring a smartphone for setup or use, based on recent open-source code changes. 🖥️
The update adds more desktop controls while keeping end-to-end encryption, improving device independence with a privacy-first design. 🔐

@signalapp

🔗 https://aboutsignal.com/news/signal-desktop-without-a-mobile-phone-standalone-version-in-development/

#TechNews #Signal #Messaging #Privacy #E2EE #Encryption #EndToEndEncryption #OpenSource #FOSS #Cybersecurity #Security #Data #Internet #Freedom #Software #Tech #Communication

Greece plans to require social media users to verify real identities, limiting anonymity to curb abuse and misinformation, raising privacy risks ⚖️
Officials say pseudonyms may remain but tied to real identities, highlighting tensions between state oversight, platform control, and user anonymity 🔐

🔗 https://www.euractiv.com/news/greece-to-ban-anonymity-on-social-media/

#TechNews #Greece #SocialMedia #Privacy #DigitalRights #Cybersecurity #Surveillance #FOSS #Security #Data #Internet #Freedom #Censorship #Regulation #Tech #Europe #EU #Greek

Turkey plans to ban unlicensed VPNs and require approved providers to log user activity and share data with authorities, restricting anonymous access. 🚫
VPN signups surged as users seek privacy tools amid blocks, highlighting tensions between state control, surveillance risks, and user autonomy online. 🔐

🔗 https://reclaimthenet.org/turkey-to-ban-anonymous-vpns

#TechNews #Turkey #VPN #Cybersecurity #Privacy #Surveillance #FOSS #Security #Data #Internet #Freedom #Censorship #Encryption #Tech #Europe #EU #Türkiye #Anonymity

Ubuntu will add opt-in AI features via Snaps in 26.10, including speech tools and automation, without a global disable switch, raising user control concerns. 🤖
Canonical says AI Snaps can be removed, but some users want AI-free builds or may switch to Linux Mint or Pop!_OS, citing privacy and autonomy risks. 🔐

🔗 https://www.theverge.com/tech/920723/linux-ubuntu-ai-features-ai-kill-switch

#TechNews #Ubuntu #Canonical #Linux #OpenSource #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #Privacy #FOSS #Security #Transparency #Data #Software #Freedom #Computing #Tech

Privacy and Freedom.
#privacy #freedom #meshtastic
https://youtu.be/0AkQeyG4QmQ?si=djQz1hpb1tsZTI3I

California lawmakers are advancing A.B. 1709, banning under-16s from social media and requiring ID or biometric checks for all users 🔒
The bill passed committees and nears a vote, raising risks to anonymity, free expression, and smaller platforms under strict compliance ⚖️

🔗 https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2026/04/act-now-stop-californias-paternalistic-and-privacy-destroying-social-media-ban

#TechNews #California #AB1709 #Privacy #DigitalRights #SocialMedia #Surveillance #Cybersecurity #FOSS #OpenInternet #Freedom #DataProtection #Encryption #Policy #Regulation

System76 founder Carl Richell says Colorado’s SB26-051 may be amended to exempt open source software, including OSs, repos, and containers. 🏛️
The change follows advocacy, but wider state and federal proposals still risk verification rules that could limit open access and user control. 🔐

🔗 https://itsfoss.com/news/colorado-age-attestation-bill-open-source-exemption/

#TechNews #Linux #OpenSource #System76 #Colorado #Privacy #FOSS #GitHub #GitLab #Docker #Podman #Security #Policy #Freedom #Regulation

RE: https://ec.social-network.europa.eu/@EUCommission/116408720976324749

"Works on any device". Wow. It only supports Google and Apple devices, what the heck.

"Fully open source" is very misleading and fairly irrelevant.

The app may very well be open source, but the full age verification pipeline can never be, or at least not deployable by just anyone. The "verfication" part needs a trusted source. Otherwise, the verification value becomes meaningless.

#eu #ageverification #freedom

European Commission » 🌐 2026-04-15
@EUCommission@ec.social-network.europa.eu

It is for parents to raise their children. Not platforms.

The European Age Verification App is ready.

It will allow users to prove their age when accessing online platforms. Just like shops ask for proof of age for people buying alcoholic beverages.

And it ticks all the boxes:
✅ Highest privacy standards in the world
✅ Works on any device
✅ Easy to use
✅ Fully open source

More info: https://link.europa.eu/HmnrJc

If you want to try a privacy-first email and calendar service, Tuta offers a birthday deal with discounted access to encrypted tools 🔐
The 12th anniversary offer includes Tuta Mail and Tuta Calendar with quantum-safe encryption, with the discount applying to the first year only 📧

@Tutanota

🔗 https://tuta.com/special-offer

#TechNews #Tuta #Tutanota #Email #Calendar #Privacy #Encryption #FOSS #OpenSource #Security #DataProtection #NoAds #Freedom #Transparency #Software #Cloud

EU Parliament ended ePrivacy derogations for chat scanning, and states dropped mandatory encrypted message scanning, limiting mass surveillance 🔐
Platforms still signal “voluntary” monitoring, while Chat Control talks continue with age checks and measures that may pressure services to scan communications ⚖️

🔗 https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2026/04/eu-parliament-blocks-mass-scanning-our-chats-whats-next

#TechNews #EU #ChatControl #Privacy #Encryption #DataProtection #Surveillance #FOSS #OpenSource #Security #Freedom #Transparency #BigTech #Regulation #DigitalRights

Mozilla is adding a built-in VPN and optional AI features to Firefox amid declining share, aiming to restore relevance while balancing privacy, openness, and usability. 🔍
The strategy emphasizes local AI and integrated privacy tools, but opt-out defaults and trust concerns raise risks around user control, transparency, and global access. 🔐

🔗 https://itsfoss.com/opinion/firefox-survival-with-vpn-ai/

#TechNews #Firefox #Mozilla #VPN #AI #Privacy #OpenSource #FOSS #Security #Transparency #Browsers #Software #Freedom #Tech #Data

Governments from Australia to Canada are requiring online age verification, forcing users to share personal IDs to access content. These measures raise serious privacy, security, and freedom-of-speech risks for all users 🌐

🔗 https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2024/12/global-age-verification-measures-2024-year-review

#TechNews #OnlineSafety #AgeVerification #DigitalRights #EFF #Privacy #UserControl #FOSS #InternetFreedom #Freedom #DataSecurity #Transparency #OpenSource #CyberLaw #Anonymity #Surveillance

OS-level age checks in California and Apple shift verification from apps to devices, classifying users and sharing age signals across services 🔐.
Centralized OS identity APIs can entrench platform control and expose sensitive data, impacting privacy, shared-device access and open ecosystems 🌐

🔗 https://proton.me/blog/age-verification-operating-system

#TechNews #Privacy #AgeVerification #Apple #Regulation #DigitalID #FOSS #OpenSource #Security #Data #Freedom #Internet #Policy #Surveillance #Tech #OS #California

The EU Parliament voted to end Chat Control, stopping mass scanning of private messages by Meta, Google, and Microsoft, effective 4 April 2026. ✋📩
This decision restores digital privacy for European citizens and ends indiscriminate surveillance of private chats. 🔒

🔗 https://www.patrick-breyer.de/en/end-of-chat-control-eu-parliament-stops-mass-surveillance-in-voting-thriller-paving-the-way-for-genuine-child-protection/

#TechNews #EU #Europe #Parliament #Government #ChatControl #Privacy #DigitalRights #FOSS #Meta #Google #Microsoft #Surveillance #Encryption #OpenInternet #UserControl #FreedomOfSpeech #Freedom #Security

systemd adds an optional “birthDate” field to user records, letting Linux apps access sensitive age data for compliance 📄
Critics warn this creates privacy risks, centralizes sensitive user info, and could be misused if poorly secured, making Linux systems a potential target for data leaks 🔐

🔗 https://itsfoss.com/news/systemd-age-verification/

#TechNews #Linux #Systemd #Privacy #OpenSource #Security #Data #DigitalRights #Compliance #Tech #Software #Freedom #Cybersecurity #Policy #DataProtection #AgeVerification

FBI director Kash Patel confirmed the agency buys commercially available location data to track Americans, bypassing warrants and raising constitutional privacy concerns 📍

🔗 https://techcrunch.com/2026/03/18/fbi-is-buying-location-data-to-track-us-citizens-kash-patel-wyden/

#TechNews #Privacy #Surveillance #Cybersecurity #Data #Security #DigitalRights #Freedom #Law #Government #BigData #Tech #Policy #Rights #DataProtection

New #blog #post: The Farmer's Station Wagon: A Parable

https://rldane.space/the-farmers-station-wagon-a-parable.html

1280 words

This was inspired by a recent interview between the #Fedi's own Jason Evangelho and Mike Kelly.

cc: my wonderful #chorus: @joel @dm @sotolf @thedoctor @pixx @orbitalmartian @adamsdesk @krafter @roguefoam @clayton @giantspacesquid @Twizzay @stfn @ay

(I will happily add/remove you from the chorus upon request! :)

#rlDaneWriting #blost #linux #nixbook #upcycle #eWaste #FOSS #Freedom

Ageless Linux, a "technical provocation disguised as Linux distro," circulates among developers and privacy activists 🧩.
Built on Debian, it rejects age verification laws to defend open-source freedom from regulatory overreach 🔒.

https://agelesslinux.org/

🔗 https://gigazine.net/gsc_news/en/20260316-agelesslinux-noncompliance-age-verification/

#TechNews #Linux #Privacy #OpenSource #FOSS #Debian #AgeVerification #Regulation #Security #Freedom #Software #DigitalRights #UserFreedom #Technology #Innovation

Google's Developer Verification mandates real-identity registration for app developers starting September 2026 on certified Android devices 📱.

F-Droid, EFF, and FSF warn it threatens open-source repos, centralizes Google control, and endangers developer privacy 🔒.

@fdroid
@eff
@fsf

🔗 https://itsfoss.com/news/android-developer-verification/

#TechNews #Android #Google #Privacy #OpenSource #FOSS #Developers #Security #Freedom #Sideloading #EFF #F-Droid #UserChoice #Regulation #DigitalRights

Federal Right To #Privacy Act

The Solution: A Comprehensive Privacy Bill

The bill imposes hard limits on #surveillance , hidden collection, #coercive “consent,” brokered data trafficking, and government circumvention of what should be a lawful process balancing #freedom with evidence of wrongdoing. It restores rule-based protections people can understand and courts can enforce.

https://righttoprivacyact.github.io/

Google brings Chrome to Linux ARM64 devices 🧩.

Feels ironic. Most people switch to Linux for privacy and freedom — not to install a data‑harvesting browser from the company they’re escaping 🔒.

🔗 https://itsfoss.com/news/chrome-linux-arm-announcement/

#TechNews #Linux #Chrome #Privacy #OpenSource #Chromium #FOSS #ARM64 #RaspberryPi #Security #Google #Browser #DigitalRights #Freedom #UserChoice #TechEthics