Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has sued five major TV companies, including Sony, Samsung, LG, Hisense, and TCL, for secretly recording viewers' activities using Automated Content Recognition technology, with some companies linked to China, raising concerns over consumer privacy and data security.
Four individuals in South Korea have been charged with hacking into approximately 120,000 home and business surveillance cameras to obtain sexually exploitative footage, highlighting a significant privacy invasion case.
LunaSpy is a malicious Android spyware disguised as an antivirus or banking protection app, spreading through messaging apps like Telegram. It tricks users into granting permissions by simulating virus scans, then steals data, tracks location, records audio/video, and can even access photos, all while communicating with a network of about 150 servers. Users are advised to avoid downloading APKs from unknown sources and to be cautious of suspicious security apps requesting broad permissions.
Hulk Hogan's 2016 lawsuit against Gawker Media over the publication of a sex tape resulted in a $140 million verdict, highlighting the limits of free speech and emphasizing individual privacy rights in the digital age, with lasting implications for media responsibility and celebrity privacy.
Congress MP KC Venugopal accused the Modi government of using state-sponsored spyware to hack his phone after receiving an alert from Apple about a malicious attack. Venugopal condemned the alleged unconstitutional actions and vowed to oppose the invasion of privacy. This follows similar warnings from Apple to other opposition leaders, with accusations against the government for using surveillance software like Pegasus. The Centre has denied the allegations but promised to investigate.
Falls Church Police are investigating after hidden cameras were found in restrooms at Northside Social cafe and wine bar. The devices, discovered by a customer, recorded footage of patrons using the restrooms on May 11. Police urge businesses and customers to be vigilant for hidden cameras in restrooms and other discreet areas.
Prince Harry's legal team alleges that Rupert Murdoch's British tabloid papers bugged his landline phones, accessed Princess Diana's pager messages, and ordered private investigators to target his then-girlfriend, Meghan. They seek to amend his lawsuit to include these new allegations, which News Group Newspapers (NGN) is objecting to, claiming they were made too late and lack evidence. NGN has settled over 1,300 claims of phone-hacking but denies any wrongdoing by its staff. Harry, who has been battling the British press since stepping down from royal duties, won a lawsuit against Mirror Group Newspaper in December over similar allegations.
Shawn Mackey is suing Airbnb and host Pamela Fohler, alleging invasion of privacy and emotional distress after Fohler allegedly sent a security photo of him with another woman to his wife following a failed extortion attempt triggered by a bad review. The lawsuit claims Fohler demanded $960 in fees and penalties for extra guests and breaking house rules, and later sent the compromising image from a bogus email account. Airbnb has filed a motion to compel arbitration, while Fohler has filed a motion to dismiss.
Prince Harry reaches a settlement with Mirror Group Newspapers, receiving a substantial sum in costs and damages for the invasion of his privacy through phone hacking and illegal snooping. The publisher has agreed to pay Harry legal costs and damages, making an interim payment of 400,000 pounds. This case is part of Harry's campaign against the British media, with ongoing cases against other tabloid publishers. The judge ordered Mirror Group to pay some legal costs for three other claimants, while also criticizing the publisher's attempts to conceal the truth.
A Chicago man is suing 27 women, one man, and multiple social media platforms over negative posts about dating him on an "Are We Dating the Same Guy" Facebook group, claiming defamation, doxxing, and privacy invasion. He seeks damages exceeding $75,000 and injunctive relief, alleging reputational damage and lost earnings. The lawsuit also names Meta corporation, Patreon, arewedatingthesame.com, and GoFundMe as defendants, accusing them of profiting from defamatory and invasive content. The Facebook group, originally aimed at safeguarding women from "toxic men," now faces criticism for its lack of fact-checking and the challenges of defending oneself.
Susanna Gibson, known as the 'porn Dem,' speaks out after videos of her performing sex acts with her husband on a pornographic website were leaked during her Virginia House of Delegates campaign. Gibson claims she was the victim of a "hit job" and is determined to find out who was responsible for leaking the clips. While expressing regret about the situation, she is unapologetic about her participation in the online sex acts and believes that a crime was committed when the news media was alerted to the existence of the videos. Despite the scandal, Gibson did not drop out of the race and focused her campaign on the issue of abortion. She ultimately lost the election but received support from some donors and Democratic Party officials. Gibson is now seeking legal action and hopes to hold the person responsible for distributing the videos accountable.
A new lawsuit alleges that an American Airlines flight attendant hid a camera inside a plane bathroom and used it to film a 14-year-old girl. The lawsuit claims that the airline allowed the flight attendant to "destroy" any incriminating evidence. The incident occurred on American Airlines Flight 1441 from Charlotte to Boston. The accused flight attendant has not been arrested but has been withheld from service. The lawsuit seeks damages at trial. American Airlines stated that they take the matter seriously and are fully cooperating with law enforcement.
Erin Andrews opens up about the emotional toll of her stalker incident in 2008, recalling the difficult moment when she had to call her parents to inform them about being secretly videotaped. The Fox Sports broadcaster discusses the impact of the incident on her mental health and the support she received from her parents. Andrews' stalker, Michael David Barrett, served prison time for interstate stalking, and she later won a $55 million lawsuit against him and the hotel where the videos were filmed.
Prince Harry has won a crucial stage in his lawsuit against Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL), the publisher of the Daily Mail, setting up a potential blockbuster trial next year. Harry and several other plaintiffs, including Elton John and Liz Hurley, accuse ANL of unlawful information gathering, such as bugging their cars and hacking their phone conversations. ANL's attempt to have the case thrown out was dismissed by the judge, who stated that the claimants have a "real prospect of succeeding." However, the judge ruled that material supplied to the Leveson Inquiry into press standards in 2012 cannot be used in court. This is the latest victory for Harry and Meghan in their battle against British tabloids, whom they accuse of invading their privacy.
Mobile data broker Kochava has failed to prevent the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) from exposing its alleged unfair use and sale of sensitive data without consent. The FTC claims that Kochava's database contains a vast amount of identifying information about consumers, including their movements and personal details. Kochava's products allow advertisers to target individuals based on specific characteristics and attributes, invading consumers' privacy and causing substantial harm. The FTC alleges that Kochava could implement privacy safeguards but actively promotes its data as a means to evade consumers' privacy choices.