Tag

Surveillance

All articles tagged with #surveillance

privacy-and-security11 hours ago•15 min saved

Nearby Glasses: An App That Alerts You to Secret Recording Wearables Nearby

A new Android app called Nearby Glasses scans Bluetooth advertising signals to alert users when camera-enabled smart glasses from Meta, Snap, and others are nearby, aiming to counter covert filming in public. The developer notes the system can produce false positives and an iOS version is in development; Meta and Snap didn’t comment. The story frames the tool within broader concerns about wearable surveillance and potentialMeta features like facial recognition.

via Gizmodo|

#bluetooth #mobile-app #privacy

politics11 hours ago•11 min saved

Trump pushes clean 18-month Section 702 renewal before April deadline

President Trump told key Republicans he wants a straight, 18-month extension of the Section 702 surveillance program with no changes, ahead of the April 20 lapse. White House aides are lobbying for a clean extension, but in the House a coalition of privacy hawks and skeptical lawmakers could block it or demand reforms, making the renewal's fate uncertain.

via Politico|

#congress #politics #privacy

technology1 day ago•1 min saved

New app warns when smart glasses are nearby to protect privacy

Nearby Glasses is an app that alerts you when smart glasses are nearby by detecting their Bluetooth signal (including Meta's Ray-Bans). It aims to address privacy concerns around surveillance tech and potential facial-recognition features, though false positives from VR headsets are possible; it's available on Google Play and GitHub.

via Engadget|

#bluetooth #meta-ray-bans #privacy

politics2 days ago•16 min saved

Senate pushes tighter guardrails on Section 702 surveillance

Bipartisan Sens. Durbin and Lee introduced legislation to curb Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, demanding warrants to access content involving Americans, added oversight when searching 702 data, and stronger outside review in FISA cases. The move comes as the Trump administration seeks a clean, extended 18-month reauthorization before the April 20 deadline, with House opposition and no clear consensus on guardrails yet.

via Politico|

#congress #fisa #politics

politics2 days ago•5 min saved

Maine legal observers allege DHS used facial recognition to intimidate activists

Legal observers in Maine filed a class-action accusing DHS agents of using facial recognition and license-plate readers to surveil and threaten them during ICE operations, including threats to place them on a domestic terrorist database and to visit their homes; the suit seeks an injunction and DHS denies maintaining a domestic terrorist database, while lawmakers push limits on surveillance and an inspector general investigates ICE’s use of facial-recognition technology.

via Politico|

#civil-rights #dhs #legal-observers

technology2 days ago•5 min saved

Australian Police Pilot Skyward Drones to Aid Crime-Fighting Efforts

New PolAir-Remote drones deployed in Moree, NSW, are remotely piloted to prevent, disrupt, and respond to crime, with live video feeds from Bankstown Airport. After installing two drones, police have already used them to assist in assaults, burglaries, and stolen-vehicle incidents, recover cars, arrest a 14-year-old, and even observe fires to alert firefighters. The six-month trial could expand to more locations as officials report early success and plan for broader rollout.

via Carscoops|

#australia #drones #nsw

technology4 days ago•4 min saved

Spotting Smart Glasses: How to tell when you’re being filmed in public

The piece discusses privacy concerns around smart glasses (notably Meta Ray-Bans), explains how to identify when someone is filming by camera placement and the LED indicator, notes the risk of misuse and the lack of regulation, and argues that awareness can deter abuse while recognizing potential benefits.

via CNET|

#led-indicator #meta-ray-bans #privacy

health5 days ago•210 min saved

CNN Tracks U.S. Flu Surge With CDC-Backed Weekly Maps and Stats

CNN reports that this flu season has the highest rate of doctor visits for flu-like illness since CDC surveillance began in 1997, with weekly updates tracking case rates and hospitalizations across states via CDC’s FluView data. The CDC estimates about 8% of the U.S. population gets sick each season, and young children as well as seniors are at higher risk, though data are preliminary and can change as new reports come in.

via CNN|

#cdc #flu #health

technology-privacy5 days ago•8 min saved

Privacy showdown: $10K bounty to sever Ring cameras from Amazon data

The Fulu Foundation is offering a bounty—starting at $10,000 and potentially higher with donations and matched up to $10,000—to hack Ring doorbell cameras so they stop sending data to Amazon without disabling core hardware features. The goal is to empower users to reclaim data control after Ring's controversial "Search Party" campaign; modifications must preserve local operation and on-device capabilities (motion detection, color night vision) and be feasible with inexpensive tools in under an hour. Winners may choose whether to publish their method due to DMCA considerations; the prize could grow as donors contribute.

via WIRED|

#amazon #bounties #privacy

world8 days ago•3 min saved

Kenyan authorities used Israeli spyware to breach activist Mwangi’s phone, report finds

Citizen Lab says Kenyan police used Cellebrite’s Israeli spyware to crack pro-democracy activist Boniface Mwangi’s phone while in custody, potentially extracting all data. The finding adds to concerns about government misuse of digital-forensics tools; Cellebrite says it reviews misuse and Amnesty International warns such tech can intimidate dissent.

via The Guardian|

#activism #cellebrite #digital-rights

technology8 days ago•4 min saved

The Private Surveillance Economy: When Ring and IoT Cameras Redefine Intelligence

Private companies are shifting intelligence gathering from governments to a commercial market, turning everyday sensors—door cameras, license-plate readers, drones—into a coordinated data network used by law enforcement and investigators. Ring's controversial 'Search Party' pet-recovery push illustrated how partnerships and AI could blur privacy protections and enable mass surveillance without traditional warrants. As this 'intelligence as a service' model expands, questions about national sovereignty, democratic oversight, and civil liberties loom, even as governments retain traditional capabilities.

via The Conversation|

#intelligence-as-a-service #iot #privacy

sports9 days ago•15 min saved

Curling scales back Olympic scrutiny as controversy grows

World Curling has pulled back from its intensified Olympic match surveillance after a period of controversy, briefly deploying umpires who were later withdrawn as penalties for alleged violations—an incident involving the British men’s team, with earlier penalties affecting Canada—highlighting a widening debate over how strictly Olympic curling should be monitored.

via AP News|

#controversy #curling #olympics

technology10 days ago•1 min saved

Amazon ends Ring-Flock Safety pact after Super Bowl privacy backlash

Amazon has terminated its partnership with Ring and Flock Safety after a Super Bowl ad promoted a 'Search Party' feature to share doorbell footage for locating lost dogs, prompting backlash over potential surveillance and law-enforcement use. A planned 'Community Requests' option would have let footage be shared with police; Amazon says videos are not shared with law enforcement without owner consent. Flock’s ALPR systems are also under scrutiny, with several Washington cities pausing their use, and Flock denying any non-consensual sharing with federal agencies.

via KIRO 7 News Seattle|

#amazon #flock-safety #privacy

technology11 days ago•2 min saved

Ring's Super Bowl Ad Sparks Orwellian Backlash, Leading to Flock Safety Cancelation

Ring’s Super Bowl ad suggesting a neighborhood-wide surveillance network drew swift backlash from customers and critics, prompting some to disconnect cameras and fueling privacy concerns, which helped push Amazon to cancel its planned Flock Safety integration to avoid further damage.

via Futurism|

#flock-safety #orwellian #ring

technology11 days ago•2 min saved

Meta Eyes Real-Time Facial Recognition in Smart Glasses, Sparking Privacy Debate

Meta reportedly plans to add real-time facial recognition to its smart glasses under the internal name Name Tag, enabling wearers to identify people and pull up their information via Meta’s AI assistant. The rollout reportedly faces safety and privacy concerns, with documents noting a possible launch during a chaotic political period and an initial test concept at an accessibility event that wasn’t pursued. Meta says it is thoughtfully evaluating options, while privacy advocates like the ACLU warn the technology could erode anonymity and invite abuse.

via Futurism|

#facial-recognition #meta #privacy