Every day it seems like there’s another hack, password theft, or leak. Both government agencies and private companies are regularly attacked, by intruders just looking for sensitive data to sell, or foreign actors looking for valuable information. That alone is reason enough for a Presidential candidate to at least…
WikiLeaks firmly believes in radical transparency, the idea that the world would be better if there were no secrets. That level of transparency can be used for good, like the time the site published a video called “Collateral Murder” showing innocent journalists shot to oblivion by US troops in 2010. But not always.
Last night, Kim Kardashian released video snippets of Kanye West talking to Taylor Swift on the phone about lyrics in his then upcoming song “Famous.” But because West apparently didn’t inform Swift that he was recording the call, he may have broken federal wiretapping law.
A new startup wants to take a “deep dive” into the private social media activity of prospective tenants—their chats, check-ins, how many times they’ve posted words like “pregnant” or “loan”—and score their “personality” for their potential landlord. Why would anyone let this happen? Because “people will give up their…
Crazy story but bear with me: between 2010 and 2016, the NYPD may have conducted as many as 180 improper searches of people’s homes. It sure doesn’t sound like them, I know, but that’s what the statistics say.
Earlier today, Uber released a new “Uber Partner app, designed to give drivers more information so Uber works better for them.” It also inadvertently gave anyone access to an untold number of sensitive scanned documents for almost 1,000 of these same drivers.
United Airlines recently issued the iPhone 6 Plus to all its flight attendants, a move that’s been in the works since last year. The phones replace safety manuals and handle onboard food and drink sales, and, according to one tipster, they’re also loaded with all the personal info the airline has on its passengers.…
The next time you accidentally call someone from your smartphone with your own ass, make sure you don’t say anything that could make the person on the other end sue you.
Earlier this week, rainbow-faced Facebook users everywhere went into a state of panic over the fact that Facebook “didn’t deny” tracking who was using its new “Celebrate Pride” tool. Panic at the idea that a powerful multibillion-dollar corporation is tracking certain of your behaviors is totally natural, obviously.…
Facebook Messenger is the single most popular app in the entire iTunes store. Millions of people now use it on their phones instead of SMS, which means that millions of people have been letting Facebook tap their exact locations whenever they chat. Who needs the NSA?
New Jersey Governor and snack gourmand Chris Christie stopped by the key primary state of New Hampshire today. At which point, Christie called for a major boost in military funding. But don’t fret over what this means for NSA snooping, because according to the bridge bandit himself, “All these fears are baloney.”
You shouldn’t expect much when you’re checking into a room at the local Motel 6, but at a bare minimum, you should expect to not be treated like a criminal. Guests at the motel chain’s Rhode Island location won’t get that luxury: their information is automatically delivered to the police.
This week, privacy experts and advocates from around the world gathered in Valenica, Spain to meet and discuss how to combat government surveillance. As if on cue, one of the activists discovered an ominous tracking device attached to the bottom of their car.
If you're the kind of person who splits rent with roommates, frequently dines out in large groups, or has a recreational drug habit, Venmo is a fantastically hassle-free way to make payments. It is the rare internet startup that actually provides its users with a useful tool, rather than an attention-sucking…
Right now, a 30-year-old engineer is on trial for founding and operating an enormous online black market—the Amazon of drugs. The outcome of his trial could change the way we use the internet.
An Illinois anti-cyberbullying law that took effect Jan. 1 has the awkward side effect of allowing school districts in the state to demand their students' social media passwords so they can investigate suspected violations of school rules.
Search "Sondra Price" on Facebook and you'll find a profile for the woman shown above. From the information that's publicly displayed, you'll learn a few things about her: She went to Watertown High School, she drives a BMW, her nickname is "Sosa," and judging by one picture, she might have young children.
The first one that arrived was for Kevin, a teenage boy from Port Arthur, Texas:
A bit of encouraging news came today from Washington: The Supreme Court understands smartphones.
Jewel v. NSA, a lawsuit filed in 2008 — years before the Edward Snowden leaks — takes the National Security Agency to task for the mass surveillance of AT&T customers' communications.
