Privacy

Spy agencies acquire commercial data with little coordination and few controls

The purchase of sensitive commercial data that is potentially traceable to individual Americans could be subject to new restrictions, according to a newly declassified report from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

  • By Adam Mazmanian

Worried that your TV is listening to you? IARPA wants to safeguard your voice

The intelligence community’s research agency wants to develop technology to anonymize voices recorded by electronic devices and help safeguard privacy.

  • By Carten Cordell

FTC charges Ring over 'disregard' for customer data security

The Federal Trade Commission has proposed stronger security protocols for home video surveillance company Ring after years of mounting concern over data privacy.

  • By Alexandra Kelley

New U.S.-E.U. data privacy framework focuses on limiting U.S. surveillance

Fortifying European citizens’ data and privacy rights are central to the updated U.S.-EU Data Privacy Framework. 

  • By Alexandra Kelley

GSA to study demographic equity in remote identity tech

The agency plans to test the accuracy of tools like facial recognition software across different demographic groups. 

  • By Kirsten Errick

Senate Dems call on ICE to halt facial recognition and buying from data brokers

Sens. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) are also pressing the immigration enforcement agency to detail their use of surveillance technologies.

  • By Natalie Alms

FTC sues location data collector, alleging lax security

The Federal Trade Commission is going after data broker Kochava over its practice of selling “sensitive geolocation data.”

  • By Alexandra Kelley

What does the federal government buy from data brokers?

The chairmen of two House committees want federal agencies to explain what they are doing with "billions of data points on hundreds of millions of Americans" acquired from data brokers.

  • By Chris Riotta

FTC contemplates rules to protect against commercial surveillance and lax data privacy

The Commission voted Thursday to issue a notice of their proposed rulemaking and solicit public comment.

  • By Kirsten Errick

Senators call on FTC to investigate TikTok

Recent reports suggest the People’s Republic of China can access the data of U.S. citizens.

  • By Frank Konkel

White House developing national strategy to increase data collection as privacy tech improves

A pending national strategy on data collection and analytics will focus on regulation and policy changes, according to a request for public comments.

  • By Aaron Boyd

Bipartisan bill proposes new federal data privacy standards

The American Data Privacy and Protection Act stands to improve American users’ data privacy and offers federal regulatory power.

  • By Alexandra Kelley

ICE has assembled a 'surveillance dragnet' with facial recognition and data, report says

Immigration and Customs Enforcement has used facial recognition to search through the driver's license photos of one in three adults in the U.S., according to a new report by Georgetown Law's Center on Privacy and Technology.

  • By Natalie Alms

House bill aims to strengthen digital ID

Legislation proposed in the House would tap the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the Department of Homeland Security in new effort to help set national digital identifier capabilities.

  • By Mark Rockwell
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NSA wants NatSec users to mask location data

The spy agency is advising users of Defense Department and National Security Systems to take steps to mask their location data on mobile devices and computers.

  • By Adam Mazmanian

EARN IT Act sails through Senate Judiciary Committee

The controversial bill now heads to the Senate floor, setting up a high-stakes vote that could impact liability protections for encryption and third-party content posted online.

  • By Derek B. Johnson

Wyden disparages purge at Open Technology Fund

The Oregon Democrat is demanding answers about the circumstances behind a series of abrupt firings at the non-profit Open Technology Fund carried out by a Trump administration official.

  • By Derek B. Johnson

Privacy report outlines scope, limitations of ICE facial recognition

According to a recently released privacy assessment, Immigration and Customs Enforcement systems are linked to a network of image databases across the country, and future trainings are being eyed to combat abuse and misuse.

  • By Derek B. Johnson

Using tech to combat the coronavirus

Steve Kelman reports on early efforts to leverage technology for better contact tracing.

  • By Steve Kelman

Agencies look to digital financial outlets to disburse relief funds

As IRS and the Small Business Administration tap digital-only financial firms to assist in relief funding, concerns are emerging about cybersecurity vulnerabilities and fraud.

  • By Derek B. Johnson

Navy CIO: Don't worry about shakeups at the top

The Navy CIO updated the workforce on telework practices, COVID-19 disclosures and what the change in service leadership means for the tech mission.

  • By Lauren C. Williams