Privacy Digest 09/26_copy_for_second_wave
Men Are Buying Hacking Tools To Use Against Their Wives and Friends
A report by AI Forensics exposes how Telegram groups are being used to exchange spyware, hacking services, and nonconsensual intimate images. Reviewing around 2.8 million messages from Italian and Spanish channels, researchers found that many targets are women personally known to the offenders, often identified and harassed using shared personal details. Specialists caution that platforms offering anonymity and large-scale reach can amplify such abuse. Although Telegram states it actively removes harmful material, the findings suggest this activity represents only a small glimpse of a broader global pattern of digital exploitation.
wired.com
How Push Notifications Can Betray Your Privacy (and What to Do About It)
An analysis by the EFF, Electronic Frontier Foundation highlights how push notifications can expose sensitive data both in transit and on devices. Routed through servers from Apple and Google, notifications may reveal metadata or even content unless apps implement protections. Even deleted notifications can sometimes be recovered using forensic tools. While updates address some risks, concerns remain about storage, backups, and law enforcement access. Privacy-focused apps like Signal minimize exposure, and users can reduce risks by limiting notification content, visibility, and app permissions.
eff.org
Websites Break California Privacy Law At ‘Industrial Scale,’ Survey Finds
An audit by webXray suggests widespread failure to respect California’s privacy requirements, particularly the Global Privacy Control signal that tells websites not to track or sell user data. Researchers tested over 7,000 sites and found major tech companies often continued tracking despite the signal, indicating potential large-scale noncompliance. While regulators highlight the importance of opt-out rights, companies like Google, Microsoft, and Meta dispute the findings, citing differing interpretations of compliance and necessary data usage. Experts argue fixes would be technically straightforward.
themarkup.org
7 Ways to Boost the Privacy of Your Home and Gadgets
Strengthening privacy at home increasingly means managing your digital footprint. Disabling unnecessary data sharing on smart devices and choosing local over cloud storage helps limit how much information is exposed online. It’s also worth checking and removing outdated property listings on platforms like Zillow or Trulia, which may still reveal details about your home. Blurring your address on Google Maps and opting for privacy-focused smart home systems can further reduce how easily your data and habits are accessed or tracked.
cnet.com