The Data Drop News for Thursday, July 22, 2021
Updated: Aug 15
President Biden pushes for data privacy with new executive order. Colorado becomes 3rd state to enact data privacy law. China pulls ride-hailing app over data privacy concerns. China denies Microsoft hacking accusations. Proposed Hong Kong data privacy law faces backlash. Privacy concerns over audio editing app Audacity. Time to kill standard privacy notices?. Sony testing camera-driven "Smart City". Edmonton Meals on Wheels database stolen. And more!
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President Biden pushes for data privacy with new executive order
US President Joe Biden’s recent executive order urges the Federal Trade Commission to protect consumer data privacy.
Biden called on the FTC to write rules governing “the surveillance of users,” in an order that singles out unfair data collection practices that could damage competition and consumer privacy.
Colorado becomes 3rd state to enact data privacy law
While the US continues to lack data privacy protections at the federal level, states are creating their own laws to protect their residents.
Colorado governor Jared Polis has signed a new data privacy bill, joining California and Virginia as the third state to pass such protections.
The Colorado law will go into effect July 1st, 2023, and calls for a global data privacy setting starting in 2024. Until then, consumers will have to set privacy choices on a site by site basis.
China pulls ride-hailing app over data privacy concerns
China’s top ride-hailing app, Didi, has been pulled from mobile stores amidst allegations of serious data privacy breaches.
The move comes just weeks after the app went public overseas, and many foreign investors are outraged as the app’s stock plummeted.
China recently announced new plans for a 3-year cybersecurity plan that would include strict regulations over Chinese tech companies seeking foreign IPOs.
China denies Microsoft hacking accusations.
The United States and several other nations recently accused China of a series of state-sponsored cyberattacks, including one against Microsoft Exchange that affected at least 30,000 organizations.
China has denied these allegations, pointing to their recent crackdown on data security and going so far as to call the accusations "fabricated."
However, the US Department of Justice announced criminal charges against four hackers linked to China's Ministry of State Security.
More on this story as it develops.
Proposed Hong Kong data privacy law faces backlash
A proposed update to Hong Kong data protection laws could make companies liable for instances of malicious sharing of people’s personal information, otherwise known as doxing.
Facebook, Twitter, Alphabet, and Google have all privately warned the Hong Kong government that they may stop operating in the city if this change goes into effect.
Privacy concerns over audio editing app Audacity
Attention musicians! Popular audio editing app Audacity recently announced its intentions to start collecting more user data. User backlash caused these plans to be put on hold due to privacy concerns.
However, the newest version of the software includes an updated privacy policy giving the manufacturer the right to collect “data necessary for law enforcement, litigation and authorities’ requests,” among other things.
Time to kill standard privacy notices?
Is the key to protecting privacy to kill the standard privacy notification? You know, the things you never read but agree to anyway in order to use new software?
In an editorial published on TechCrunch, Xayn CEO Leif-Nissen Lundbæk argues exactly that. Lundbæk specializes in privacy-preserving AI, and his argument is solid.
Click through to read what he has to say!
Sony testing camera-driven "Smart City"
Many companies are promising ways to create “Smart Cities” through big data and artificial intelligence, but Sony is trying to do it with cameras. +
The company has published a new showcase of its IMX500 sensors, which integrate AI processing onto the image sensor itself, can help power their vision for the city of the future.
While it’s easy to imagine the positive impacts these AI-powered cameras could have on traffic flows and other aspects of city living, one has to question what their effects will be on personal privacy as well.
Edmonton Meals on Wheels database stolen
In Edmonton, Alberta Canada, a hard drive containing the entire database of clients, donors, volunteers, and employees of the city’s Meals on Wheels program has been stolen.
This includes information for more than 27,000 people, and contains sensitive information like their contact info, place of birth, individualized delivery instructions, and more. The hard drive was not encrypted.
The theft exposes a loophole in provincial privacy legislation, as the non-profit was not required to notify Alberta’s privacy commissioner about the breach. They did so anyway, although it took over five months for them to notify affected individuals that their data had been compromised.
Mastercard using AI
Mastercard executive Johan Gerber explains his company's use of AI in an interview with VentureBeat. Click through for an interesting read!
Parents pushing for more data privacy oversight in education
A group of parents are pushing the U.S. Department of Education for disclosure of student records and stronger oversight of technology used in schools.
British Airways settles privacy breach out of court
British Airways has reached a settlement for a 2018 data breach that affected over 420,000 customers, and will avoid taking the case to the courts. They could face customer claims totalling up to £800 million.
Apple passes early privacy test
Apple has passed an early test to their App Tracking Transparency policy, thwarting Tik Tok's attempts to bypass the data protections by switching to a Chinese Advertising ID.
Judge rules Canadian privacy law applies to Google search
In a victory for the digital "right to be forgotten," a federal judge says the Canadian privacy law applies to the results of Google searches. The decision comes after a man alleged Google was breaching the law by displaying links about him when his name was searched.
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