Online privacy

Creating a Culture of Consent for Our Digital Future: A Conversation with Tawana Petty

I'm interested in shifting the culture around our relationship with online consent because I recognize how pervasive dominant narratives are. In this work, a lot of folks have shifted to a mindset of powerlessness. I've learned that the more you encourage people that we still have a voice in the matter, the more folks tend to push back against systems that are unjust. And it's not a given that your data is going to be extracted and weaponized against you. We still have opportunities to mount a resistance against systems that are harmful. To me, that's the general public.

FCC Chairwoman Rosenworcel: Stop Abusers from Misusing Connected Cars

Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel called on the agency to help stop abusers from using connectivity tools in vehicles to harass and intimidate their partners. Her proposal would examine how the agency can use existing law to ensure car manufacturers and wireless service providers are taking steps to assist abuse victims and seek comment on additional steps the Commission can take to safeguard domestic violence survivors.

President Biden Issues Executive Order to Protect Americans’ Sensitive Personal Data

A new Biden Executive Order will protect Americans’ sensitive personal data from exploitation by countries of concern.

Will telephone companies be the railroad tycoons of the AI age?

During America's Gilded Age, a handful of scrappy entrepreneurs built the nation's railway system and in the process created huge piles of money by controlling shipping and travel lanes across the country. Today, as AI hype begins consuming everything in sight, some are hinting that mobile network operators—and their equipment vendors—may be sitting in a similar position thanks to the data they own. After all, AI models are only as good as the data they're trained on.

Employees prevented Musk from breaking federal Twitter order, FTC finds

After a divisive investigation into the “Twitter Files” that Republicans decried as “harassment,” the Federal Trade Commission has found no evidence that the social network violated the terms of a government order that placed sweeping restrictions on the company’s data security practices. “Longtime information security employees at Twitter intervened and implemented safeguards to mitigate the risks,” the FTC said.

When Eyes in the Sky Start Looking Right at You

For decades, privacy experts have been wary of snooping from space. Now, quite suddenly, a startup is building a new class of satellite whose cameras would do just that. “We’re acutely aware of the privacy implications,” said Topher Haddad, head of Albedo Space, the company making the new satellites. He claims the company is taking administrative steps to address a wide range of privacy concerns. Anyo

Federal Trade Commission’s Alvaro Bedoya says laws to keep teens off social media won’t work

As government officials increasingly scrutinize how digital platforms may harm kids, a growing number of states are proposing sweeping restrictions to limit their access to social media. But a top federal enforcer active on kids’ safety issues said that he opposes such limits, arguing they are unlikely to work and may run afoul of the Constitution. “Meet a teenager, they will find a way to get around that,” said Federal Trade Commissioner Alvaro Bedoya.

Sponsor: 

Semafor

Date: 
Thu, 02/29/2024 - 08:00 to 10:30

Semafor's senior editors and the most forward-thinking leaders in policy, engineering, and technology will survey the state of privacy in the U.S. and abroad. What does digital privacy look like in a future supercharged by artificial intelligence? How should policies evolve and what consequences might they have for businesses and individuals?



FCC Enforcement Bureau Announces Senior Staff Additions

The Federal Communications Commission’s Enforcement Bureau announced senior staff appointments, adding officials with significant experience and expertise in national security, foreign investment, privacy, data protection, cybersecurity, and consumer and civil litigation matters.

Comcast’s Xfinity Stores Your Sensitive Data. You Can Kind of Opt Out

Your internet service provider could have a good idea of who you’re planning to vote for in the 2024 election as well as the gender of the last person you slept with—and it’s saving that information for later. Major internet providers, like Comcast’s Xfinity, stockpile more revealing data than users might initially realize. For example, Xfinity customers are automatically opted in to allow the company to store sensitive personal information.