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PC Mag: “…You probably already pay for internet access, but once you’re online, surfing the web doesn’t cost a penny. But as with many things that don’t have a cash price, you pay in other ways. Advertisers and data brokers monetize their knowledge about your online habits and activities. They use data that your browser …
The New York Times Gift Article: “The White House on [October 1, 2025] sent letters to nine of the nation’s top public and private universities, urging campus leaders to pledge support for President Trump’s political agenda to help ensure access to federal research funds. The letters came attached to a 10-page “compact” that serves as …
The New York Times: “When I received a phone call from an unknown number this week, I didn’t have to pick up the phone to find out it was a robocaller impersonating a utility company with an offer to reduce my bill. A robot spoke on my behalf and told me what the caller had …
404 Media: Documents show that ICE has gone back on its decision to not use location data remotely harvested from peoples’ phones. “The database is updated every day with billions of pieces of location data. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has bought access to a surveillance tool that is updated every day with billions of …
Peters Report Finds that DOGE Continues to Operate Unchecked, Likely Violating Federal Privacy and Security Laws, and Putting the Safety of Americans’ Personal Information in Danger. “U.S. Senator Gary Peters (D-MI), Ranking Member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, released a report revealing that the Trump Administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is …
Hot to Geek: “While the vast majority sticks to Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or whatever browser came pre-installed on their phone, the world of web browsers is actually much bigger (and weirder) than you might think. There are some truly obscure browsers out there—and no, I’m not talking about Opera, Maxthon, or Tor. I mean browsers …
WebProNews – “Mozilla is introducing Google Lens-powered visual search to Firefox desktop, enabling users to right-click images for contextual searches in an opt-in feature that prioritizes privacy. This partnership aims to boost engagement amid AI-driven browser innovations, though it raises questions about Google dependency and competitive dynamics. The phased rollout invites community feedback. Mozilla Corp. …
Pete Recommends – Weekly highlights on cyber security issues, September 27, 2025 – Privacy and cybersecurity issues impact every aspect of our lives – home, work, travel, education, finance, health and medical records – to name but a few. On a weekly basis Pete Weiss highlights articles and information that focus on the increasingly complex and …
MakeUseOf: “Call me lazy, but after over a decade of using smart televisions, I’ve never once tried using a VPN. Yes, I’ve seen the VPN ads pop up on videos, but I never really bothered exploring the technology. However, given the massive streaming library already available in our country, it never occurred to me that …
How to Geek: “Website addresses that end in “.onion” aren’t like normal domain names, and you can’t access them with a normal web browser. Addresses that end with “.onion” point to Tor hidden services on the deep web. Lots of deep web sites contain very nasty things, and many of them are likely scams or …
404 Media: “On Monday 404 Media filed a lawsuit against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) demanding the agency publish its $2 million contract with Paragon, a company that makes powerful spyware that can remotely break into mobile phones without the target even clicking a link. The sale of the spyware to ICE has activists and …
CRS Legal Sidebar – Privacy Act Lawsuits and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) September 17, 2025. On January 20, 2025, President Trump issued an Executive Order reorganizing and renaming the U.S. Digital Service as the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The Executive Order tasked DOGE with “modernizing Federal technology and software to maximize governmental …
