Privacy and Technology Policies

Privacy and data protection, artificial intelligence regulation, internet policies, and technology companies.

97 Articles

Trump Administration Sides with OpenAI in Dispute over Training AI Models on Copyrighted Material

The Trump administration submitted a 20-page brief defending OpenAI’s use of copyrighted material without a license to train its models, in the lawsuit filed by The New York Times. The brief does not constitute a judicial ruling, but it could influence the legal debate over whether model training qualifies as fair and transformative use.

2026-09-02

Privacy and Technology Policies

European Union Places ChatGPT, Reddit, and Roblox Under the Strictest Digital Services Act Obligations

The European Commission has classified ChatGPT, Reddit, and Roblox as very large online services under the Digital Services Act, requiring them to conduct periodic assessments of systemic risks, undergo independent audits, and provide greater transparency regarding algorithms and advertising. The companies have four months to comply, with the additional obligations set to take effect by early 2027.

2026-09-01

Privacy and Technology Policies

Federal Judge: Designating Anthropic a “Supply Chain Risk” Was Unlawful Retaliation

A federal judge ruled in favor of Anthropic, finding that the U.S. Department of Defense’s designation of the company as a “supply chain risk” constituted unlawful retaliation over its position on using its technology for mass surveillance. The ruling leaves broader questions about the limits of protection for AI companies’ choices concerning how their products are used unresolved.

2026-09-01

Privacy and Technology Policies

AI Avatars of the Deceased Open an Ethical Battle over Consent and Privacy

Experts’ opinions differ on using robots that imitate deceased people to help their loved ones overcome grief, but they agree that there are risks involving consent, privacy, and user safety. The absence of sufficient national or global rules leaves sensitive decisions in the hands of the companies producing these systems.

2026-08-31

Privacy and Technology Policies

Instagram Imposes New Restrictions on Accounts That Do Not Disclose the Use of AI-Generated People

Instagram will rename the “AI creator” label to “AI-generated profile” and limit the reach of accounts that feature AI-generated people without disclosing it. The label does not apply to routine editorial uses of AI, such as enhancing images or writing captions.

2026-08-31

Privacy and Technology Policies

Music Publishers Sue Anthropic, Alleging Piracy and Use of Copyrighted Works to Train Claude

Sony Music Publishing, Warner Chappell, and other publishers have sued Anthropic and its founders, accusing the company of downloading and torrenting millions of copyrighted works for use in training Claude. The case follows an earlier ruling that ordered Anthropic to pay $1.5 billion for obtaining protected content through piracy, even though its use in training was deemed lawful.

2026-08-29

Privacy and Technology Policies

U.S. Court Overturns Anthropic’s Designation as a Supply Chain Risk

A U.S. federal court ruled that the Department of Defense’s attempt to classify Anthropic as a “supply chain risk” violated the company’s constitutional rights and due process protections. The ruling halts penalties associated with the designation, but does not require the Pentagon to use Claude models or sign a new contract with the company.

2026-08-28

Privacy and Technology Policies

Android 17 Adds ECH Support to Reduce Networks’ Ability to Track Browsing

Google is adding built-in support for the Encrypted Client Hello standard in Android 17 to hide domain names when HTTPS connections begin, alongside new restrictions on local network access, default activation of Certificate Transparency, and an option to disable 2G networks.

2026-08-27

Privacy and Technology Policies

JetBrains Research Launches DPTrainer for Training Hugging Face Models with Differential Privacy Protection

JetBrains Research introduced the open-source DPTrainer library for integrating differential privacy with Hugging Face Trainer and specialized training interfaces in TRL, without rewriting training loops. The tool manages gradient clipping, noise addition, privacy budget accounting, data loading, and checkpoint saving.

2026-08-27

Privacy and Technology Policies

Meta’s $18 Billion Settlement Places Age Verification at the Center of the Child Safety Equation

Meta has agreed to an $18 billion settlement with 52 U.S. attorneys general, involving sweeping changes to the design of Instagram and Facebook to protect minors over 10 years. But implementing these commitments depends on age-verification technologies that still raise concerns about accuracy and privacy, particularly when handling identity and biometric data.

2026-08-26

Privacy and Technology Policies

Ring Adopts TAKE Standard for Video Encryption as Default for Its Cloud Services

Ring announced the adoption of the TAKE standard to encrypt and control camera videos, with temporary encryption keys deleted within 24 hours after their use ends. The standard will become the global default starting in September, while the end-to-end encryption option will remain available to users.

2026-08-26

Privacy and Technology Policies

Instagram CEO Denies Hiding Negative Information About the Platform’s Harm to Young People

Adam Mosseri, CEO of Instagram, denied during his testimony in a lawsuit filed by 29 U.S. states against Meta that the company had deliberately concealed negative information about its products and their impact on minors. The court is examining allegations concerning product designs that could increase dependence on them and potential harm to young people’s mental health.

2026-08-26

Privacy and Technology Policies

French Constitutional Council Rejects Social Media Ban for Under-15s and Warns of the Cost of Age Verification

The French Constitutional Council struck down legislation that would have barred people under 15 from using social networks starting in January 2027, finding that the ban disproportionately infringed on freedom of expression and privacy. EFF views the decision as highlighting the risks of mandatory age verification for all users, while the government prepares to redraft the law.

2026-08-26

Privacy and Technology Policies

Meta Reaches Settlement of Up to $18 Billion Over Child Safety on Facebook and Instagram

Meta has reached a settlement with 52 attorneys general representing U.S. states and territories and the District of Columbia, involving payments of up to $16.68 billion according to court documents, while the company estimates them at approximately $18 billion, along with new measures to protect teenagers.

2026-08-26

Privacy and Technology Policies

Zillow and Redfin Settlement Ends Dispute with the FTC over the Rental Advertising Market

Zillow and Redfin agreed to a settlement with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission and five states over a partnership that authorities accused of weakening competition in the rental property advertising market. The proposed settlement will require Redfin to resume competing with Zillow for advertisers and customers, while continuing to display Zillow listings on its platforms.

2026-08-24

Privacy and Technology Policies

Instinct AI Assistant Raises Privacy and Permissions Concerns

Instinct, which is still in private access, is granted broad permissions to access email, apps, and devices and to take actions on behalf of the user. Its terms of service and early experiences, including storing text messages and sending email without confirmation, have raised questions about the limits of trust and security in personal assistants.

2026-08-24

Privacy and Technology Policies

Nearly $1 Billion Fine for Uber over Automated Driver Account Suspensions

The Dutch Data Protection Authority fined Uber €825 million after investigating the suspension of driver accounts through automated procedures without sufficient warning or human oversight in some cases. The company denies that permanent suspensions occurred without human review and intends to appeal the decision.

2026-08-23

Privacy and Technology Policies

Flock Safety CEO Calls for a Compromise as Debate Over Surveillance Technologies Intensifies

Flock Safety is facing growing political and public pressure over concerns about the misuse of surveillance cameras, drones, and license plate recognition technologies. The company says it has reduced the default data-retention period and required an access code, but these measures can still be bypassed.

2026-08-23