Privacy and Technology Policies

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

97 Articles

TikTok Agrees to $400 Million Settlement in Children’s Privacy Case

TikTok and its parent company ByteDance have reached a $400 million settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice to resolve allegations of violating the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act. The settlement includes stronger age controls and broader parental oversight, without requiring either company to admit wrongdoing.

2026-08-21

Privacy and Technology Policies

Former Meta Employee Accuses Company of Prioritizing Profits Over Child Safety

Arturo Bejar, Meta’s former engineering director, said during a trial in California that the company prioritized engagement and revenue over protecting children, accusing it of deliberately overlooking minors’ use of its platforms. Meta denies the allegations, while the case is expected to continue for weeks and could affect other lawsuits against the company.

2026-08-19

Privacy and Technology Policies

EFF: Zero-Knowledge Proofs Are Not a Magic Solution for Age Verification

The Electronic Frontier Foundation argues that using zero-knowledge proofs to verify users’ ages does not address privacy and security risks and may add a centralized point of failure and misuse. The foundation cites vulnerabilities that emerged in a trial of the European digital identity wallet, including repeated acceptance of the same token without a new verification.

2026-08-18

Privacy and Technology Policies

Meta Trial Begins in U.S. Lawsuit Accusing It of Harming Children’s Mental Health

A trial began in California in a lawsuit filed by 29 U.S. states against Meta, accusing the company of designing Facebook and Instagram in ways that encourage compulsive use by children and teenagers and harm their mental health. The company denies the allegations, while the case could lead to massive fines and changes in how the two platforms operate.

2026-08-18

Privacy and Technology Policies

Meta Faces Major U.S. Lawsuit Over Facebook and Instagram’s Impact on Children’s Mental Health

A lawsuit filed by 29 U.S. states against Meta begins in California, accusing the company of designing Facebook and Instagram in ways that could increase children’s dependence on the platforms and harm their mental health. The plaintiffs are seeking damages that could theoretically reach $1.4 trillion, along with extensive changes to how the platforms operate.

2026-08-17

Privacy and Technology Policies

The Acceleration of “Drone as First Responder” Programs Expands Aerial Surveillance in the United States

More than 1,000 U.S. public safety agencies have received FAA waivers paving the way for autonomous drones to respond to calls, following an acceleration of approval procedures in 2025. EFF believes the expansion poses significant privacy risks, particularly through the storage and analysis of footage and its connection to automatic license plate reader systems.

2026-07-23

Privacy and Technology Policies

Report: The United States Plans to Nearly Triple Border Surveillance Towers by 2034

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security plans to increase the number of surveillance towers along the country's borders from the current 830 to 2,300 by 2034, at a cost exceeding $1 billion. The EFF warns that surveillance systems using artificial intelligence, radar, thermal and optical imaging may affect the privacy and civil liberties of border residents.

2026-07-20