Former Life360 employees told us that executives were well aware of the issues, but that the company chose growth and new user features instead of addressing a backlog of security improvements.
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Government surveillance software has only gotten more invasive.
To understand what’s going on and what can be done about it, turned to ’s .
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Every year, spies and cops from around the world gather to buy surveillance tools at a secretive trade show known as the “Wiretappers Ball.”
Yes, you read that right.
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“This is extremely dangerous, powerfully invasive technology that right now operates without any international regulation whatsoever.”
Catch the full conversation on spyware with in today’s Hello World newsletter.
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IRS, Department of Homeland Security contracts with data broker that sells location data harvested from dating apps
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Despite Amazon now telling California workers about COVID case counts, a lot of workers say they’re not informed if someone who works near them has been infected.
This makes it hard to know when they’ve been exposed.
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Learn what apps sold user data to broker X‑Mode in 2018 and 2019.
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Your regular reminder of what is really trending on Facebook.
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These sites were shown most frequently to our panelists today:
dailywire․com (5.3 times per user)
npr․org (3.6x)
foxnews․com (3.0x)
ranker․com (2.9x)
amazon․com (2.7x)
dailywire․com (5.3 times per user)
npr․org (3.6x)
foxnews․com (3.0x)
ranker․com (2.9x)
amazon․com (2.7x)22
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“Over the years I have increasingly found that my work, and the newsroom I lead at The Markup, we’re focusing more and more on the effects of concentration of power,” says .
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How will stronger anti-monopoly reform impact YOU?
Join the last day of our 𝗕𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗶𝗴 𝗠𝘆𝘁𝗵𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗻𝘁𝗶-𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗽𝗼𝗹𝘆 𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺 event at NOON!
Ft. AAG Kanter @JuliaAngwin @schneierblog @DinaSrinivasan & @rakeen_mabud!
bit.ly/MythbustingAnt
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We found several complaints on social media and app reviews where people raised concerns that someone logged into a loved one's account and was able to view their exact whereabouts: themarkup.org/privacy/2022/0
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NEW: and I found that while family safety app Life360 advertises itself as a way to protect families’ “digital safety”, it lacks several key account security features that leaves its own users’ sensitive data at risk. themarkup.org/privacy/2022/0
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No failed log-in attempt limits.
No multifactor authentication.
No common password warnings.
No password change notifications.
No way to monitor account activity.
Life360 lacks some basic measures to stop attackers from accessing sensitive information.
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Tune in today at noon EST for a discussion of privacy and anti-monopoly reform.
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Thank you everyone for joining us today! 
Tomorrow we will have @JusticeATR’s Kanter as a keynote speaker, and a discussion panel ft. @JuliaAngwin @schneierblog @DinaSrinivasan @rakeen_mabud
RSVP: bit.ly/MythbustingAnt
Tomorrow we will have @JusticeATR’s Kanter as a keynote speaker, and a discussion panel ft. @JuliaAngwin @schneierblog @DinaSrinivasan @rakeen_mabud
RSVP: bit.ly/MythbustingAnt
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No failed log-in attempt limits.
No multifactor authentication.
No common password warnings.
No password change notifications.
No way to monitor account activity.
Life360 lacks some basic measures to stop attackers from accessing sensitive information.
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Filing taxes in the U.S.? says there are some privacy concerns to keep in mind when choosing a tax software provider & shares tips like:
• Always review privacy policies beforehand
• Watch out for data sharing & biometric data usage
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We inspected each of these sites and found that they capture visitors’:
⚠️ device type
⚠️ mouse location
⚠️ keystrokes
⚠️ clicks
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While COVID cases peaked, Amazon rolled back safety and sick leave protocols in its warehouses.
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A new investigation by 's unravels a secret operation by Honorlock to entrap students with "honeypot" web-sites that purport to give the answers to test questions, but actually just nark students out to their profs:
themarkup.org/machine-learni 30/
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We analyzed a network of fake test answer websites and saw them sending:
- mouse clicks
- cursor position
- typing
back to a server for a remote test proctoring company
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I'm going to be at Northeastern () this time next week for a talk. I will include many Boston-isms and New England sports references. Come say whaddup!
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Before, students searching for test answers may simply have turned up nothing.
Now, a potentially incriminating website will be there to tempt them and report their activity.
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These sites were shown most frequently to our panelists today:
1️⃣ dailywire․com (4.5 times per user)
2️⃣ huffpost․com (3.5x)
3️⃣ washingtonpost․com (3.3x)
4️⃣ crafty․diply․com (3.3x)
5️⃣ npr․org (3.2x)
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So this is insane: "While several companies offer services that tap into students’ webcams to track them, setting up fake sites to catch potential cheaters appears to be an innovation—one that crosses an ethical line for some experts..."
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When student Kurt Wilson heard that his university was using online proctoring tool “Honorlock,” he immediately wanted to learn more.
As it turns out, part of the company’s strategy was setting up fake answer sites to catch students cheating.
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Want to better understand the widening #RacialWealthGap? An investigation from uncovered: High-earning Black applicants with less debt were rejected more often than high-earning white applicants who have more debt. bit.ly/2USbFaM #HousingCrisis
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SecureDrop lets people anonymously share information with newsrooms like ours.
After the pandemic brought us obstacles in hosting, we’re now back up and running.
Learn how to send us tips via SecureDrop:
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🚨NEW:
At Facebook’s external content moderation facility in Africa, employees describe traumatic working conditions, alleged union-busting, and pay as low as $1.50 per hour, my investigation found.
🧵Thread (1/)
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These sites had the greatest increase when ranked by views on our panel today:
1️⃣ foxnews․com (+13 spots)
2️⃣ buzzfeed․com (+8)
3️⃣ cbssports․com (+8)
4️⃣ ranker․com (+6)
5️⃣ today․com (+6)
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The night before one Amazon worker was due back at the warehouse following COVID leave, he still felt sick. So, he requested an extension.
“I submitted [for the extension] two days ago and I still haven’t heard back,” he told us.
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In December, we revealed that Life360 was one of the largest sources of raw location data for the industry.
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Last month, the EU Parliament approved a bill that bans:
❎ targeted advertising to minors
❎ tracking sensitive categories
❎ dark patterns
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Rep. lays out his support for Sen. ’s antitrust legislation and even suggests he might be willing to join his colleague 's legislation banning most surveillance advertising.
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Rep. has a tech policy agenda in Congress—and he represents Silicon Valley.
Learn how he balances policy positions and constituents in this week’s Hello World newsletter.
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“They know exactly the risk that workers are facing. They know exactly how many are getting injured and sick. And it’s stunning that they’re deciding to withhold that from their workers,” said .
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. & identified 107 apps selling location data from 140 countries to data broker X-Mode (2018 & 2019).
Android user? Help stop apps from sharing your data w/3rd-parties w/our App Tracking Protection: spreadprivacy.com/introducing-ap
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