DuckDuckGo's new survey of nearly 2,000 U.S. adults found that almost a third of respondents have confided something to an AI chatbot they wouldn't tell friends, family or doctors, with the figure jumping to 56% among self-identified AI enthusiasts. The survey also found that most respondents didn't know chatbot conversations are typically used for training by default, and only a quarter knew such chats could be subpoenaed by law enforcement.
9to5mac.com
· 2026-08-25
Uber is expanding its teen account feature to let parents watch live video from the driver's selfie camera during a trip. The feature rolls out nationwide over the next few weeks after testing in select markets, building on existing tools like PIN verification and GPS tracking. Drivers who accept teen riders must opt in to share brief camera access, and both teen and driver are notified when a parent is watching.
theverge.com
· 2026-08-25
As sleep monitoring devices become more widespread and sleep-enhancement technology moves from treating disorders to optimizing rest, employers and institutions are gaining new tools to measure and potentially demand better sleep from workers. A 2016 Dutch Data Protection Authority ruling already found that companies tracking employees' sleep via wearable devices violated privacy law, since such data counts as sensitive health information and consent from employees can't be truly voluntary given workplace power imbalances.
nature.com
· 2026-08-25
The GrapheneOS Foundation announced it will extend its privacy-focused, open-source operating system beyond Google Pixel devices to Motorola smartphones starting in 2027. Support will begin with standard flagship models before expanding to foldables like the Razr Fold, once next-generation Snapdragon chips meet the necessary hardware security requirements. Current 2026 Motorola devices won't qualify retroactively since they lack certain security hardware.
cnet.com
· 2026-08-24
Communities are pushing back against Flock Safety's automated license-plate cameras through visible, often theatrical protests, including people dressing as Darth Vader and tying red balloons near devices. The growing trend, dubbed 'Flocklash,' reflects widespread unease about the expansion of tech-enabled mass surveillance in public spaces.
fastcompany.com
· 2026-08-24
A free iPhone app called Zuckoff scans Bluetooth signals to alert users when Ray-Ban Meta glasses, Snap Spectacles, or similar wearable cameras are nearby, estimating their distance. It's part of a growing set of privacy tools, including Antizuck and Nearby Glasses, built in response to concerns that smart glasses can record video without visible warning.
cnet.com
· 2026-08-24
Reports found that some LG monitors have been quietly installing an app called LG Monitor App Installer onto connected PCs through Windows Update, disguised as a driver update. That app has been used to surface pop-up ads for third-party software like McAfee, prompting Microsoft to force LG to remove the ads. LG says the installer is meant to enable monitor-specific features, but the covert delivery method has raised alarm.
arstechnica.com
· 2026-08-24
Flock Safety CEO Garrett Langley used a Fox News interview to urge critics to find a middle ground between privacy and public safety, as opposition to his company's AI camera network intensifies. The remarks follow a Washington Post investigation that uncovered dozens of cases of police misusing Flock's surveillance tools, including to track women, prompting Langley to issue a public apology earlier this month.
futurism.com
· 2026-08-24
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