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Tech News
Jexxa is a new dictation tool that runs its speech recognition model entirely on the user's device, converting speech to text in any application while holding a key to talk. It avoids uploading audio or transcripts, sending only subscription and update checks, and can correct and learn from misrecognized names or jargon over time.
A developer released Capsule, a tool for building self-contained web apps that embed their own SQLite database within a single file. The apps run without requiring cloud servers, user accounts, or an internet connection, keeping all data stored locally on the user's device.
Apple's newest Watch models introduce Live Rewind and Siri Recap, two audio-intelligence tools that use the device's microphone to transcribe missed dialogue and summarize conversations. Because they capture speech from everyone nearby, not just the wearer, the features could run afoul of two-party consent laws in several US states, even though Apple says no audio is stored or made replayable to other people.
Governments are increasingly stepping in to curb youth social media use after years of relying on parents, schools and platform self-regulation, which proved insufficient. Australia became the first country to enact a nationwide ban on social media accounts for children under 16, covering ten platforms including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat and YouTube, while exempting messaging and gaming services like WhatsApp, Discord and Roblox. The law requires platforms to take reasonable steps to verify age and prevent account creation, though it does not restrict viewing public content without logging in.
GrapheneOS has introduced a feature called Secure Paste that lets users paste text normally while preventing apps from silently reading clipboard content in the background. The feature aims to close a long-standing privacy gap where apps could monitor copied passwords, codes or personal data without user awareness.
A widely circulated quote attributed to Mark Zuckerberg suggests he characterized Cambridge Analytica's data practices as nothing unusual, implying similar data harvesting was common industry practice rather than a unique violation. The remark, dated to 2017, has resurfaced without full context around the original scandal that saw millions of Facebook users' data improperly obtained.
Meta says it has fixed a Meta AI feature that generated invasive automatic prompts on Instagram posts, such as questions identifying a poster's child or home location, after parenting blogger Kalie Robins showed the tool piecing together private details from years of old photos and family accounts. Meta confirmed the feature missed its intended purpose and will no longer surface such personal suggestions, though it gave few specifics on what exactly was changed.
Free VPN services aren't simply schemes to sell user data; some reputable providers offer limited free tiers hoping users will upgrade, while others monetize through ads or unclear data practices. A VPN encrypts traffic between your device and its server, hiding your destinations from your ISP, but it doesn't make you anonymous since sites can still track you via accounts and cookies. Choosing a free VPN means evaluating the provider's business model and privacy tradeoffs, not just the lack of a price tag.
A veteran smart-home tester outlines ten practical adjustments homeowners can make to limit data collection from cameras, speakers and displays, including physically closing camera shutters and muting microphones when not in use. The piece also cites cybersecurity attorney Laurie Selkowitz, who warns that many users fail to disable opt-in data-sharing settings on devices like Ring cameras.
Meta piloted a Model Capability Initiative that would have captured employees' keystrokes and mouse movements to help train its AI models. Workers pushed back quickly, circulating an internal petition, and the program was ultimately shelved after concerns about privacy and a reported data breach.
Florida has filed a lawsuit against Netflix, alleging the streaming company misled subscribers about its privacy practices while secretly gathering detailed data on users' devices, locations and viewing habits. The suit contends this tracking extended to children and families who were unaware of the extent of the surveillance.
A group of parents and children in Illinois and California filed a proposed class-action lawsuit in Chicago federal court, claiming Meta harvested their Facebook and Instagram photos without consent to build NameTag, an unreleased face-recognition feature for its smart glasses, and to train generative AI models like Emu and Muse Image. The suit alleges these actions violated state biometric and privacy laws in Illinois and California.