Why using a VPN is becoming more important than ever
There’s been some controversy around the use of VPNs recently, mostly centering on the UK’s Online Safety Act. But despite this August 19th is International VPN Day and NordVPN has issued a timely reminder of the importance of using one.
A VPN isn’t just for tech experts, it’s a first line of defense against surveillance, data theft, and invasive tracking. However, not all VPNs are created equal and free ones may offer weaker protection and end up with your data being sold rather than protected.
UK drops demands for back door access to encrypted Apple data
The UK is no longer seeking a back door that would have allowed it to access encrypted data of Apple users. Controversial from the start, the UK has been pushing for technology firms such as Apple, Meta and others to provide it with access to encrypted users data.
Billed as a crime-fighting measure, the requests outraged not only the companies involved, but also privacy advocates and concerned individuals. But now the US Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, says that the UK has had a change of heart.
New Temporary Chats in Gemini stops Google remembering everything
Google has announced new features for Gemini and changes to the way the AI works. In launching a new Temporary Chats function, Google is really sneaking in the fact that Gemini will – unless you choose otherwise – remember everything you have said to it.
The ability of Gemini (which will be the default) to remember all of your past conversations is sold as a way to make it an “even more personal, proactive and powerful assistant”. There are, of course, privacy concerns.
Spread of AI agents sparks fears of a cybersecurity crisis
A new report reveals an increasing trust gap between businesses deploying agentic AI for external communications and consumers wary of sharing personal information due to security concerns.
The research, carried out by Censuswide for Salt Security, also warns that without proper API discovery, governance and security, the very technology meant to drive smarter customer engagement could open the door to cybersecurity issues including attacks or data leakage.
How to stop Instagram sharing your location
Instagram recently added a number of new features, including sharing your location. While some additions – such as reposting – were welcome, location sharing sparked concerns.
The new Instagram map feature allows the people you are connected to on the social media platform to see your location – and you can see theirs. Instagram has pitched this as being useful to parents, but many users are worried about the privacy implications of location sharing.
Could the UK government really ban VPNs?
As we’ve been reporting over the past week interest in VPN use in the UK has spiked following concerns about the Online Safety Act and its age verification rules.
Inevitably the government has noticed the surge in VPN use and while it insists it has no plans to ban their use the science secretary, Peter Kyle, says it will be looking “very closely” at how they’re being employed.
Microsoft Recall is bad at filtering sensitive information
Whenever there are privacy concerns voiced about software, they are almost always downplayed. But fears about Microsoft Recall appear to be well justified.
Announced and previewed last year, Microsoft Recall is a feature of Windows 11 which Microsoft says enables users to retrace their steps. It does this by capturing screenshots of computing activity, which can then be analyzed and searched using AI to home in on data, return to a project, and much more. But there have been lots of vocal protests about the potential for invasions of privacy.
Concerns mount around UK Online Safety Act
As we reported earlier this week, the UK’s new Online Safety Act has seen a surge in interest in the use of VPNs and an online petition for its repeal has been signed by over 400,000 people.
An article published yesterday by The Critic argues that the legislation is badly drafted. Industry figures too are raising doubts about the effectiveness of the act, its likely wider impact on cybersecurity and its potential for overreach.
Brave browser blocks Microsoft Recall to protect your browsing activity
The Brave Privacy Team has announced that its web browser will block Microsoft Recall from taking screenshots.
The privacy measure comes after Microsoft started the rollout of the controversial feature, having been forced to make significant changes to the way it works. While Recall is now an opt-in feature, Brave’s announcement caters for those who would like not only more privacy, but more control.
How to avoid fraud when planning your summer travel [Q&A]
As summer travel plans ramp up, so do concerns around identity theft, fraud, and safety – especially as travelers engage with everything from airlines to Airbnbs, ride shares to public Wi-Fi.
We spoke to Bala Kumar, chief technology and product officer at Jumio, to discuss the AI-powered scams threatening enterprises' customers this summer, and how businesses can ensure safe, secure, and efficient identity verification.
UK tech leaders want the government to stop buying US cloud
New research reveals a surge in interest in data sovereignty among UK IT leaders since the implementation of the United States government's historic raft of tariffs in April.
The study from Civo, of over 1,000 UK-based IT leaders, shows more than 60 percent now feel that the UK government’s use of US cloud services exposes the country's digital economy to significant risks, damages its domestic industry, and threatens data security.
Why data privacy is a fundamental human right
In an age where every click, swipe, and search can be tracked, stored and analyzed, data privacy is no longer a luxury but a necessity. From social media profiles to medical records and financial transactions, personal information is constantly collected and processed, often without understanding or consent.
Recognizing data privacy as a fundamental human right isn't just a legal or technical issue, but vital for individual dignity, autonomy, and freedom of expression.
Elon Musk quietly kills encrypted DMs on X and you should be furious
X, the social platform formerly known as Twitter, just yanked one of its most important privacy features. In a quiet and deeply troubling move, the company announced it is pausing end-to-end encrypted direct messages. Worst of all, there is no clear timeline or meaningful explanation.
According to a post from the official engineering account, encrypted DMs are being temporarily suspended while the team works on improvements. But here’s the kicker: users can still send and receive DMs, they just won’t be encrypted anymore. In other words, your messages are now visible to anyone at X with the right level of access. Hell, this potentially makes them more accessible to hackers too!
Big tech's privacy paradox: Why regulatory alignment is now a technical imperative
The integration of Meta AI into WhatsApp represents a fascinating case study in how technical capabilities can undermine strategic positioning.
WhatsApp’s success was built on a simple technical promise -- end-to-end encryption that creates a secure communication channel. Yet, the introduction of an AI chatbot that explicitly warns users against sharing sensitive information exposes a fundamental architectural contradiction that has broader implications for the tech industry.
Your Linux apps could be leaking data -- oniux is built to stop it
A new tool called oniux has landed for Linux users who take their privacy very seriously. If you want to make sure your apps never leak data outside of the Tor network, oniux could be your new favorite command-line utility.
Oniux takes any Linux app and drops it into its own isolated network environment. From there, the app can only connect to the internet using Tor. This isn’t a trick with proxy settings or patched libraries. It uses actual features built into the Linux kernel, giving it a level of protection that’s hard to beat.
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