News/Privacy
ChatGPT privacy: How to opt out of data training
Protecting your conversations with AI has become increasingly important as more users share sensitive information with platforms like ChatGPT. OpenAI's default settings allow your chat data to be used for model training, but the company provides a simple opt-out option hidden within account settings. Understanding how to control your data helps maintain privacy while still benefiting from AI assistance. How to prevent ChatGPT from using your conversations for training 1. Log in to your ChatGPT account Access your account through the official website or app to reach your personal settings. 2. Navigate to Settings Look for the settings menu, typically...
read May 7, 2025AI training on 57 million NHS records sparks privacy concerns
Britain's National Health Service and researchers in England have built an AI model trained on an unprecedented 57 million patient records, aiming to transform healthcare through predictive analysis. This extensive use of sensitive health data raises significant privacy concerns, even as developers envision a system that could forecast disease complications before they happen, potentially shifting healthcare toward more preventative approaches. The big picture: Researchers have developed Foresight, an AI model trained on nearly the entire population of England's medical records, representing what they claim is the world's first national-scale generative AI health model. The system was trained on eight different...
read May 6, 2025Perplexity AI launches Comet web browser this month
Perplexity's Comet browser represents a significant evolution in the browser wars, introducing AI capabilities that promise to transform how users navigate and retrieve information online. The upcoming launch challenges established players like Google Chrome by offering intuitive natural language search for browsing history and tabs, potentially addressing long-standing user frustrations with traditional browsers' organization limitations. The big picture: Perplexity is preparing to launch Comet, an AI-powered web browser designed to compete directly with Google Chrome, featuring integrated AI assistance for online research and browsing history management. Perplexity has been gradually revealing information about Comet through a new homepage, a "Learn...
read May 5, 2025AI-powered social media monitoring expands US government reach
The US government's expanding social media surveillance of visitors and immigrants raises significant privacy concerns that could eventually impact American citizens as well. This heightened digital monitoring reflects a growing trend of using advanced data analytics and AI for border security and immigration enforcement, with legal experts warning about the inevitable scope creep that makes separating citizen from non-citizen data practically impossible. The big picture: The US government is ramping up its social media monitoring program targeting millions of visitors and immigrants, while simultaneously adopting more sophisticated AI and data analytics tools. This expanded surveillance could inadvertently increase scrutiny of...
read May 3, 2025Unpublished AI system allegedly stolen by synthetic researcher on GitHub
A developer claims their unpublished proprietary recursive AI system architecture appears to have been copied and distributed through a suspicious GitHub repository connected to what they believe is a synthetic researcher identity. This unusual case raises questions about potential AI model leakage, intellectual property protection, and the growing challenge of distinguishing authentic from synthetic academic identities. The big picture: An AI developer alleges discovering a GitHub repository containing material extremely similar to their unpublished proprietary recursive AI system while in the process of filing a provisional patent. The developer's system reportedly features modular, identity-aware elements centered around cognitive tone, structural...
read May 3, 2025The need for personal AI defenders in a world of manipulative AI
Personal AI defenders are emerging as a necessary counterbalance to the proliferation of AI agents deployed by businesses and governments. As organizations increasingly leverage AI to influence consumer behavior and decision-making, the concept of personal "digital defenders" represents a crucial development in preserving individual agency in an AI-saturated environment. These personal AI agents could serve as intermediaries that protect consumers from manipulation, scams, and unwanted influence in the emerging landscape of agentic AI. The big picture: At the Imagination in Action event, MIT's Alex "Sandy" Pentland proposed personal AI agents as essential protection against the growing ecosystem of AI systems...
read May 2, 2025AI challenges cybersecurity and privacy space, “prompting” professionals to keep up
Legal frameworks are struggling to keep pace with rapidly emerging technologies that challenge traditional notions of privacy, rights, and security. At the intersection of AI, biometrics, and neural technology, lawmakers face unprecedented questions about how to regulate innovations that can access our most intimate data—from facial characteristics to our very thoughts. As highlighted at RSAC 2025, these challenges represent a fundamental shift in how we must conceptualize privacy and rights in the digital age. The big picture: Cybersecurity law is facing novel challenges across multiple fronts as technology advances into realms previously confined to science fiction. Legal experts at RSAC...
read May 2, 2025Scanning the horizon: Meta expands data collection from Ray-Bans to enhance AI
Meta is expanding data collection from Ray-Ban smart glasses, significantly reducing user privacy options while bolstering its AI capabilities. The company's recent email to customers reveals substantial changes that automatically enable voice recording storage for Meta AI interactions and default camera access, removing previous opt-out options. These changes reflect an aggressive push to gather more user data while maintaining minimal technical escape routes for privacy-conscious consumers. The big picture: Meta has fundamentally altered its Ray-Ban smart glasses privacy settings, now collecting and storing voice recordings by default when users interact with Meta AI. The company has eliminated the option to...
read May 1, 2025AI models on Linux made easy with new user-friendly app
GPT4ALL simplifies running local AI models on Linux, offering users both privacy and a robust feature set. This open-source application joins the growing ecosystem of desktop AI tools that allow users to interact with large language models without sending queries to cloud services. While many AI tools require web access, desktop applications like GPT4ALL enable completely private AI interactions by running models locally on personal hardware. Installation steps for running GPT4ALL on Ubuntu-based Linux distributions 1. Download the installer Navigate to the GPT4ALL website and download the Linux installer file gpt4all-installer-linux.run to your Downloads folder. The application supports multiple operating...
read Apr 28, 2025As you were: DeepSeek AI resumes downloads in South Korea after brief ban
China-based AI service DeepSeek has resumed operations in South Korea after a two-month suspension due to personal data protection violations. The comeback follows a regulatory review that identified unauthorized data transfers in DeepSeek's initial South Korean launch earlier this year. This incident highlights the growing tension between rapid AI service deployment and regional data privacy regulations, particularly as Chinese tech companies expand their global footprint. The big picture: South Korea's Personal Information Protection Commission found that DeepSeek had transferred user data and prompts without permission when it first launched in the country in January. The app's downloading capability was suspended...
read Apr 28, 2025AI-generated child nudity prompts call for app ban in UK
The UK children's commissioner is calling for a government ban on AI applications capable of creating explicit fake images of children, highlighting the growing threat of deepfake technology to young people's safety and privacy. This push comes amid increasing concerns about AI tools that can digitally remove clothing from photos or generate sexually explicit deepfakes, disproportionately targeting girls and young women who are now modifying their online behavior to avoid victimization. The big picture: Dame Rachel de Souza, England's children's commissioner, is demanding immediate government action against AI "nudification" apps that generate sexually explicit images of children. These applications can...
read Apr 26, 2025AI browser raises privacy concerns with comprehensive user tracking
Perplexity's upcoming AI browser aims to create unprecedented user tracking capabilities to monetize personal data more effectively than existing platforms. The controversial approach, revealed by CEO Aravind Srinivas, highlights growing tensions between AI-powered personalization and privacy concerns as tech companies compete for dominance in the increasingly profitable data monetization landscape. The big picture: Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas revealed plans for an AI browser called Comet that would track users more comprehensively than any existing browser to deliver hyper-personalized advertising. Srinivas stated on a YouTube podcast that the company wants to collect data "even outside the app" including purchases, travel habits,...
read Apr 25, 2025Microsoft enhances Windows search with AI for Copilot Plus PCs
Microsoft has finally rolled out its Recall feature to all Copilot Plus PCs after a 10-month delay focused on addressing security concerns. The controversial feature, which captures screenshots of user activity to create a searchable visual history, arrives alongside AI-powered Windows search improvements and a new Click to Do feature similar to Google's Circle to Search. These developments mark a significant advancement in how users interact with Windows systems but continue to navigate the balance between innovative functionality and privacy considerations. The big picture: Microsoft's Recall officially launches today as an opt-in feature after multiple delays and substantial security overhauls...
read Apr 25, 2025Meta adds AI chatbot to WhatsApp, sparking privacy concerns
Meta's push to integrate its AI chatbot into WhatsApp has sparked user backlash as the feature cannot be disabled or removed. This controversy highlights growing tensions around AI integration in messaging platforms, particularly concerning user consent and data privacy. Meta's handling of this situation reflects broader challenges tech companies face when balancing AI innovation with user autonomy and trust. The big picture: WhatsApp has begun rolling out a non-removable Meta AI chatbot feature that appears either as a logo in the chats screen or as a prompt in the search bar, triggering significant user frustration. Users across various platforms have...
read Apr 24, 2025DeepSeek AI poses national security and privacy risks, Congress warns
US congressional findings reveal that DeepSeek, ostensibly just another AI chatbot, represents a significant national security concern due to extensive data collection and ties to China. The special committee's recent report documents alarming privacy violations, security vulnerabilities, and potential intelligence gathering capabilities that extend far beyond typical AI applications, raising urgent questions about international AI regulation and data security. The big picture: A US Congress special committee has labeled Chinese AI tool DeepSeek a "profound threat" to national security after discovering privacy violations, tracking tools, and connections to the Chinese military. The findings come amid growing international scrutiny of DeepSeek,...
read Apr 24, 2025WhatsApp’s new AI feature sparks user privacy concerns
Meta's latest WhatsApp update introduces an AI assistant that's technically optional but practically unavoidable, sparking user complaints about forced technology adoption. The prominent Meta AI icon embedded in the messaging interface has triggered debates about user choice, privacy implications, and the ethics of integrating AI features into widely-used communication platforms without providing removal options. The big picture: WhatsApp has embedded a new AI assistant powered by Meta's Llama 4 language model directly into its messaging interface, with no option for users to remove it from their app. Key details: The Meta AI appears as a permanent blue circle with pink...
read Apr 23, 2025Oregon lawmakers crack down on AI-generated fake nudes
Oregon is taking decisive action against AI-generated deepfake pornography with a new bill that would criminalize the creation and distribution of digitally altered explicit images without consent. The unanimous House vote signals growing recognition of how artificial intelligence can weaponize innocent photos, particularly affecting young people who may have their social media images manipulated and distributed as fake nudes. This legislation reflects a nationwide trend as states race to update revenge porn laws for the AI era. The big picture: Oregon lawmakers voted 56-0 to expand the state's "revenge porn" law to include digitally created or altered explicit images, positioning...
read Apr 21, 2025Meta uses smart AI post review to verify user ages in profile crackdown
Meta is expanding the use of AI to proactively identify and restrict suspected teen users on Instagram, despite previous challenges with age verification technology. This move extends the company's Teen Accounts system, which applies default privacy settings and content restrictions to users under 16, and aligns with recent similar measures implemented on Facebook and Messenger platforms. The initiative represents Meta's intensified approach to youth safety amid growing scrutiny over social media's impact on younger users. The big picture: Meta is ramping up efforts to enforce Teen Account restrictions on Instagram by using AI to proactively identify users under 16, regardless...
read Apr 21, 2025AI powers DOGE’s new approach to government efficiency while attracting skepticism
The Trump administration is leveraging artificial intelligence through its Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to scrutinize federal agencies, raising significant concerns about data privacy and security. Reports indicate DOGE staff are utilizing AI tools to analyze operations, monitor communications, and identify potential budget cuts to support Elon Musk's ambitious goal of trimming $1 trillion from federal spending—all while the administration pursues an "AI-first strategy" that aims to reduce regulatory requirements on AI developers. The big picture: DOGE operatives have reportedly gained unprecedented access to government databases and are downloading information to unauthorized servers while pushing for extensive data consolidation. Why...
read Apr 21, 2025Instagram tests AI to detect teen users posing as adults
Instagram is rolling out AI-powered age verification tools to proactively identify users who may have misrepresented their age, addressing growing concerns about teen safety on social media platforms. This significant shift moves beyond relying solely on self-reported birthdates, instead using artificial intelligence to analyze user behavior patterns and automatically implement protective features for detected teen accounts. The technology represents Meta's response to intensifying regulatory scrutiny and public pressure to better safeguard young users from potential mental health impacts. How it works: Instagram will use AI to identify accounts it believes belong to teenagers, even when users have entered false birthdates...
read Apr 20, 2025Irish regulator probes X’s data use for Grok AI training
Ireland's data protection authority is investigating X (formerly Twitter) over its use of European users' posts to train the Grok AI chatbot, showcasing the growing tension between AI development and data privacy regulations. This case highlights how EU regulators are increasingly scrutinizing tech companies' use of personal data for AI training, with potential financial penalties of up to €20 million or 4% of annual revenue for GDPR violations. The big picture: Ireland's Data Protection Commission has launched an investigation into how Elon Musk's X platform processes European users' public posts to train its Grok AI system. The inquiry specifically aims...
read Apr 17, 2025AI deportation plan for protesters sparks advocacy concerns
The Trump administration's reported plan to use AI surveillance to identify and deport foreign students involved in protests marks a significant escalation in both immigration enforcement tactics and digital surveillance capabilities. This initiative sits at the intersection of national security concerns, First Amendment protections, and emerging questions about AI's role in government monitoring—raising profound concerns among civil rights organizations about the potential chilling effect on academic freedom and protected speech. The big picture: The State Department reportedly plans to deploy artificial intelligence to identify and revoke visas of international students perceived as supporting Hamas or other designated terrorist groups. Federal...
read Apr 17, 2025Apple uses privacy-protecting synthetic data in strategy to enhance user experience
Apple is developing innovative privacy-preserving methods to improve Apple Intelligence without compromising user data security. The company faces unique challenges in training its AI models due to its strict privacy stance, requiring creative approaches to gather sufficient training data while maintaining anonymity. These techniques represent Apple's distinctive approach to AI development that balances advancing capabilities with protecting personal information—a strategy that sets it apart from competitors who may collect user data more directly. The big picture: Apple has developed sophisticated differential privacy techniques to learn from user data patterns without accessing individual information. The company generates synthetic data representing aggregate...
read Apr 16, 2025EU investigates Grok AI for potential GDPR breaches
The EU's privacy regulator has launched an investigation into X's AI training practices, potentially setting precedent for how publicly available data can be used to train AI systems across Europe. The inquiry focuses on whether X is using public posts to train its Grok AI model without proper consent, despite previous agreements limiting European data use for AI training. This case could have far-reaching implications for AI development in Europe and beyond, as it may establish whether public data requires explicit user consent for training purposes. The big picture: Ireland's Data Protection Commission has opened a formal privacy inquiry into...
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