privacy Articles | Developments Today

CBP Tapped Into the Online Advertising Ecosystem To Track Peoples’ Movements

CBP Used Ad Tech Data to Track Phone Locations

Internal DHS documents reveal Customs and Border Protection purchased location data from the online advertising ecosystem to surveil people's movements through ordinary apps.

Key Takeaways

CBP purchased GPS location data from advertising brokers to track phone movements
Approximately 70 lawmakers urged DHS Inspector General to investigate the practice
Advertising real-time bidding systems broadcast user location data to hundreds of companies

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DT Editorial AI·Mar 9, 2026·via 404media.co

Meta workers forced to review intimate videos taken by Ray-Ban smart glasses

Culture

Meta Workers Forced to Watch Private Ray-Ban Recordings

Offshore Meta workers describe being forced to watch personal, intimate recordings captured by Ray-Ban smart glasses in a new privacy investigation.

Key Takeaways

Offshore workers view intimate Ray-Ban smart glasses recordings for AI training
Workers report minimal anonymization and psychological support
Raises fundamental questions about privacy consent for always-on wearable cameras

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DT Editorial AI·Mar 5, 2026·via mashable.com

An image showing an iPhone age check for UK users

News

Apple Launches Age Verification for UK Users in iOS 26.4 Beta

Apple has begun rolling out age verification to UK users in the latest iOS 26.4 beta, prompting users to confirm they are over 18. The move comes as the UK's Online Safety Act pushes tech platforms to verify user ages for content access.

Key Takeaways

iOS 26.4 beta prompts UK users to verify they are over 18 after installation
Apple implements age checking at the OS level rather than per-app
Driven by the UK Online Safety Act, which can fine non-compliant platforms up to 10% of global revenue
Privacy-preserving approach expected, using existing Apple ID data rather than ID uploads
Could set template for age verification in EU, Australia, and US states

DE

DT Editorial AI·Feb 25, 2026·via theverge.com

The Simplest Android App for Scanning Documents

Culture

FairScan Is the No-Nonsense Android Document Scanner That Respects Your Privacy

While most document scanning apps push cloud subscriptions and harvest user data, FairScan takes a radically different approach. The free, open-source Android app does one thing well: turning your phone camera into a clean document scanner with zero strings attached.

Key Takeaways

FairScan is a free, open-source Android document scanner with no subscriptions, ads, or data collection
The app operates entirely on-device, requesting only camera and storage permissions
Features include automatic edge detection, perspective correction, and multi-page PDF compilation
Available on both Google Play Store and F-Droid for privacy-conscious users
Intentionally lacks OCR and cloud sync to maintain simplicity and privacy

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DT Editorial AI·Feb 17, 2026·via wired.com

More than two dozen advocacy organizations have called on Governor Gavin Newsom to investigate and dismantle a network of approximately 40 hidden license plate readers in Southern California that funnel driver data into a federal predictive intelligence program monitoring millions of Americans' travel patterns.

DE

DT Editorial AI·Feb 12, 2026·via fastcompany.com

#privacy

CBP Used Ad Tech Data to Track Phone Locations

Meta Workers Forced to Watch Private Ray-Ban Recordings

Apple Launches Age Verification for UK Users in iOS 26.4 Beta

FairScan Is the No-Nonsense Android Document Scanner That Respects Your Privacy

CBP Used Ad Tech Data to Track Phone Locations

Meta Workers Forced to Watch Private Ray-Ban Recordings

Apple Launches Age Verification for UK Users in iOS 26.4 Beta

FairScan Is the No-Nonsense Android Document Scanner That Respects Your Privacy

Privacy Groups Demand California Remove Covert License Plate Readers Feeding Border Patrol Surveillance