"Central to the lawsuit was the plaintiffs’ claim that although #Google told Chrome users that in #Incognito it would not save browsing history or website-visit data, it kept tracking them via the vast number of websites using Google’s advertising technology." https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/04/02/google-to-purge-private-incognito-mode-user-records-but-will-keep-snooping/?

"One of the documents details Facebook’s Project Ghostbusters. The project was part of the company’s In-App Action Panel (IAPP) program, which used a technique for “intercepting and decrypting” encrypted app traffic from users of #Snapchat, and later from users of YouTube and Amazon". #Encryption https://techcrunch.com/2024/03/26/facebook-secret-project-snooped-snapchat-user-traffic/

Texas governor over-rules City of #Memphis pretextual #trafficstop restrictions despite a direct appeal from the family of #TyreNichols to leave them in place. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/tennessee-gov-lee-signs-bill-to-undo-memphis-traffic-stop-reforms-after-tyre-nichols-death

New federal regulations require federal agencies to disclose #AI systems they use, and perform risk assessments on all of them. https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/28/tech/vp-kamala-harris-agencies-ai-technology/index.html

Chris Larsen the founder of #Ripple, who has funded security #cameras all over San Francisco to catch thieves now faces a 2 billion dollar fine from the SEC for "acting outside the law". https://www.sfchronicle.com/tech/article/s-f-crypto-ripple-19370091.php

"Police are using #DNA to create a hypothetical and not at all accurate face, then using that face as a clue on which to base investigations into crimes. Not only is this full dice-roll policing, it also threatens the rights, freedom, or even the life of whoever is unlucky enough to look a little bit like that artificial face". Facialrecognition https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2024/03/cops-running-dna-manufactured-faces-through-face-recognition-tornado-bad-ideas

Head of San Diego County civilian #sheriff #oversight board quits in frustration. "“I feel like I’m banging my head against the wall, and the county doesn’t seem to want to do anything to have true oversight.” https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/watchdog/story/2024-03-24/whats-next-for-oversight-of-san-diego-sheriff-to-departing-watchdog-official-theres-still-no-transparency

NY Times expose by Kashmir Hill forces #GM to stop sending data on driving patterns, including brake and acceleration data collected by the car to #databrokers for sale to #insurance companies. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/22/technology/gm-onstar-driver-data.html?unlocked_article_code=1.e00.VrsZ.qin8M6fUUyk-

"Search interest in VPNs began disproportionately rising in Texas Thursday compared to the rest of the country — quadrupling in the hours following #Pornhub’s announcement" #Internet #Privacy https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/15/tech/vpn-searches-spike-texas-pornhub/index.html

"“I would have liked to see the wall come down for good,” Salazar said. “Unfortunately, they put it back up, and this time it was higher.” So Salazar and Cuauhtli returned with scaffolding and plenty of paint to start a new — and larger — mural". #Border https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/border-baja-california/story/2024-03-17/border-wall-tijuana-friendship-park-replacement-murals

"In practice, these supposed red flags — like living alone, having experienced childhood trauma, using drugs, expressing certain religious or political views, or showing a propensity for “thrill-seeking” behavior — apply to millions of Americans". #TVTP #HomelandSecurity https://thehill.com/opinion/national-security/4541874-homeland-securitys-broken-terrorist-prevention-program-needs-to-end/

"During the March 14 exchange with Paul, Kilmeade said, “Who owns that company? ByteDance? #ByteDance is owned by #China. No, it’s not,” Paul replied. "See, you just told a lie, Brian". #TikTok https://www.poynter.org/fact-checking/2024/who-owns-tiktok-bytedance-china-ban/

"#Liability claim payouts usually are not taken out of the budgets of the city departments responsible. Instead, a significant portion comes out of the General Fund, the city’s fund for providing services and resources for Angelenos". https://www.dailynews.com/2024/03/19/la-council-approves-24m-settlement-in-lapd-shooting-that-killed-man-at-canoga-park-home/

"The witness was 200 yards away, inside her home in South Los Angeles and peering through closed blinds. On Wednesday, Patterson was declared innocent after spending nearly half his life behind bars. His #exoneration marks the 13th under George Gascón’s tenure - those 13 people collectively add up to nearly 300 years of wrongful incarceration" https://laist.com/news/criminal-justice/la-man-13th-murder-exoneration-la-county

Judge declines to dismiss lawsuits against the #FBI for warrantless #searches of safe deposit boxes in Beverly Hills. https://theintercept.com/2024/03/16/safe-deposit-boxes-fbi-warrantless-raid-fourth-amendment/

“This is the part where you’re starting to offend my intelligence,” West Texas judge shuts down TX AG #Paxton's bullying of Texas nonprofit that provides humanitarian services to border-crossers. https://thehill.com/latino/4525118-texas-judge-blocks-ags-subpoena-of-nonprofit-that-assists-migrants/?

"The bill was introduced after an investigation by the Los Angeles Times revealed that detectives across the state had used death notification encounters as opportunities to collect disparaging information about people killed or seriously injured by #police which law enforcement agencies later used to defend officers accused of the shootings" https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-03-12/california-bill-would-give-families-more-information-after-police-killings

European Union passes first comprehensive country-level artificial intelligence regulation in the AI Act, a risk-based consumer protection measure. #AIAct https://www.cnbc.com/2024/03/13/european-lawmakers-endorse-worlds-first-major-act-to-regulate-ai.html

For #SunshineWeek, a break-down of states that provide an ombudsperson to resolve #publicrecords complaints and those that require lawsuits. CA Gov Newsom vetoed a bill to set up a public records ombudsperson in California for state records in 2023 https://apnews.com/article/open-records-government-transparency-lawsuits-sunshine-week-8623bd3a8069edf41c6a487bbaff6854

#AirBNB implements a global ban on indoor security #cameras in rooms and apartments rented through the platform. https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/11/tech/airbnb-bans-the-use-of-indoor-security-cameras/index.html