Internet Starts to Return in Iran After 3-Month Blackout
Some internet connectivity is returning in Iran after nearly 90 days offline, web monitoring groups say. But it isn’t clear if the reconnection is permanent.
Security / Privacy
A Bipartisan Amendment Would End Police License Plate Tracking Nationwide
One line tucked into a federal highway bill would strip funds from cities and states unless they kill their automated plate tracking programs—effectively banning the tech for all but toll collection.
Data Brokers’ and AI Firms’ Opt-Out Forms Are Built to Fail, Report Finds
A new study finds AI companies, defense firms, and dating apps are among 38 data collectors allegedly using manipulative design to confuse users while collecting their data.
Your iPhone Gets Stolen. Then the Hacking Begins
A bustling underground ecosystem is providing criminals with the tools to unlock iPhones—and wage phishing attacks against their contacts to access bank accounts and more.
WhatsApp Adds Meta AI Chats That Are Built to Be Fully Private
The company says its new Incognito Chat allows you to use its AI chatbot without anyone else—including Meta—being able to access your conversations.
The Canvas Hack Is a New Kind of Ransomware Debacle
Thousands of schools around the US were paralyzed on Thursday after education tech firm Instructure shut down access to its Canvas platform following a breach by hackers going by the name ShinyHunters.
How to Disable Google’s Gemini in Chrome
Chrome users were caught off guard by a 4-GB Google AI model baked into Chrome, sparking privacy concerns. The good news: You can easily uninstall it. The bad? You might not want to.
Thousands of Vibe-Coded Apps Expose Corporate and Personal Data on the Open Web
Companies like Lovable, Base44, Replit, and Netlify use AI to let anyone build a web app in seconds—and in thousands of cases, spill highly sensitive data onto the public internet.
Exposed Data Illustrates the Nightmare Scenario for a Stalkerware Victim
Extremely sensitive personal data from a European celebrity that appears to have been compiled using spyware was publicly accessible until a researcher flagged the exposure.
The Race Is on to Keep AI Agents From Running Wild With Your Credit Cards
AI agents may soon be buying your stuff for you. The FIDO Alliance has teamed up with Google and Mastercard to try to ensure that shopping in the near future isn’t a complete disaster.