TikTok users have been deleting the app at a higher rate since the company announced that its U.S. operations would be housed in a new joint venture.The short-form video platform's daily average app uninstalls in the U.S. have increased nearly 150% over the past five days compared with the previous three months, market intelligence firm Sensor Tower told CNBC.Last Thursday, TikTok said it had formed a joint venture to keep the video-sharing app operating in the U.S. under new American leadership. The compan ...

Group 1 - The law firm Edelson Lechtzin LLP is investigating data privacy claims related to a data breach at Insurance Office of America (IOA) that occurred around June 30, 2025 [1][3] - IOA is a private insurance brokerage recognized for its rapid growth, client-centric approach, and community involvement [2] - The data breach involved unauthorized access to IOA's network through a phishing email, potentially compromising personal data such as names and Social Security numbers between June 25, 2025, and June 30, 2025 [3] Group 2 - Individuals affected by the data breach are advised to take protective measures against identity theft, including monitoring account statements and credit reports for suspicious activity [4] - Edelson Lechtzin LLP is pursuing a class action lawsuit to seek legal remedies for those whose sensitive personal data may have been compromised [4]

Core Points - The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has finalized an order prohibiting General Motors (GM) and its OnStar service from sharing specific consumer data with reporting agencies, requiring explicit consumer consent for data collection [1][5] - The order follows a New York Times report revealing GM's collection and sale of drivers' geolocation and driving behavior data to third parties, impacting insurance rates [2] - GM has discontinued its Smart Driver program, which tracked driving behaviors, and ended third-party telematics relationships with data brokers [3] Data Collection and Consent - The FTC alleged that GM misled consumers during the enrollment process for OnStar services, failing to disclose data collection and sales to third parties [4] - Under the new order, GM must obtain explicit consent from consumers at the point of sale regarding data collection linked to their vehicle's VIN [5] - Exceptions to the data collection ban include sharing location data with emergency responders and for internal research purposes [6] Consumer Rights and Privacy Measures - GM is required to establish a process for U.S. consumers to request their data, seek deletion, and disable precise geolocation data collection [7] - The company has begun overhauling its data collection and privacy policies, consolidating privacy statements and enhancing customer access to personal information [9] - GM emphasizes its commitment to customer privacy and transparency as vehicle connectivity becomes more integral to the driving experience [10]

Core Insights - Artisans' Bank experienced a data breach due to a security incident at its third-party vendor, Marquis Software Solutions, which may have compromised sensitive customer data starting from August 14, 2025 [3]. Group 1: Incident Overview - The data breach was identified around October 28, 2025, affecting approximately 32,344 individuals [3]. - The compromised data may include personal information such as names, addresses, and Social Security numbers [3]. Group 2: Legal Actions - Edelson Lechtzin LLP is investigating potential class action lawsuits for individuals whose sensitive personal data may have been compromised due to the breach [5]. Group 3: Company Background - Artisans' Bank is a Delaware-based community bank that provides personal and business banking services [2].

Technology & Security Concerns - Centralized fraud detection systems are perceived as surveillance engines due to their reliance on hoarding user data for judgment [1] - The current system operates on a "guilty until proven innocent" premise, raising privacy concerns [1] - Existing systems are seen as invasive "dragnets" rather than mathematically valid systems [3] Proposed Solution: STARKs & Decentralization - STARKs offer an alternative where users run checks locally instead of shipping data to a centralized entity [2] - The inference pipeline shifts to the client, and the alerting service becomes a verifier [3] - Users generate a proof of compliance instead of submitting the actual data [4] - The proposed system aims to make centralized data storage obsolete [1] Benefits of the Proposed System - Validity is ensured mathematically, reducing the need for invasive data collection [3] - User privacy is enhanced as data is not shared with a central authority [4]

Core Points - Petco recently experienced a cybersecurity incident that compromised personal information of an unspecified number of individuals [1][2] - Lynch Carpenter, LLP is investigating claims against Petco related to this data breach, indicating potential legal repercussions for the company [1][3] Data Breach Details - An unauthorized individual accessed Petco's network and may have obtained records containing personally identifiable information (PII), including names, Social Security numbers, driver's license numbers, dates of birth, and financial account information such as account numbers and credit or debit card numbers [2][4] - Individuals whose information was affected may be entitled to compensation, highlighting the potential financial implications for Petco [2] Legal Context - Lynch Carpenter is a national class action law firm with a strong track record in data privacy matters, representing millions of clients over more than a decade [3] - The firm has offices in Pennsylvania, California, and Illinois, indicating a broad geographic reach for potential claims against Petco [3]

India’s telecoms ministry has directed smartphone manufacturers to pre-install a government-run cybersecurity app on all new devices, according to a government order, raising concerns of data privacy and user consent in one of the largest handset markets in the world.The Ministry of Communications’ order issued Monday asked smartphone makers to pre-install the government’s “Sanchar Saathi” app on all new devices within 90 days and to prevent users from deleting it. The order also requires manufacturers to p ...

Core Insights - The technology for AI-powered age verification is gaining traction, particularly in response to regulations like Australia's social media ban for users under 16, effective from December 10 [1][11] - Yoti, a leading startup in this space, has reported significant growth, running approximately one million age checks daily and achieving £20 million ($26 million) in revenue for the year ending March, with a forecasted 50% increase in sales for the current financial year [4][11] Company Performance - Yoti has turned a profit this year, with a revenue of £20 million ($26 million) [4] - The company is experiencing rapid growth, forecasting a 50% increase in sales for the current financial year [4] - Yoti's technology is utilized by major clients including Meta, TikTok, Sony, and Pinterest [11] Industry Outlook - The Age Verification Providers Association (AVPA) projected that the sector could generate nearly $10 billion in annual revenue across OECD countries from 2031 to 2036 [5] - The industry is characterized by rapid technological advancements and regulatory changes, making future predictions challenging [5] Technology and Methodology - The age verification process involves users taking a selfie, with automated decisions made within a minute [2][11] - Yoti's algorithm has improved over time, becoming adept at estimating age based on facial patterns [3][11] - The technology is designed to detect false accessories or makeup that could misrepresent a user's age [9][11] Privacy and Ethical Concerns - There are concerns regarding data privacy and potential biases in age verification algorithms, particularly with non-white faces [5][8] - Experts suggest that the current ecosystem may shift towards better privacy protections in the future [6] - Yoti claims to remove all data immediately after analysis, addressing some privacy concerns [9]

Regulatory Landscape & Policy Changes - The EU Council has removed the requirement for mandatory scanning of end-to-end encrypted messaging services, representing a significant victory against mass surveillance [1] - The EU Council's proposal lays the groundwork for future mass surveillance, indicating ongoing concerns regarding privacy and security [1] - The EU Council's version of Chat Control includes voluntary scanning and vaguely worded legislation that may lead to mandatory ID checks, even for end-to-end encrypted services [3] - The EU Council will reconsider the requirement for mandatory scanning every three years, posing a recurring threat to privacy [3][5] - A new EU center is being established to focus on blocking material, raising concerns about potential censorship and the definition of "illegal" content [3][6] Technological Implications & Surveillance Concerns - The EU Council's Chat Control version introduces AI scanning of conversations, photos, and videos to detect criminal content, potentially leading to numerous false positives and privacy violations [4] - The scanning process involves American companies and could be used to scan for virtually anything, raising concerns about broader surveillance and data access [4] - The EU may require ID checks and ban anonymous use of messaging services and social media, impacting individuals in authoritarian countries, whistleblowers, and journalists [5] Industry Response & Advocacy - The industry urges the European Parliament to demand no mass surveillance without suspicion and a court order, no ID-verification requirements, and no censorship of legal content [2] - The industry views Chat Control as a proposal aimed at introducing mass surveillance, with ongoing attempts to challenge private and secure communication [7]

RT Avi Chawla (@_avichawla)You're in an AI engineer interview at Apple.The interviewer asks:"Siri processes 25B requests/mo.How would you use this data to improve its speech recognition?"You: "Upload all voice notes from devices to iCloud and train a model"Interview over!Here's what you missed:Modern devices (like smartphones) host a ton of data that can be useful for ML models.To get some perspective, consider the number of images you have on your phone right now, the number of keystrokes you press daily, ...