People across the United States are getting money deposits with names like “Lopez v. Apple” or “Lopez Voice Assistant” in their bank or payment apps. These deposits are part of a class action settlement linked to claims that Apple’s Siri recorded private talks without permission. Many users say the payment proves their approved claim has finally turned into real cash. Apple agreed to pay $95 million to settle the case but said it did nothing wrong. The legal notice confirmed that payments started on Friday ...

Google agreed to pay $68 million to settle claims its voice assistant illegally spied on users to, among other things, serve them advertisements, Reuters reports. Google did not admit wrongdoing in the settlement of the class-action case, which accused the firm of “unlawful and intentional interception and recording of individuals’ confidential communications without their consent and subsequent unauthorized disclosure of those communications to third parties.” The suit further claimed that “information g ...

Core Viewpoint - Google has agreed to pay $68 million to settle claims that its voice assistant illegally spied on users for advertising purposes without their consent [1][2]. Group 1: Settlement Details - The settlement is part of a class-action case where Google was accused of "unlawful and intentional interception and recording of individuals' confidential communications without their consent" [2]. - Google did not admit to any wrongdoing as part of the settlement [2]. Group 2: Allegations and Context - The case involved allegations of "false accepts," where Google Assistant allegedly activated and recorded user communications without a wake word prompt [2]. - There is a growing concern among Americans regarding privacy, with similar claims leading to legal actions against other tech companies, such as Apple, which settled for $95 million in 2021 over similar allegations regarding its Siri assistant [3]. Group 3: Previous Legal Issues - Google has faced other privacy-related litigation, including a $1.4 billion settlement with the state of Texas for violating data privacy laws [4].

Adam Breeden/ZDNETFollow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.ZDNET's key takeawaysSmart TVs track viewing habits with ACR tech.Collected data fuels billions in targeted ads.Turning off ACR protects privacy but takes effort.Did you know that whenever you turn on your smart TV, you invite an unseen guest to watch it with you?These days, most mainstream TVs use automatic content recognition (ACR), a type of ad-tracking technology that collects data on everything you watch and sends it to a central ...

Core Insights - TikTok has finalized a historic deal to establish a majority American-owned joint venture to avoid a potential U.S. ban, marking a significant milestone after years of legal and political challenges since 2020 [1][4] Group 1: Joint Venture Structure - The new entity, TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC, is built on the TikTok U.S. Data Security organization and aims to meet U.S. regulatory requirements set by a previous executive order [2][6] - American entities will hold an 80.1% stake in the joint venture, while ByteDance retains a 19.9% stake [7] - The joint venture will be managed by three companies: Oracle, Silver Lake, and MGX, each holding a 15% stake [7] Group 2: Governance and Management - The joint venture will have a seven-member board of directors, predominantly American, including representatives from major investment firms and technology companies [12] - Adam Presser has been appointed as the CEO of the new joint venture, with other board members including TikTok CEO Shou Chew and executives from Oracle, Silver Lake, and MGX [12] Group 3: Data Security and User Experience - The venture will create a domestic cloud environment under Oracle to enhance data privacy and cybersecurity for U.S. user data, apps, and algorithms [10] - The content recommendation algorithm will be secured within Oracle's U.S. cloud environment [10] - The joint venture aims to ensure that U.S. users maintain a "global TikTok experience," allowing for worldwide creator discovery while managing commercial activities like e-commerce and advertising [13]

Core Insights - Ingram Micro Inc. has reported a cybersecurity incident affecting the personal information of 42,000 individuals [1] - An unauthorized individual accessed Ingram Micro's network, potentially acquiring personally identifiable information (PII) [2] Company Overview - Ingram Micro is a significant player in the technology distribution sector, with a focus on cybersecurity and data protection [1] Incident Details - The data breach involved the acquisition of records that may include names, contact information, date of birth, government-issued identification numbers, Social Security numbers, driver's license numbers, passport numbers, and employment-related information [4] - Lynch Carpenter, LLP is investigating claims against Ingram Micro related to this data breach, indicating potential legal ramifications for the company [1][2]

Core Viewpoint - Vocodia Holdings Corp. has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire a 51% controlling interest in WEB3 REX Inc., enhancing its technology portfolio in data privacy and security solutions for Web3 and enterprise applications [1][2]. Company Summary - Vocodia aims to diversify its AI software platform by integrating high-demand data privacy, security, and compliance solutions, positioning itself within enterprise, government, and next-generation digital infrastructure markets [2]. - The acquisition will allow Vocodia to leverage WEB3 REX's proprietary data privacy platform, which is designed to comply with major privacy frameworks such as GDPR and CCPA, and has a clean record with no data breaches [4][6]. Industry Summary - The global data privacy market is projected to grow from approximately $5.4 billion in 2025 to over $45 billion by 2032, driven by increased enterprise investment in compliance and data protection tools [3]. - The Web3 market is expected to expand from a few billion dollars in the mid-2020s to tens of billions by the end of the decade, with compound annual growth rates forecasted above 40% as decentralized technologies gain traction across various sectors [3].

Core Insights - Privacy4Cars has expanded its leadership team by appointing Sherryl Nens as Head of US Dealership Sales and Jonathan Holland as Board Advisor for Europe, reflecting the company's ongoing global growth in 2026 [1][2][3] Leadership Appointments - Sherryl Nens brings over 20 years of experience in sales, market research, and brand development, previously serving as Vice President of Customer Experience at ComplyAuto and holding an executive position at Ford Motor Company [2][3] - Jonathan Holland will support Privacy4Cars' expansion in Europe, leveraging his extensive experience in the automotive remarketing space, including roles at Manheim and OPENLANE [3][4] Company Overview - Privacy4Cars is the first and only global data privacy-tech company focused on creating privacy, safety, security, and compliance solutions for the automotive industry, benefiting both companies and consumers [5] - The company's AutoCleared™ solution is patented for managing the deletion of personal information from vehicles, safeguarding 3 million drivers and passengers [6]

Core Insights - Tiiny AI has launched the Tiiny AI Pocket Lab, a personal AI computer designed for offline use, addressing concerns over data privacy and cloud dependency [1][2] - The device can run large language models with up to 120 billion parameters locally, achieving decoding speeds of over 20 tokens per second, making it suitable for practical daily use [3][4] - Tiiny AI aims to provide a more personal AI experience, allowing users to operate AI without ongoing fees or internet connectivity, contrasting with traditional cloud-based services [5][6] Product Features - The Pocket Lab is designed to work alongside existing computers, connecting via plug-and-play and enabling older devices to access advanced AI capabilities without hardware upgrades [5] - It includes TiinyOS, an on-device software platform that allows users to download and run open-source models and AI agents easily, as well as tools for developers to create local AI workflows [6] - The device is set to launch on Kickstarter in February at a price of $1,399, aimed at making local AI more accessible rather than positioning it as a premium product [7] Market Positioning - The Pocket Lab is positioned as capable of running large models locally, a feature that has been challenging for devices in its price range, thus placing it among a select group of emerging systems for high-capacity AI inference [8] - The growing interest in local AI solutions reflects broader industry discussions on data governance, enterprise security, and the economics of AI services [8] - Tiiny AI has received recognition from Guinness World Records for the Pocket Lab as "The smallest mini PC capable of running a 100B-parameter large language model locally," enhancing its market credibility [9]

The world is connected through fractured, censored, controllable siloed data and monetary networks.They work at the highest levels, but billions fall through the cracks, underserved and kept apart through fragmentation.We deserve neutral global networks.Infrastructure that lets us store, access, send, and do whatever we want with our own data and money.We believe this will change the world once implemented at scale.This is what Dash is for. ...