WhatsApp's notification to accept its new policy or lose your account is wrong on so many levels we need a short thread to talk about it
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For a world where technology will empower and enable us, not exploit our data for profit and power.
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People from ethnic minorities have a higher chance of being targeted for their participation in #BlackLivesMatter protests.
Read more about this selective targeting and what can be done to reduce its recurrence:
privacyinternational.org/news-analysis/
MASSIVE - Court documents reveal UK intelligence agency unlawfully spied on Privacy International.
We have been fighting against mass #surveillance for years.
Updates to come.
privacyinternational.org/press-release/
Now that #WhatsApp have updated their terms, forcing users to share their data with #Facebook, here's our suggested update to that notification you see at the top of your chats.
#WhatsappNewPolicy #WhatsappPrivacy
WE WON. After a five year battle, the UK High Court agreed with us: general warrants defy 250 years of common law jurisprudence.
Read our press release 👇
NEW deep-dive analysis of today's European Court of Human Rights judgment by PI lawyers
The judgment says that UK laws allowing #masssurveillance violate human rights. We brought the case after 2013 revelations
privacyinternational.org/feature/2267/u
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Six years after the revelations, two governments describe their mass surveillance programmes - but who even noticed?
We break down why it matters.
privacyinternational.org/long-read/3164
The rule of law prevailed today! Six years after 's revelations, the High Court of South Africa declared that bulk interceptions practices are unlawful.
The case was brought by , we intervened with .
We are bringing the UK govt to court over their large-scale hacking. We need your support. crowdjustice.com/hacking/ #FightGovHacking
Today, the Grand Chamber of the , Europe’s highest human rights court, confirms UK surveillance regime was unlawful.
In 2013, after 's revelations, we brought the UK government to court together with many other NGOs.
More on the judgment soon...
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First this goes to show how much Facebook values their users' data over their users.
"Accept our data grab or get out" is pretty far from what consent should look like under laws like GDPR 2/9
During his speech at #OrgCon2019, Edward remarked: “People think of 2013 as a surveillance story, but it was really a democracy story”.
This is why we should all oppose mass surveillance.
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REVEALED: How British intelligence agencies create & keep dossiers on everyone. Docs here: privacyinternational.org/node/843
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(BTW we've got great guides on how to limit targeted ads on Facebook, and tweak your privacy settings on WhatsApp if you really need to keep using them 🤫 privacyinternational.org/facebook-guides ) 5/9
You may have heard that Clearview AI announced it will offer its surveillance tech to Ukraine 🇺🇦
Read more about how surveillance companies exploit war:
NEW: We analysed 136 popular web pages about mental health in France, Germany and the UK and found that websites share users' personal data with advertisers and other third parties. Some also leak depression test results.
More here: privacyinternational.org/campaigns/your
Instagram is red,
Facebook is blue,
Whatsapp is green and they are all the same company collecting data about you! #ValentinesDay
The European Court of Human Rights' judgment on the 10 Human Rights Organisations case is due on 25 May ().
We sat down with last year to discuss what this case means for surveillance not only in the UK, but around the world. Watch here to get up to date!
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Why would they want phone numbers so badly? Because they're great globally unique identifiers. Remember: first and foremost Facebook is an advertising company. Your attention is the product 4/9
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Truth is, Facebook probably just wants your phone number 📱 (if they don't already have it) and your contacts's names and numbers. They've used dubious methods to get it in the past and this could be another way to obtain it 3/9
NEW - launch of our global campaign to increase transparency around government #intelligence and #surveillance medium.com/@privacyint/pr
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Second, this is further proof that the promises made to the EU when buying WhatsApp are long gone.
If you need a reminder: ec.europa.eu/commission/pre
6/9
TODAY we filed complaints against 7 companies’ systematic data exploitation
privacyinternational.org/campaigns/tell
They exploit data about millions of ppl but are rarely challenged.
YOU have the right to demand they delete your data. Here's how: privacyinternational.org/mydata
#stopexploitingmydata
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We are concerned that this announcement may push people - especially vulnerable populations - off the platform, back to using insecure communication methods such as SMS and email. The value of E2EE cannot be overstated. 9/9
MASSIVE news!
NEW ruling today says that UK laws allowing mass surveillance violate human rights!
privacyinternational.org/press-release/
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CASE UPDATE: PI, together with 9 other NGOs, challenges UK surveillance regime medium.com/@privacyint/ca
You may think that uploading photos is a small price to pay for the entertainment of the #FaceAppChallenge, but #FaceApp raises concerns about privacy, manipulation, and data exploitation.
Read more here privacyinternational.org/news-analysis/
The partnership was described in the media as Amazon using the content of the NHS website but there is more to it.
The contract is partially redacted, and we contest the Department of Health’s take on the notion of public interest.
privacyinternational.org/long-read/3298
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Replying to @carolecadwalla
And then this. Revealed under FOI: Matt Hancock gave entire contents of publicly funded NHS website to Amazon to do whatever it wants with it. Both stories frankly unbelievable. If this is happening *before* a new US trade deal, what on earth lies ahead?
thetimes.co.uk/article/amazon
A global network of activists are tracking #Surveillance #DataExploitation #Misinformation by tech companies and governments in the global fight against #COVID19
But we need your help.
Have a look at the measures so far⬇️⬇️
And if you can, help us❤️❤️
privacyinternational.org/examples/track
Third, this is problematic for a number of users and organisations using WhatsApp for sensitive purposes, as it means your data could now be in the hands of an additional player.
For example: english.alarabiya.net/en/features/20 8/9
This reflects badly on the European Commission, who've just approved the Google-Fitbit merger. Should we expect the same level of commitment from Google? 🤷♂️
privacyinternational.org/legal-action/e
7/9
NEW! Today we expose 5 menstruation apps that have been sharing their users' most intimate data about their health and sexual lives with Facebook and other third parties.
Read our research: privacyinternational.org/long-read/3196
We won! The UK Supreme Court has ruled that the Investigatory Powers Tribunal is subject to judicial review before the High Court. The Court's judgment is a major endorsement and affirmation of the rule of law in the UK. privacyinternational.org/press-release/
Do you use Kayak, Duolingo, Spotify, or Yelp? Then you may want to read our latest research on how these apps, and others, are automatically transferring your data to Facebook
privacyinternational.org/campaigns/inve
Why we should all oppose mass surveillance.
Surveillance is a power generator. The now unprecedented surveillance capabilities of governments outstrip the laws that are there to safeguard our rights.
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On Tuesday we're going to find out the result of our longest running case - challenging UK mass surveillance
This wouldn't have happened without - we sat down with him to discuss the case, mass surveillance, and how to fight back
Listen now:
Being arrested for #encryption is like being arrested for locking your front door - blog on mass arrests in #Turkey medium.com/@privacyint/en
We wrote this guide to explain how US/UK get access to each others' mass surveillance medium.com/privacy-intern
🚨Hearing is TOMORROW🚨
The outrageous charges against Assange criminalise and endanger journalists around the world.
They must be dropped.
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This week the UK High Court will hear the US appeal against an earlier ruling that Julian Assange should not be extradited to face criminal charges.
Rights groups call on US Attorney General to drop case against Julian Assange #FreeAssangeNOW @IFEX
ifex.org/rights-groups-
‼️NEWS‼️ Today we file complaints against the GPS tagging of migrants in the UK. We’re asking the Information Commissioner (ICO) & Forensic Science Regulator (FSR) to take action against this inhumane and degrading policy & practice by the Home Office.
Read 🧵 to find out more:
💥 BREAKING 💥
Today, the UK High Court rules that the blanket and secret policy of the Home Office to seize and search asylum seekers’ phones breached their privacy rights. A landmark case led by and , in which PI intervened.
[Thread 🧵]
Andy Burnham: proposals are “neither a #snooperscharter nor a plan for mass surveillance” gov.uk/government/upl
🧵News! Apple announces that their end-to-end encrypted iCloud services, Advanced Data Protection, will be available for global users. 🌎☁️
⚖️ UK High Court ruled that the blanket seizure of asylum seekers’ phones by Home Office breached privacy rights.
Read more about the case here:
NEW resource for #privacy campaigners - our guide to international law and #surveillance privacyinternational.org/node/1509
Do you know what 'IMSI catchers' are? The UK police can use them to locate, track & grab data from your phone, and they're doing this secretly. We’re working with to shine a light on how your local police force might spy on you. #NeighbourhoodWatched
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Our initial reaction to the judgment from the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights: today's ruling is an important one for privacy and freedom for everyone!
But there's more...
Full video here: media.privacyinternational.org/videos/watch/0
Press release coming soon!
NEWS! Ruling by EU’s highest court finds that UK, French and Belgian mass surveillance regimes must respect privacy, even in the context of national security:
privacyinternational.org/press-release/
It's simply unacceptable that face recognition is being rolled out across London without any form of public debate
Being arrested for #encryption is like being arrested for locking your front door - blog on mass arrests in #Turkey medium.com/@privacyint/en
Our take:
End-to-end encryption protects the communications of people across the world; from protestors in Hong Kong, to journalists in Colombia, to human rights defenders in Egypt.
Encryption protects all of them. Either it is turned on for everyone, or broken for everyone.
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British police will be able to demand social media data directly from American technology giants under a new agreement signed with US government
The Home Office said it would speed up investigations into terrorists, paedophiles and serious criminals
independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/
BREAKING: Nearly 4 years after our complaint and 2 after starting their investigation, the French data protection authority CNIL finds breaches in Criteo's activities, and proposes a fine of €60 million.
Why did this happen and why does it matter? 👇
Forceful piece about smartphone data being used to deport refugees
wired.co.uk/article/europe
While many are dependent on the access smartphones provide, phones collect a lot of data - incl location data. Data should not be exploited or used against those in vulnerable situations.
NEW piece about what Zuckerberg forgot to mention (profiling). This is why we need real data protection — not just better privacy settings. medium.com/@privacyint/wh
The use of facial recognition in public spaces makes a mockery of our privacy rights.
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61% of apps we tested automatically transfer data to Facebook the moment a user opens the app. Read more in our report
privacyinternational.org/campaigns/inve
💥 NEWS! In a landmark ruling, the UK Investigatory Powers Tribunal found “very serious failings” by MI5 breaching the right to privacy from at least 2016, and that successive Home Secretaries didn't enquire into & resolve this rule breaking, despite the red flags 🚩
🧵👇
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This case was made possible because of ’s disclosures in 2013, and through the combined work of , , , , , , , @LRC_southafrica and
We have created a new Twitter bot called . If you follow the bot he will follow you back and share his thoughts about privacy, freedom and humanity with you; and he’ll offer ‘insights’ into who you are, based purely on your published tweets.
NEW report reveals a dangerous lack of oversight of secret global #surveillance networks, based on our research with NGOs in 42 countries
privacyinternational.org/feature/1742/n
Great piece about the myth of anonymised: "It’s convenient to pretend it’s hard to re-identify people, but it’s easy”
theguardian.com/world/2018/jul
Here are a ton of examples of anonymised data fails we complied
privacyinternational.org/types-abuse/cl
BREAKING: as a result of our investigation, one of Europe's key data protection authorities has opened an inquiry into Quantcast - a major player in the online tracking industry. Here is our submission that led to the inquiry: privacyinternational.org/advocacy-brief
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Data Protection Commission opens statutory inquiry into Quantcast International Limited dataprotection.ie/en/news-media/
Be the first to see film premiere of the new #Snowden doc #CITIZENFOUR on Oct 17th citizenfourfilm.com
Not so fast, Google. Not so fast.
🦘
Yesterday we launched our appeal challenging police forces’ refusal to disclose information on their purchase and use of #IMSIcatchers.
Read our blog to see how we have worked to get the police to be more transparent #freedomofinformation
privacyinternational.org/blog/2218/we-c
The High Court of South Africa declared today that bulk surveillance activities and foreign signals interception are unlawful and invalid. Case brought by challenging the legality of #RICA, where we had intervened together with .
NEWS!
The Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights has today ruled that UK mass surveillance laws violate the rights to privacy and freedom of expression.
[Press release + thread below]
Mandatory SIM card registration eradicates the potential for anonymity of communications. While
it has been exposed as ineffective and inefficient in some countries that have adopted it, its adoption is on the rise: privacyinternational.org/long-read/3018
Privacy policies are long
Twitter’s is 12 pages, Instagram’s is 11, Netflix is at 9. Reddit’s comes in shortest at 6 pages, but this still takes an estimated 13 minutes to read, and longer to actually digest
NEW piece about going beyond transparency
privacyinternational.org/feature/2205/g
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I recently wrote about the importance of expanding the debate about Facebook’s political ads beyond the US.
Case in point: Sri Lanka has a presidential election on Saturday, and FB hasn’t built the same transparency tools it did for the US & India.
theguardian.com/world/2019/nov
‼️BREAKING‼️
PI together w have taken legal action against the facial recognition company Clearview AI. 💪🛑
The complaints were submitted to data protection regulators in the UK, France, Austria, Italy and Greece.
Yesterday disclosed that it may have shared your data with advertising partners without your consent for months.
The entire AdTech industry needs fixing, but could do much more already.
Our response:
privacyinternational.org/news-analysis/
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Happy Data Protection Day! 🥳🎈
As promised to celebrate #DataPrivacyDay we will be sharing a variety of tools and resources we’ve been producing as part of our efforts to demand effective protection of people and their data.
[NEW!]
Today, the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights ruled UK mass surveillance laws violate privacy and freedom of expression rights.
Who is involved? What are the consequences of this decision? All the answers (and more) in our Q&A!
privacyinternational.org/long-read/4525
Happy Data Protection Day! 🥳
To celebrate#DataPrivacyDay we will be sharing with you throughout the day a variety of tools and resources we’ve been producing as part of our efforts to demand effective protection of people and their data.
When we asked to see the redactions on the Amazon/NHS contract, the DHSC said that "the release of the redacted clauses would be likely to prejudice the commercial interests of Amazon."
There is much more at stake, we said to the @thesundaytimes: thetimes.co.uk/article/ea1a18
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HUGE:
CJEU Advocate General's Opinion Advises that Mass Surveillance Regime is UNLAWFUL!!!
⚖️✌🏽
Our preliminary statement: privacyinternational.org/press-release/
Here’s a letter signed by over 450 Amazon employees demanding the company kick Palantir off Amazon Web Services and to institute employee oversight for ethical decisions
medium.com/s/powertrip/im
Layers upon layers of insanity
1)Random data broker has database w info about "pretty much every US citizen”
2)Database is on publicly accessible server & (obvi) gets hacked
3)Data broker goes silent
Random companies that exploit data shouldn’t exist
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Acc. to the terms of use, people give FaceApp ‘a perpetual, irrevocable, nonexclusive, royalty-free, worldwide, fully-paid, transferable sub-licensable license’ to use or publish the content they upload. Even if you delete the app, it’s unclear what FaceApp does with the data
Digital surveillance 'worse than Orwell' says new UN privacy chief gu.com/p/4bnv8/stw(Photograph: Adam Alexander)
Why we should all oppose mass surveillance.
privacyinternational.org/explainer-grap
Surveillance is a power generator. The now unprecedented surveillance capabilities of governments outstrip the laws that are there to safeguard our rights.
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UK police are rolling out new spying technologies that monitor us in public, online and even at home. But they’re not telling the public. That’s not #policingbyconsent. We’re working with to shine a light on police spying #NeighbourhoodWatched privacyinternational.org/campaigns/neig
PI & just launched a database w/ over 1500 surveillance company brochures
sii.transparencytoolkit.org
In our analysis of mental health website, was one of the companies we found multiple times, enabling programatic advertising on deeply sensitive sites.
We warmly welcome the decision to investigate their practices!
Read the research 👇
privacyinternational.org/long-read/3194
Body-Worn Cameras should NEVER have real-time facial recognition capabilities.
This would subvert the purpose of body-worn cameras as a tool of police accountability & transparency by turning them into a tool for mass surveillance.
privacyinternational.org/news-analysis/
How often do you call your mother? How many Tweets do you send per week?
This information may seem irrelevant, but it's all part of how companies are constructing your financial identity #dataprivacyweek
privacyinternational.org/node/1099
[NEW!] Today, we reveal how EU funds are used to support surveillance in non-EU countries.
PI and a coalition of civil society organisations demand urgent reforms to EU development aid and cooperation programmes!
More in this thread 👇👇
We are bringing the UK govt to court over their large-scale hacking. We need your support. crowdjustice.com/case/hacking/ #FightGovHacking
“We are being identified without our knowledge or consent, and society needs rules about when that is permissible”, writes Bruce Schneier in the NYT nytimes.com/2020/01/20/opi
There are many ways you can be identified, some you might not know about. Here are some examples 👇
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We created this video that explains how companies exploit your data in totally unexpected ways. Please share! privacyinternational.org/node/1037
The #police have the ability to #hack your phone remotely, accessing all its content without you knowing. #hacking is 1 of many #surveillance technologies we want the police to be more open about. With . Find out more at privacyinternational.org/feature/2716/y #NeighbourhoodWatched
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Struggling to find the judgment? Don't fret. You can now access the High Court judgment and related documents here: privacyinternational.org/legal-action/q
We wrote a 101 guide to encryption for politicians
medium.com/privacy-intern
New court judgment finds UK intel agencies collected everyone’s comms data illegally & in secret, for over a decade medium.com/@privacyint/pr
What is #privacy? Here's a short video explaining why privacy is so important privacyinternational.org/node/568
