Digital Privacy Watch

FISA Section 702 reauthorization deadline Apr 20+10 days; Wyden Siren; DOJ voter PII database push (Kentucky rolls blocked by federal judge, but 29 states still targeted); DOJ subpoenas for trans youth medical records (June 10 grand jury); Massachusetts passes strong privacy bill; DOJ FOIA lawsuit over FBI raid on reporter; UK 'Protect Our Kids' digital ID Trojan horse; Flock Safety surveillance exposed (88k+ cameras) and now revealed data stored in top-secret AWS GovCloud data centers co-located with CIA/NSA; Vermont privacy law with neural data; SCOTUS Chatrie ruling (geofence warrants require warrants but data broker backdoor open); MSG breach 26M biometric records; NYC Intro 213 bill; DHS HSIN breach; Texas age-verification mandate upheld. CA DELETE Act reaches 322k signups — major milestone, Aug 1 deadline. Shadow AI in video surveillance emerges as new breach vector — Community Bank incident shows unapproved AI tools leaking surveillance feeds with PII. Age verification for AI services being debated as a First Amendment issue — could further erode online anonymity. ICE expands Thomson Reuters CLEAR data tools for minor and fraud investigations — $25M/year, five-year contract, weaponizing commercial data against vulnerable populations. UK Covid inquiry buried 20 months of evidence on government spying on lockdown critics — used AI contractor Logically and military 77th Brigade to censor lawful speech, exposing 'counter-disinformation' as censorship machine. Federal Judge Blocks DOJ Bid for Kentucky Voter Rolls — another privacy win, but broader assault continues. A new analysis ('The Terrifying Truth About Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion') reveals credit bureaus as the original surveillance infrastructure, selling location, employment, and behavioral data far beyond credit scores — subsidiary breakdown (NeuroID, Tapad, AtData) confirms they are just as invasive as Flock or Palantir, reinforcing the data broker backdoor threat. Federal firewall dismantled — IRS/SSA data firewalls being removed, creating centralized surveillance capability (former SSA deputy commissioner). Federal judge dismisses DOJ lawsuit seeking Kentucky voter data with detailed reasoning, setting precedent against 29-state campaign. HIPAA Security Rule update delayed to 2027 amid industry pushback — Change Healthcare breach catalyst, coalition of 100+ orgs opposing. Surveillance pricing exposed — retailers and platforms use personal data (location, browsing, purchase history) to charge different prices, FTC investigation ongoing, directly harms consumers' wallets. **FTC targets personalized pricing** — new regulatory action. Michigan AG Nessel reissues data breach alert, calls for stronger notification laws — stalled Senate bill highlights legislative inertia. Oklahoma breach notification law shows underreporting — only 4 entities notified despite 17+ known attacks. Vermont AG Clark sues Trump administration over secret AAMVA database collecting driver's license data from states — new legal challenge to federal data collection. Washington AG privacy report confirms 200+ breaches affecting 8M residents, validating systemic data broker issues. Climaxing with pre-deadline peak.