Data Privacy

The report reveals that owing to the pandemic, Internet usage across Indian households has spiked by 50 per cent and has also fostered awareness about cyber frauds across 61 per cent of the households. When it comes to tackling misinformation, 45 per cent of users responded that they now verify any news or information shared online.

As users find themselves in a fix over how to safeguard their personal data from being mined by tech giants, a Kaspersky report said that finally, public awareness of the perils of unfettered data collection is growing, and the free market is taking notice. Apple has publicly clashed with Facebook claiming it has to protect its users' privacy, while the latter is wrestling with regulators to implement end-to-end encryption in its messaging apps.

The in-app messages started appearing for users in the US and UK on Saturday in Status which is WhatsApp's version of Snapchat Stories or Twitter Fleets. The messages read "One thing that isn't new is our commitment to your privacy," along with a reminder that "WhatsApp can't read or listen to your personal conversations as they're end-to-end encrypted."

According to a report in ZDNet, the leaked date in a 1.2GB file has been shared as a free download on a publicly accessible hacking forum. The leaked data also includes body details, dating preferences, marital status, birth dates, IP addresses and Bcrypt-hashed account passwords.

The data leaked include names, e-mails, mobile numbers, encrypted passwords, user wallet details, order details, bank details, KYC details (PAN number, passport numbers) and deposit history. According to independent cyber security researcher Rajshekhar Rajaharia, the 6GB file on MongoDB database contains three backup files containing BuyUcoin data.

There are no changes to WhatsApp's data-sharing practices in Europe from the new policy update (now deferred globally including in India for three months till May 15). Europe has a strict General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in place since May 25, 2018, that insulates citizens from misuse of their private data by social media platforms and third-party tech companies.

In its strongly worded letter to WhatsApp CEO Will Cathcart, the ministry has slammed the platform's "all or nothing" approach. The letter noted that the proposed changes to the privacy policy raise "grave concerns regarding the implications for the choice and autonomy of Indian citizens."

TechCrunch reported that the bug made it possible to retrieve the location data on users who posted to the app, "including those who are reporting crimes". The Neighbors app had about 4 million posts by the end of 2020. The the video doorbell and home security startup said that it has fixed the issue.

The researchers at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) in Israel showed that by using digital "foot-in-the-door" techniques, such as requesting personal information from less important to more private (ascending privacy-intrusion order), websites can successfully entice users to reveal more of their private information.