Seattle Bans Algorithmic Grocery Pricing as Sweden Fines Miljödata

Seattle Council Votes 7-2 to Ban Algorithmic Grocery Pricing

The Seattle City Council voted 7-2 on Tuesday to prohibit large grocery stores from using algorithmic pricing for individual customers, aiming to prevent price gouging and discrimination. The bill, proposed by Mayor Katie Wilson and Councilmember Alexis Mercedes Rinck, applies to stores with more than twenty locations worldwide, sparing independents like PCC. It lets the city pursue stores and creates a pathway for consumers to sue if overcharged. Traditional discounts for seniors and veterans are preserved. UFCW 3000 backed the measure; grocery lobbyists sought a personalized-discount exemption. Councilmember Bob Kettle’s amendments to allow algorithmic discounts but not higher prices, and to weaken consumer lawsuits, all failed. An annual impact report passed. Wilson said Seattle is the first US city to take on algorithmic price discrimination for groceries. A Consumer Reports investigation found Instacart shoppers paid different prices for identical Safeway baskets.

Seattle Votes 7-2 to Restrict Algorithmic Grocery Pricing - The Stranger →

Sweden Fines Miljödata $183,000 Over Breach Affecting 2.2 Million

Sweden’s data privacy regulator IMY fined IT systems provider Miljödata SEK 1.8 million ($183,000) for inadequate security measures that led to an August 2025 breach affecting 2.2 million people. Miljödata supplies work environment and HR systems used by 80% of Sweden’s municipal systems. On August 25, a cyberattack disrupted IT services across more than 200 regions and compromised sensitive resident data. The attacker demanded 1.5 Bitcoin, then published the data on the dark web as Datacarry. Leaked information included personal identity numbers, contact details, sickness absence, rehabilitation, and school incidents involving minors. IMY found Miljödata failed to properly check newly installed software and lacked automated real-time monitoring to detect intrusions, violating Article 32(1) of the GDPR. IMY has also opened investigations into two municipalities and one region, so further penalties may follow.

Sweden fines Miljödata $183,000 over breach affecting 2.2 million →

League City Weighs Citizen Committee to Oversee Flock Cameras

League City council members are expected to consider an ordinance creating a citizen-led committee to oversee the city’s Flock Safety automated license plate reader system. The proposal follows privacy concerns and growing public mistrust of Flock cameras nationwide. Flock cameras capture vehicle and license plate images added to a database shared with Texas law enforcement and the FBI. The committee would include three citizens appointed by council members, the mayor and the city auditor, reviewing monthly or quarterly audit reports, weighing public concerns and recommending privacy and data security protections. Mayor Nick Long said the committee ensures appropriate use and independent oversight, though it would not access cameras or the system directly, only the audit trail. A first reading and vote are scheduled Tuesday; a second vote on October 13 would finalize it. Voters will also decide in November whether to keep the cameras.

League City will consider citizen-led committee to oversee Flock camera use | Houston Public Media →

Apple’s UK Encryption Fight Exposes Two-Tier iCloud Protection

A UK Technical Capability Notice reportedly ordered Apple to build access to Advanced Data Protection-protected iCloud data, creating a two-tier encryption system for UK users. Alice enabled ADP before Apple withdrew it for new UK users in February 2025; Bill cannot enable it now. The notice, issued secretly in January 2025 under the Investigatory Powers Act 2016, reportedly sought access to encrypted iCloud data worldwide. Apple said it has never built a backdoor and stopped new UK users from enabling ADP, though it cannot remotely disable it for existing users because only trusted devices can change the setting. The original global demand was replaced in late 2025 by a narrower notice covering only UK citizens after US pressure. In July 2026 Apple filed a fresh complaint at the Investigatory Powers Tribunal, and US lawmakers Ron Wyden and Warren Davidson urged the tribunal to open proceedings. Apple has asked the tribunal to lift gag restrictions.

Two-Tier Encryption in the UK →

Google Used Flawed Zero-Knowledge Proof for Quantum Encryption Claim

In March 2026 Google shared research showing quantum computers could crack common encryption by the end of the decade, presenting the result via a zero-knowledge proof for the first time in scientific history without revealing the underlying method. The proof asserted a specific elliptic curve cryptography could be broken using just 1,175 logical qubits and over two million Toffoli gates, far below prior estimates of at least 20 times that number; as of July 2026 the record is under 100 logical qubits. The proof was flawed: a team led by Keegan Ryan found it could also prove false claims. Google corrected it in mid-April 2026, upholding the original finding. After 63 days, cryptologist André Schrottenloher reproduced and improved the result. An AI-agent community nearly halved the Toffoli gates in three days. Google scientist Craig Gidney now says zero-knowledge proofs are the wrong strategy for scientific publication.

Why mathematicians are hiding research results in zero-knowledge proofs →