Norway fines Microsoft's Xandr $9.6M over Grindr data sharing

Norway fines Microsoft-owned Xandr $9.6 million over Grindr data sharing

Norway’s Data Protection Authority fined Xandr, a Microsoft-owned ad company, NOK 92 million ($9.6 million) for unlawfully processing sensitive data of Grindr users in Norway — its largest fine ever. Between July 2018 and April 2020, Xandr ran real-time ad auctions inside Grindr, exposing data including sexual orientation to thousands of advertisers without explicit consent. As joint controller with Grindr, Xandr should have verified consent but did not. The complaint was filed in January 2020 by Austrian nonprofit Noyb and the Norwegian Consumer Council. Xandr, now Microsoft Advertising, has three weeks to appeal; Microsoft says the conduct predates its acquisition.

Norway fines Microsoft ad firm $9.6 million over Grindr data sharing →

Topics: GDPR finesOnline tracking

Police use AI tool Raven to locate homes from a single interior photo

Raven, an AI tool by Graylark Technologies, lets law enforcement identify a property’s location from an interior photo. It is used by the Los Angeles Police Department and the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office. Previously called GeoSpy, Raven picks out distinctive details and matches them to listings on Airbnb and Vrbo, even when images differ; a demo suggested it pulled data from Zillow. CEO Daniel Heinen said it helps trafficking investigations. Airbnb said it has safeguards against automated collection and is reviewing the case; Zillow said scraping violates its terms. Graylark restricted the tool to enterprise and government users after stalking requests appeared in its Discord server.

Police are using AI to locate homes from a single interior photo, and even a picture of a washing machine can be enough →

Topics: Facial recognition

Secret shoppers find some Instacart users paid up to 23% more for identical groceries

Research by Groundwork Collaborative and Consumer Reports, using secret shoppers, found some Instacart customers paid up to 23% more for the same item, from the same store, at the same moment, exposing algorithmic pricing experiments. The findings appear in Gouged by Lindsay Owens. The book traces how posted pricing gave way to personalized pricing powered by algorithms and AI that profile shoppers. It cites junk fees, free trials, rideshare surge pricing, and insurance premiums based on driving data. The personal data market is estimated to reach nearly $700 billion by 2030. A proposed Shoppers’ Bill of Rights would ban surveillance pricing and mandate upfront all-in pricing.

Some Shoppers Paid 23% More for the Same Groceries. Here’s Why. →

Topics: Online tracking

How to check if someone is reading your WhatsApp messages

WhatsApp uses end-to-end encryption, but unauthorized access is possible if someone links the account to another device via QR code, accesses an unlocked phone, steals verification codes, or installs spyware. Signs of compromise include read messages you did not read, unknown chats, and messages you never sent. Check Settings > Linked Devices and sign out unknown devices. Enable two-step verification under Settings > Account, keep codes and PINs confidential, and update WhatsApp and your operating system. Review app permissions for malware, especially accessibility and device admin settings on Android. A VPN hides your IP but does not stop someone with account or phone access. If compromised, log out unknown devices, re-register via official WhatsApp, and change passwords.

Is Someone Reading Your WhatsApp Messages? Here’s How to Check and Protect Your Account →

Topics: Messaging apps privacySpyware