Images of real children—including a member of a European royal family—were used to create some of the 350 ads containing child sexual abuse. Lawmakers say they plan to investigate.

Homeland Security Investigations agents hit the outdoor retailer with a controversial subpoena as part of a dragnet search for the identities of protesters who entered a Minnesota church in March.

This week on Uncanny Valley, we dig into the latest prediction market buzz, Flock’s AI-powered police search tool, and how tech bros don’t know how to talk about “rouge” AI agents

WIRED rebuilt Flock’s latest search tool from code the company sends to a police officer’s browser. Its AI can keep watch across multiple cameras for anyone fitting a written description.

Android 17 becomes the first major mobile OS to enable Encrypted Client Hello (ECH) by default, hiding visited website names from ISPs and network eavesdroppers.

Related Posts:

• Android 17 Memory Limits: Stricter App Constraints
• Google Restricts Pixel Kernel Source Access, Ditching Public Git Repos
• Google Pixel 11 Pro Teaser Reveals Mysterious Spinning Light

The post Android 17 Enables Encrypted Client Hello by Default to Hide Website Names appeared first on Daily CyberSecurity.

Alpharetta, Georgia, cops share data with thousands of Flock users, ranging from federal agencies to a fish and wildlife commission. The reasons why show how vast—and invasive—the network has become.

After an affair with a fellow police officer ended, a Georgia cop used Flock to track her movements—and those of a man whose vehicle often showed up near hers, internal investigation records show.

A cyberattack on Manchester Airports Group exposed information belonging to about 8.7 million customers across three UK airports.

The post Cyberattack on Three UK Airports Exposes Data of 8.7 Million Customers appeared first on TechRepublic.

Ring’s new TAKE encryption limits video-key retention while keeping cloud AI features, Ring Verify, and optional end-to-end encryption in play.

The post Ring’s New TAKE Encryption Deletes Video Keys Without Giving Up AI Features appeared first on TechRepublic.

A smart monitor can do far more than display a PC. Built-in apps, ACR, and advertising systems can introduce additional privacy considerations.

The post Do Smart Monitors Track You? What Buyers Should Know appeared first on TechRepublic.

OpenAI banned Russian ChatGPT accounts tied to a covert influence campaign involving copied research, fake attribution and coordinated social posts.

The post OpenAI Bans Russian ChatGPT Accounts Used in Covert Influence Campaign appeared first on TechRepublic.

It’s getting cheaper and easier for cybercriminals to research potential victims. Here’s what’s still in your control.

The US Navy has told its entire workforce of 340,000 active-duty personnel, 58,000 reservists, and 210,000 civilian employees to clean up their social media profiles, because adversaries might be using them to determine who they are, where they live, and when they may not be at home. Read more in my article on the Hot for Security blog.

WhatsApp is adding stronger two-step verification, multiple passkeys and more context for unknown callers as it expands protections against scams.

The post WhatsApp Just Added 3 New Ways to Protect Your Account appeared first on TechRepublic.

Password notebooks are making an unexpected comeback as infostealers and browser attacks revive debate over the safest way to store credentials.

The post The Password Notebook Is Back — but Is It Actually Safer? appeared first on TechRepublic.

TikTok and ByteDance agree to pay up to $400 million to settle US allegations involving children’s data, parental consent and account deletion.

The post TikTok Agrees to $400M Settlement Over Children’s Privacy appeared first on TechRepublic.

Microsoft Teams is adding a policy that lets IT admins automatically block detected external meeting bots instead of relying on organizer approval.

The post Microsoft Teams’ New Policy Lets Admins Automatically Block Meeting Bots appeared first on TechRepublic.

Apollo Global Management confirmed a social-engineering breach exposing sensitive personal data amid a wider hacking campaign targeting financial firms.

The post Apollo Confirms Data Breach Amid Cyberattacks Targeting Financial Firms appeared first on TechRepublic.

ChatGPT for Teens adds stronger protections for users ages 13 to 17, but parents still face limits around monitoring, age prediction, and AI safety.

The post ChatGPT for Teens Adds New Safeguards — but Safety Gaps Remain appeared first on TechRepublic.

TikTok will pay $400 million to settle U.S. claims that it violated child privacy laws by collecting data from users under 13.

The U.S. Department of Justice announced that TikTok will pay $400 million to settle a 2024 lawsuit over children’s privacy.

“Today, the Department of Justice announced a $400 million settlement with TikTok, ByteDance, and affiliated entities (TikTok) resolving litigation concerning compliance with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act and its implementing regulations (COPPA).” reads the press release published by DoJ. “Under the settlement, TikTok will pay $300 million immediately and an additional $100 million upon entry of an order vacating a prior consent decree entered against TikTok’s predecessor, Musical.ly. The settlement represents one of the largest recoveries ever obtained in a COPPA case.”

TikTok will pay $300 million immediately and another $100 million after a court order removes an earlier consent decree involving Musical.ly. The 2024 case, brought by the DoJ and FTC, accused TikTok of knowingly allowing children under 13 to create accounts and illegally collecting data from children using Kids Mode.

Since the Justice Department filed its lawsuit against TikTok in 2024, the company has made major changes to its ownership, management, compliance, and privacy practices. It has also introduced stronger safeguards for younger users, improved age controls, and expanded parental oversight.

The DOJ said these measures have advanced the goals of its case and strengthened protections for millions of U.S. families. The settlement reflects a focus on practical results, securing a significant recovery while recognizing TikTok’s compliance improvements. The case was filed in California and handled by the DOJ’s Civil Division following a referral from the FTC.

“This settlement is a major victory for American children and parents,” said Associate Attorney General Stanley E. Woodward Jr. “The Department’s priority is ensuring that children are protected online and that companies entrusted with their personal information meet their legal obligations. This resolution secures a substantial recovery while reinforcing the protections that families expect and deserve.”

TikTok has faced regulatory scrutiny over children’s privacy before. In September 2023, Ireland’s Data Protection Commission fined the company €345 million for breaching the GDPR through its handling of children’s personal data.

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Pierluigi Paganini

(SecurityAffairs – hacking, privacy)