This Week in Privacy

Android 17 Is Looking Great for Privacy & Security

Google recently announced upcoming features for Android 17 which features new privacy & security upgrades, Signal is adding warnings to protect against phishing attacks, Windows Bitlocker has been broken by a new zero-day and more! Join us for This Week In Privacy #53 (00:00) - Intro (00:43) - Start of podcast (01:33) - What's New in Android Security and Privacy in 2026 (13:00) - Signal adds security warning for social engineering phishing attacks (18:52) - Windows BitLocker zero-day gives access to protected drives, PoC released (28:29) - Site updates (35:43) - Only approved phones can pass Google's new reCAPTCHA, locking out privacy-focused alternatives (51:07) - Stop the Surveillance State: Stop Bill C-22 (01:08:31) - Forum updates (01:35:17) - Q&A (01:46:12) - Outro ★ Support this podcast ★

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CalyxOS Is (Almost) Back But Is It Any Better?

After an extended break - CalyxOS has come back and released test builds of Android 16 for their supported devices, Disneyland is using facial recognition software in their parks, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security compelled Google to share data about Canadians because of social media posts and much more! Join us for this Week In Privacy #52! (00:00) - Intro (00:37) - Start of podcast (01:23) - CalyxOS progress report - our test build with Android 16 is here (25:31) - Canvas login portals hacked in mass Shiny Hunters extortion campaign (40:36) - Site updates (50:08) - Google Chrome been silently pushing 4GB AI model to your device asking (01:13:29) - Microsoft Edge keeps all saved passwords unencrypted (01:22:12) - Forum updates (01:56:55) - Q&A (02:31:19) - Outro ★ Support this podcast ★

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Is Ubuntu Becoming the New Windows?

Canonical has laid out it's plans to integrate "AI" features into Ubuntu Linux, Signal is working on a standalone desktop version, that doesn't require a smartphone, Greece is banning anonymity on social media and more! Join us for This Week In Privacy #51 (00:00) - Intro (00:35) - Start of podcast (01:13) - Ubuntu's AI Plans have Linux users looking for a 'kill switch' (24:22) - Turkey to Ban Anonymous VPNs (28:17) - Greece to ban anonymity on social media (38:13) - CopyFail Most Linux Distros Affected by Local Privilege Escalation (01:08:41) - Site updates (01:17:14) - Women's Talkspace therapy app sessions exposed in court (01:32:39) - RightsCon Canceled After Zambia Requires 'Full Alignment' with 'National Values' (01:45:23) - Forum updates (01:52:38) - Q&A (02:16:40) - Outro ★ Support this podcast ★

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Would You Pay $60 For A Browser? (ft. Firewalls Don't Stop Dragons)

This week we are joined by Carey Parker from Firewalls Don't Stop Dragons, Brave has announced a paid $60 version of Brave with bloatware and features stripped out, in the US - Nevada police are tracking phones locations without a warrant, and more! Join us for This Week In Privacy #50. (00:00) - Intro (00:36) - Start of podcast (01:16) - Brave Origin strips web browser down to its core and asks you to pay for less (20:28) - Maryland becomes first state to pass bill banning 'surveillance pricing' (31:03) - Site updates (37:31) - Mozilla Used Anthropic's Mythos to Find and Fix 271 Bugs in Firefox (51:17) - Unauthorized group has gained access to Anthropic's exclusive cyber tool Mythos, report claims (57:05) - Exclusive: Meta to start capturing employee mouse movements, keystrokes for AI training data (01:12:35) - Forum updates (01:22:10) - Q&A (01:50:09) - Outro ★ Support this podcast ★

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Predictive AI w/ Carissa Véliz, Author of 'Privacy is Power' & 'Prophecy'

We recently interviewed Carissa Véliz, author of Privacy is Power and University of Oxford associate professor, to talk about how predictive AI will make a ‘meritocracy’ impossible, how lifelike chat bots are designed to deceive you, and the importance of privacy in the digital age. Her new book, ‘Prophecy,’ comes out on April 21st. View on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E00mNfH75qM Listen in your favorite podcast app: https://privacyinterviews.transistor.fm/episodes/predictive-ai-w-carissa-veliz-university-of-oxford-professor The RSS feed for our audio interviews is separate from This Week in Privacy, you can find it at https://privacyinterviews.transistor.fm/subscribe ★ Support this podcast ★

Are Privacy Opt-Outs Useless?

An independant privacy audit of Microsoft, Google and Meta has found that privacy opt outs didn’t have an effect, Cal.com has moved from open-source to closed-source, Netgear has been exempt from the FCC’s non-US made router ban, and more! Join us for This Week In Privacy #49. (00:00) - Intro (00:45) - Start of podcast (01:19) - Google, Microsoft, Meta All Tracking You Even When You Opt Out, According to an Independent Audit (18:05) - Sovereign Tech Agency funding (Mastodon) (32:45) - Cal.com is going closed source. Here's why. (39:26) - Discourse is Not Going Closed Source (52:21) - Site updates (58:16) - Republican Mutiny Sinks Trump's Push to Extend Warrantless Surveillance (01:13:50) - 'No more excuses': Von Der Leyen says EU age checking app is ready (01:26:40) - Gottheimer Announces Bipartisan "Parents Decide Act" to Protect Kids Online (01:40:50) - Forum updates (01:57:53) - Q&A (02:14:13) - Outro ★ Support this podcast ★

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Interview with EFF Executive Director Cindy Cohn

We recently interviewed Cindy Cohn, EFF Executive Director and author of her new memoir: “Privacy’s Defender: My Thirty-Year Fight Against Digital Surveillance” View on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PFv0ki3nDc Listen in your favorite podcast app: https://privacyinterviews.transistor.fm/episodes/defending-privacy-w-cindy-cohn-effs-executive-director The RSS feed for our audio interviews is separate from This Week in Privacy, you can find it at https://privacyinterviews.transistor.fm/subscribe ★ Support this podcast ★

Why Does Microsoft Hate Security?

Microsoft is suspending developer accounts for key privacy tools like VeraCrypt and Wireguard, Employers are using your personal data to figure out the lowest salary you’ll accept, and more! Welcome to This Week In Privacy #48! (00:00) - Intro (00:45) - Start of podcast (01:09) - Microsoft Abruptly Terminates VeraCrypt Account, Halting Windows Updates (18:53) - Employers are using your personal data to figure out the lowest salary you’ll accept (36:51) - Site updates (44:01) - Little Snitch for Linux - Because Nothing Else Came Close (55:21) - Mini Q&A (01:05:05) - FBI Extracts Suspect’s Deleted Signal Messages Saved in iPhone (01:24:25) - Forum updates (01:40:04) - Q&A (01:58:06) - Outro ★ Support this podcast ★

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Claude Code Leaked It's Own Source Code

Anthropic’s Claude Code just leaked it’s own source code, ONLYOFFICE suspends Nextcloud partnership, LinkedIn scans your browser extensions, and more. Join us for This Week In Privacy #47! (00:00) - Intro (00:42) - Start of podcast (01:19) - Entire Claude Code CLI source code leaks thanks to exposed map file (18:43) - California bill would require parent bloggers to delete content of minors on social media (26:39) - Site updates (30:13) - ONLYOFFICE suspends Nextcloud partnership for forking its project without permission (43:24) - LinkedIn Is Illegally Searching Your Computer (58:50) - A Secure Chat App’s Encryption Is So Bad It Is ‘Meaningless’ (01:11:26) - Forum updates (01:27:08) - Q&A (01:33:41) - Outro ★ Support this podcast ★

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