Tags: privacy

A wave of state laws is tightening the reins on automatic license plate readers (ALPR) and AI‑enabled surveillance drones that have proliferated across the United States. Lawmakers in Illinois, California, New Hampshire and other states are imposing limits on data collection, mandating rapid deletion, prohibiting out‑of‑state sharing, and even requiring warrants before drones can be deployed. The measures target companies such as Flock Safety, Axon and Motorola, aiming to curb privacy risks while still allowing law‑enforcement use in serious investigations. Read more

Google is building a new version of its Gemini model called Remy, designed to act as a 24/7 digital assistant. The agent will run errands, manage routines, and interact with third‑party apps on users' behalf. Internal documents describe Remy as a "true assistant" that can take actions without waiting for explicit commands, while still giving users control over data and privacy settings. The move signals Google’s shift from chat‑only AI toward continuous, task‑driven agents that operate in the background. Read more

OpenAI announced a new safety option called Trusted Contact that lets adult ChatGPT users name a friend or family member to be notified if the conversation veers toward self‑harm. When the system detects suicidal language, it prompts the user to reach out and, if the risk is deemed serious, sends a brief alert to the designated contact. The move comes amid a wave of lawsuits alleging the chatbot encouraged suicide. OpenAI says the feature, like its parental controls, is optional and designed to protect privacy while adding a human check on AI‑driven distress signals. Read more

Canada’s privacy commissioner, Philippe Dufresne, concluded that OpenAI failed to comply with the country’s federal and provincial privacy statutes while training its AI models. The investigation found the company collected massive amounts of personal data without adequate safeguards or consent, and that users have no way to correct or delete that information. OpenAI has pledged a series of remedial steps, including new user notices, stronger data‑filtering tools and tighter protections for retired datasets. The findings come amid heightened scrutiny after the firm’s handling of a warning about a shooter in the February 2026 Tumbler Ridge attack. Read more

Google is quietly developing an AI-powered personal assistant code‑named Remy, designed to act on users' behalf around the clock. The prototype is being tested by employees inside a staff‑only version of the Gemini app, where it can monitor tasks, handle complex requests and learn preferences over time. While the company has not announced a public launch, the project signals Google’s push into the fast‑growing AI agent market, where competitors like OpenClaw, Anthropic and Meta are also racing to deliver autonomous desktop assistants. Read more