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Content type: Examples
Popular educational apps have access to reams of private data that could result in privacy and security violations, a new study has found.25 apps were tested, with many found to request access to the users’ camera, calendar, location, contacts, and the ability to record audio, among other permissions.Apps like Canvas Student, Coursera, Duolingo, Remind, and Simplilearn can access Google, Meta, and Samsung accounts on the device - something that is not necessary for them to work, but which could…
Content type: Long Read
On the basis of a year of legal research by PI as well as documents obtained by other civil society organisations, and evidence provided by legal representatives fighting these automated systems on behalf of their clients, on the 18th August 2025, we issued a formal complaint to the UK Information Commissioner (ICO) regarding the UK Home Office’s use of two ‘automated recommendation-making tools’ (ARMTs), the Identify and Prioritise Immigration Cases tool (IPIC) and the Electronic Monitoring…
Content type: Video
Links Maria's original rewilding article, with Robin Berjon, in Noema Maria's article 'This is your phone on feminism'A talk Maria gave about rewildingMaria's website where you can keep an eye to find out when her book is coming out!London Centric and the F**k you busMore about PI's work on competition
Content type: News & Analysis
Freedom of Information (FOI) requests have revealed the rapidly increasing scale of police mass facial recognition searches against the passport and immigration databases. New figures reveal that the number of searches of the passport database has “skyrocketed” from 2 in 2020 to 417 in 2023, and an almost sevenfold increase from 16 searches of the immigration database in 2023, to 102 in 2024. The Home Office and police forces are conducting these searches against over 150 million photos of the…
Content type: News & Analysis
We’ve been warning for a while now about the risks of AI Assistants. Are these assistants designed for us or to exploit us?The answer to that question hinges on whether the firms building these tools are considering security and privacy from the outset. The initial launches over the last couple of years were not promising.Now with OpenAI’s agent launch, users deserve to know whether these firms are considering these risks and designing their service for people in the real world. The OpenAI…
Content type: Video
LinksLearn more about Repro uncensoredRepro Uncensored incident report formAdriana Smith's caseMore about Adriana's casePrivacy International's Menstruation apps researchResearch on Bing's Typo-searchingMSI on the Global impact of Roe V. Wade being overturnedReport by Fòs Feminista on the Global Impact of the Dobbs DecisionMeta getting rid of factchecking functionAmazon USA report called Obstacles to Autonomy, which includes info on advertising account restrictionsAn report by the Independent…
Content type: Long Read
In June 2025, a team of researchers exposed how Meta and Yandex abused Android and browser-specific tools to track users outside of their application and collect associated data. The technique used to achieve this was truly innovative, and akin to malware behaviour. It exploited protocols to break the isolation between apps and browser, a fundamental security concept meant to protect users. This allowed these companies to tie the browsing history of individuals with their accounts on the…
Content type: News & Analysis
It feels like WhatsApp is everywhere. Who isn’t familiar with the gentle ding as a message arrives - the relentless group chats, or the customer service bots? According to recent statistics, the service is used regularly by nearly 3 billion people around the world. Its core service - end-to-end encrypted messaging - is essential in today’s society.But private messaging services like WhatsApp are costly to run, and not something people are accustomed to paying for. Securing an income stream for…
Content type: Examples
US National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency awards $24 million for AI-enabled monitoring technologies
BlackSky Technology Inc. has secured a $24 million, four-year delivery order from the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) as part of the Luno A Facility Operational Monitoring (FOMO) programme. BlackSky will use its AI-powered monitoring system to track changes in activity at global military and economic sites, including ports, airfields, railways, and military bases. The system integrates real-time satellite imagery with AI to deliver rapid intelligence. The company already monitors…
Content type: Examples
Sierra Space has been contracted by the U.S. Space Force’s Space Systems Command to design next-gen “Resilient GPS” (R‑GPS) satellites. These are smaller, cost‑effective satellites intended to bolster the existing GPS constellation and protect them against jamming and spoofing by adversaries. The R-GPS program gained pace as per the new “Quick Start” authority established under Section 229 of the National Defense Authorization Act. This provision empowers the U.S. Space Force to rapidly launch…
Content type: Examples
The contract to be delivered by Thales Northern Ireland has been granted by the Ministry of Defense on behalf of the Ukrainian Government. According to the deal, Thales will produce more than 5,000 lightweight-multirole missiles to be used by Ukraine. A Ukrainian manifacturing partner will produce launchers and necessary equipment for the deployment of the missiles. The initial worth of the contract is £1.16 billion and it can potentially rise £500 million more.https://www.gov.uk/government/…
Content type: Examples
The European Commission and the European Investment Fund announced its investment of €40 million in Keen Venture Partners in an effort to support defence-tech innovation in Europe. The investment is made under the Defence Equity Facility of the EU, a €175 million initiative to boost the private investment field for defence in the EU. Keen Venture is a company that invests in emerging startups at the forefront of defense and security, with a particular interest in cutting-edge technologies like…
Content type: Examples
Draganfly Inc. has secured a contract with the Cochise County Sheriff’s Department to deploy drones for enhanced surveillance and rapid-response missions along the southern U.S. border. According to the company, the initiative “positions Cochise County as a national model for technology-enabled border enforcement”.https://uk.investing.com/news/company-news/draganfly-drones-to-boost-cochise-county-border-surveillance-93CH-4126537Publication: investing.com
Content type: Examples
Planet Labs PBC, a leading provider of satellite imagery and geospatial solutions, has been awarded a substantial seven-figure contract by NATO to deliver a platform solution to support continuous space-based surveillance, delivery of early warning signals and strenghtening of Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA). The platform solution is expected to incorporate Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning analytics.https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250612808959/en/NATO-Selects-Planet-for-…
Content type: Examples
Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden signed a Strategic Partnership Agreement (SPA) with Nammo AS to provide ammunition production and delivery for the Nordic countries. The first partnership agenda is on the production of artillery and small arms calibres worth $155 million. Beyond this, the partnership will also focus on research and development for defence and joint ammunition use among these countries.https://defence-industry.eu/nordic-countries-sign-strategic-ammunition-partnership-…
Content type: Examples
Sweden has signed a contract with MBDA, a European missile manufacturer, to acquire a fifth-generation anti-tank guided missile system. While the exact quantity and delivery timeline remain undisclosed, the deal includes missiles, launchers, support equipment, and services. The acquisition is part of a broader Sweden–France defense cooperation launched in 2023. According to the Swedish Defense Material Administration, the transaction will support the development of advanced weapon systems for…
Content type: Examples
Leading AI company OpenAI is to provide generative AI capabilities in addressing security challenges in both frontline warfighting efforts and office business functions for the US Department of Defense. The project is estimated to run until July 2026. It marks the first collaboration for OpenAI under their initiative to incorporate AI for governments.https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/jun/17/openai-military-contract-warfightingPublication: The Guardian (Via Agence France-Presse)
Content type: Examples
MBDA’s start-up NEODE Systems has secured its first major contract from France’s defense procurement agency (Direction Générale de l’Armement) to enhance the Akeron MP missile system with AI-driven capabilities. The project will test a decision-support tool designed to boost surveillance, targeting, identification and engagement performance for beyond-line-of-sight missions.https://www.army-technology.com/news/neode-akeron-mp-contract/Publication: Army Technology
Content type: Examples
The NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) has ordered Carl-Gustaf M4 weapon systems and munitions from Swedish defense firm Saab on behalf of the Netherlands and France to support ground combat modernization. The contract includes advanced ammunition types and will begin delivery in 2025. This order builds on a €176 million framework agreement since 2022 and highlights ongoing collaboration between Saab, NSPA, and NATO member states.https://defence-industry.eu/nspa-orders-carl-gustaf-m4-…
Content type: Examples
NATO Allied Command Operations (ACO) has contracted ICEYE within the frame of the Alliance Persistent Surveillance from Space. The initiative is coordinated by NATO and is intended to improve the space-based sharing of intelligence across NATO member states. ICEYE’s SAR satellites, capable of high-resolution imaging in all weather and lighting conditions, will support faster decision-making in political and military fields. This builds on ICEYE’s earlier agreement in March 2025 to supply data…
Content type: Video
Links:Read more from Defend Digital MePI's work on Securitising Education25 Years old - The Database State report5 safes principlesUK Government's publication on Genomics in EducationTips and Tricks for submitting a Data Subject Access RequestRequest your information from the Department for Education
Content type: Long Read
We continue producing real change by challenging governments and corporations that use data and technology to exploit us.Since the beginning of the year, we’ve achieved some wins and would like to share them with you.Creating change is hard, and takes time. We have to uncover problems, draw attention to them, and pressure for change. In the first quarter of the year, we’ve been able to challenge secret surveillance powers, research the data practices of the menstruation apps, contribute to…
Content type: Advocacy
The International Labour Organisation (ILO) is developing standards for decent work in the platform economy. Gig workers are exposed to a range of harms because of the precarious nature of their work and the use of opaque algorithms to manage them.Privacy International has come together with Human Rights Watch, TEDIC, IT for Change, Derechos Digitales and more than 30 other organisations to demand that this new ILO standard puts a stop to harmful practice, protects and promotes workers' rights…
Content type: Long Read
Period tracking apps and the rollback of reproductive rightsThe aftermath of the overturning of Roe v. Wade in the United States (US) sparked widespread debate and concern that data from period tracking apps could be use to criminalise those seeking abortion care.While the surveillance and criminalisation of reproductive choices are neither new nor unique to the US, the scale and intensity of today’s crisis continue to grow. To put it into perspective, 22 million women and girls of reproductive…
Content type: Explainer
The Free to Protest Guide (Türkiye) has been created by adapting Privacy International's (PI) Free to Protest Guide UK according to the laws and policies of Türkiye, in collaboration with PI and local activists in Türkiye.The Guide has been published in English and Türkçe.DISCLAIMER: This guide forms part of PI's global work to highlight the range of surveillance tools that law enforcement can use in the protest context, and how data protection laws can help guarantee individuals' data privacy…
Content type: Advocacy
The Open informal consultations on lethal autonomous weapons systems, held in accordance with General Assembly resolution 79/62 at the UN in New York on 12-13 May 2025, examined various legal, humanitarian, security, technological, and ethical aspects of these weapons. These consultations aimed to broaden the scope of AWS discussions beyond those held by the Group of Governmental Experts (GGE) at the UN in Geneva. Find out more about what happened during the discussions at Researching Critical…
Content type: Examples
Universities across the US are setting up task forces, tightening disciplinary policies, employing surveillance cameras, and hiring private investigators to track anti-Israel student protesters in response to criticisms that they have allowed antisemitism to spread alongside pro-Palestinian demonstrations. In early February 2025, US president Donald Trump signed an executive order directing the State and Education Departments to push colleges to report non-citizen students or staff who engage…
Content type: Examples
In January 2025 as Robert Fico's coalition government fell apart, he began claiming, based on a single ChatGPT-generated email, that peaceful mass anti-government protests could escalate into violent clashes between citizens and security forces, and trigger a coup d'état. The government began wiretapping organisers of anti-government protesters, journalists, and opponents, as well as tracing financial transactions and photos. The opposition party filed a criminal complaint alleging the…
Content type: Examples
Human Rights Watch has called for an investigation into Georgian security forces' "brutal police violence" against peaceful protesters during two weeks of demonstrations against the government following elections in October that the OSCE has said were marred by vote-buying, double voting, physical violence, and intimidation. The authorities have since arrested hundreds of people and surveilled participants with Chinese-made facial recognition cameras. https://www.rferl.org/a/hrw-…
Content type: Examples
UCLA has come under criticism for "militarising" its campus and the amount of money it's spending on security since pro-Palestinian protests began in 2023. The university's new Office of Campus Safety is led by former Sacramento police chief Rick Braziel, who says he wants to create a "beautiful campus where people feel safe and comfortable with each other". Others, however, feel that stepped-up patrols are making the campus climate tense.https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-10-11/…