Privacy

Pavel Durov proposes secure communication tech to combat surveillance.

Colossal failures in online age verification have opened the floodgates for kids to access harmful content and become ‘friends’ with adult strangers. Can encrypted decentralized IDs put a stop to all that?

Web2 may be easier than ever to use, but its users are plagued by personal data theft and other security risks. Here’s how Web3 can do better.

The new crypto from OpenAI’s founder requires users to supply biometric data. What if those in control can identify you — and follow your every financial move?

The European Commission released two proposals on Wednesday, one for the digital euro, the ECB’s CBDC, and a legislative proposal to safeguard the role of cash.

Cryptocurrency wallet Ledger’s new update allows governments to access users’ seed phrases via subpoena, said Pascal Gauthier, the chief executive officer of Ledger. 

Storing personal information in a centralized place has been a honeypot for hackers, while decentralized identity allows for greater trust and data security, writes Caria Wei of Nuvo.

Personal information privacy matters more than ever in a post-Roe world, writes Kayla Kroot of Koii Network. Can data from menstrual cycle tracking apps be used to prosecute women and girls for abortions?

ConsenSys, which operates the popular cryptocurrency wallet MetaMask, said an update to the wallet has made no change to the data the platform collects from its users, only the wording had changed.

Coin Center, a non-profit think tank on cryptocurrencies and public policy, announced Wednesday it was filing a lawsuit against the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC), alleging the agency overreached its authority when it sanctioned cryptocurrency mixer Tornado Cash in August. See related article: What is the future for cryptocurrency mixers after […]

Forkast Editor in Chief Angie Law spoke with some of the industry experts to talk about the implications of the Tornado Cash sanctions.

Crypto exchange Huobi has ceased topping-up service for seven kinds of privacy-focused tokens on its exchange as it prepares to delist the tokens on Sept. 19, citing regulatory concerns. See related article: Privacy protocol Monero completes upgrade to make transactions more private Fast facts See related article: Huobi-incubated Chinese NFT platform iBox ends international operations

Monero completed its hard fork for a network upgrade on Saturday in an attempt to add more privacy to transactions on the protocol. See related article: Ransomware attacks are growing in sophistication. What can stop them? Fast facts Monero Sunday said that the network is “now more private and efficient with ringsize 16, Bulletproofs+, and […]

Europe’s Digital Markets Act will soon take power over personal data away from Big Tech and give it back to the people. How can data cooperatives help?

From credit card transactions to shopping habits and browsing histories, our digital footprints are recorded and preserved in centralized databases. These data are monetized for profit by third parties. Could blockchain-based Zero-Knowledge Proof put an end to mass surveillance? Find out in this Forkast.News video explainer. What you’ll learn: What is financial surveillance and how […]

The European Central Bank (ECB) said a central bank digital currency (CBDC) with a focus on anonymity is preferable to traditional electronic payments like bank deposits, but it “may become supplanted by payment tokens” issued by large tech firms. See related article: EU to introduce bill next year to plan a digital euro Fast facts […]

Algorand is planning a series of upgrades to bolster the network’s privacy and speed, and developing permissioned co-chains with a trustless decentralized bridge between chains, founder and MIT professor Silvio Micali said at Blockchain Week Australia on Tuesday.  See related article: What is Algorand and why is it a blockchain to watch? Fast facts Algorand […]

It’s a myth that crypto transactions are anonymous, writes Warren Paul Anderson of Discreet Labs. Confusing anonymity with privacy is what causes trouble.

NFT privacy concerns meanwhile AussieMates raises mental health awareness

The US Infrastructure Act has provisions that should make crypto advocates shudder, writes Alex Shipp of Offshift. Who will stand up for crypto’s core values?

Trust, data privacy and job elimination are some of the challenges that society will face as blockchain ushers in Web3.0, according to Don Tapscott.

The importance of digital privacy, freedom of expression and civil liberties and how Web 3 can protect them.

Centralized data management is outdated and vulnerable to hacking, says Li Jun of Ontology. Here’s how blockchain can make data more secure.

Bitcoin was recovered by the FBI from the Colonial Pipeline ransomware cyber criminals DarkSide, sparking privacy concerns around cryptocurrencies.

Privacy-centric coins like Monero, ZCash and Dash are seeing big price rises as the IRS and ATO issue warnings on taxable crypto transactions.

Blockchain improves data protection but not confidentiality. Here’s why multi-party computation can be a solution, writes Kurt Nielsen of Partisia Blockchain.

Blockchain association leader Perianne Boring explains the controversial rule and how the industry pulled together to force FinCEN to consider public input.

Signal, which exploded in popularity after WhatsApp’s privacy stumbles, may be exploring a business strategy pursued by Big Tech. What are the risks?

Smart cities could boost sustainability and quality of urban life, but some worry about privacy and data security. Can blockchain offer trusted solutions?

As mass demonstrations rock the world, technologies like blockchain, social media and AI are escalating unrest and state crackdowns to the next level.

Could blockchain technology and decentralized ID verification have prevented all those VIP Twitter accounts from being commandeered for a bitcoin scam?

As China’s digital currency begins large-scale testing, business giants like Didi and Meituan appear to be signing on. What does China’s central bank say?

China’s CBDC — the world’s first major government-issued digital currency — could launch this year. Are we ready for its financial and geopolitical impact?

Robot nurses, machine attendants and cleaning bots are increasingly replacing humans in and out of hospitals, to protect front-line medical staff from deadly infections. Is this a good thing?

While China is pushing more artificial intelligence surveillance technologies into law enforcement and everyday life, the US is having a rethink.

Could robot nurses, drones, facial recognition and other AI artillery help us win the war against Covid-19?

The rest of the world may worry over the new e-RMB and what it could do to the US dollar. But inside China, will yet another digital payment system even matter? Forkast.News finds out what the laobaixing think.

Working from home heightens computer security risks and the need for good data governance. What are the best practices for safeguarding critical data?

Digital currencies will become increasingly common in the economy, with CBDCs as an ‘organic gateway.’ Should we worry about user privacy?

Blockchain phones aren’t yet able to offer the ability to provide total security for your data.

Innovations in privacy-enhancing technology can address the challenges confronting enterprises from a regulatory, security and competitive perspective, writes Jonathan Rouach, CEO and cofounder of QEDIT.

Identification on a protocol level could help blockchain become mainstream for blue-chip companies like MasterCard, Volvo and Geely if international regulations are met. Anonymity is “exactly what is hindering wider use of blockchain,” said Concordium CEO Lone Fonss Schroder.

Using blockchain and encrypted computing in smart cities can protect user privacy as China builds out a new data infrastructure, says Vincent Wang, chief innovation officer at Wanxiang Group.

Using blockchain to handle patients’ data can lay the groundwork for genetic tests, telemedicine and AI.