Age verification, boon or bane? 🧐

itsfoss.com/news/distros-respo…

#privacy #ageverification

How Linux and BSD Distros Are Responding to the New Age Verification Laws

Age verification laws could change how operating systems work. See how major Linux and BSD distributions are reacting to the new regulations.

^{Abhishek Prakash (It's FOSS)}

🚨 Wide ranging powers to restrict Internet access in the UK have been voted through 🚨

Ministers will be able to impose digital ID checks, curfews and VPN restrictions without Parliamentary scrutiny.

This can be used on websites, social media, apps and games with no need to show there's any harm to children.

Find out more ⬇️

openrightsgroup.org/press-rele…

#onlinesafety #digitalid #id #privacy #ageverification #freedomofexpression #ukpolitics #ukpol

MPs give ministers powers to restrict entire Internet

MPs have rejected a Lords amendment to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill that would allow a social media ban for under 16s.

^{Open Rights Group}

“When you create a law, you have to think about what a future government could do with those powers."

Ministers would have unilateral powers to lock what they see as 'harmful' behind digital ID checks.

This could end up being used on LGBTQ+ and reproductive health content.

🗣️ ORG's James Baker.

politico.eu/article/uk-eyes-sw…

#onlinesafety #digitalid #privacy #freedomofexpression #ageverification #ukpolitics #ukpol

UK eyes sweeping powers to regulate tech  

The U.K. government has laid two amendments that would let it sidestep parliamentary debate so it can update online safety laws.

^{Mizy Clifton (POLITICO)}

Age verification is spreading like the plague. When does it stop? 🤧

itsfoss.com/news/age-verificat…

#privacy #ageverification

Age Verification Laws Are Multiplying Like a Virus, and Your Linux Computer Might be Next

What started as age gates on adult websites has quietly crept into app stores and operating systems.

^{Sourav Rudra (It's FOSS)}

In the age of mass #digitalsurveillance, people’s fundamental right to organize is under threat. 🫂

In its new guide, WIRED explores 5 tools and techniques that help grassroots movements oppose vast #surveillance powers and safeguard their #privacy.

@WIRED

Full guide:👇 wired.com/story/how-to-organiz…

🚨 ID checks to get online could become the new norm 🚨

A new amendment would give the UK government sweeping powers to block access to lawful information and communications.

That's unless we submit our identification to a bounty of providers.

Tell your MP to stop this broad and repressive law ⬇️

action.openrightsgroup.org/no-…

#privacy #freedomofexpression #ageverification #digitalID #onlinesafety #ukpolitics #ukpol

No ID Checks for Web Access

Take action! What’s the problem? The Government has proposed amendments to the Children Wellbeing and Schools Bill, which would give Ministers the power to restrict access to "internet services".

^{Open Rights Group}

I have a Fairphone and the biggest gripe I have with it is Android. I still can't believe Fairphone haven't read the room and provided and alternative privacy based option out of the box without having to flash firmware and risk bricking your phone. this is interesting

#fairphone #privacy

A surprise collab just happened.

itsfoss.com/news/motorola-grap…

#privacy #opensource #grapheneos

Tired of Google's Tracking? Motorola's GrapheneOS-Powered Phones Are Coming

You won't need to pay Google for using GrapheneOS soon.

^{Sourav Rudra (It's FOSS)}

@nextcloud_main

Gotta say, it feels great being able to promote @nextcloud@mastodon.xyz 's posts at long last now that they're POSTING THEIR VIDEOS ON PEERTUBE!!! (On their own instance no less!)

I've yelled at them for... a long time, so now it's time to give credit where it's earned. It's great to see y'all living up to the values of privacy, data control and decentralization with your videos.

Way to go Nextcloud! 👏 👍

PS If you haven't subscribed to Nextcloud's peertube channel yet, show them the effort was worth it and FOLLOW THEM NOW! It's at @nextcloud@peertube.nextcloud.com (you can follow from Masto or any Fedi client, too)

#NHextcloud #Privacy #Decentralization #Google #Youtube #Alphabet

Age verification, what's your take on it?

itsfoss.com/news/our-take-on-a…

#privacy #ageverification

Age Verification: Protection Tool or Surveillance in Disguise?

As more governments push age checks into our apps and operating systems, the dystopian future doesn't feel so far off anymore.

^{Sourav Rudra (It's FOSS)}

Just Windows things. 😂🫡

#windows #privacy

AI's dangers are very apparent now.

itsfoss.com/news/ai-online-dea…

#ai #privacy

AI Can Now Easily Unmask Your Secret Online Life (Even If You Use a Fake Name)

New study shows smart chatbots can figure out who you really are from just a few posts... and it only costs a couple of dollars.

^{Abhishek Prakash (It's FOSS)}

Copilot can whine all it wants. 🤭

#copilot #ai #privacy

The netizens of Colorado take note. 👇

itsfoss.com/news/colorado-age-…

#colorado #privacy

US State Colorado Wants Operating Systems to Tell Every App How Old You Are

A bill with a goal and vague language on how to achieve it.

^{Sourav Rudra (It's FOSS)}

Murena has cooked up a new tablet with Volla. 🤓

itsfoss.com/news/murena-volla-…

#privacy #murena #volla #tablet

Murena Teams Up With German Manufacturer to Offer a €698 de-Googled Android Tablet

Featuring 12GB of RAM and a 10,000 mAh battery, this collaboration with Volla brings some decent specs to the privacy-first mobile market.

^{Sourav Rudra (It's FOSS)}

Another interview with a person from Session. 👇

itsfoss.com/news/session-co-fo…

#privacy #session

Session's Co-Founder Thinks You Don't Need to Ditch WhatsApp Completely

Kee Jefferys on why privacy messaging should be an option, not a replacement.

^{Sourav Rudra (It's FOSS)}

Firefox did something right, finally. 😮‍💨

itsfoss.com/news/firefox-ai-fe…

#firefox #opensource #privacy

Finally! Firefox Is Getting a Kill Switch for Its (Unwanted) AI Features

Maybe this will bring back some of those lost users.

^{Sourav Rudra (It's FOSS)}

Mozilla is adding a toggle to disable all generative "AI" features in Firefox. It shows that organized pushback is actually making a difference.

One battle won. Now let's make it crystal clear. We want tools, not forced LLMs. Keep the pressure on until "AI" is no longer an option.

techcrunch.com/2026/02/02/fire…

#Firefox #Mozilla #NoAI #FOSS #OpenSource #Privacy #TerminalTilt

Firefox will soon let you block all of its generative AI features | TechCrunch

Starting with Firefox 148 arriving later this month, users will find a new AI controls section within the desktop browser settings.

^{Aisha Malik (TechCrunch)}

Assuming there are about 3 billion computer users, it is highly unlikely that they are all satisfied with the same harmonious system or desktop, or that it meets all the requirements of all these users.

And it is absolutely dangerous when one monopolist or two corporations have control over all these people. Accordingly, it should be a concern of all people that there are numerous solutions.

#bigtech #gafam #privacy #diday #DigitaleSouveränität

Remote work without Big Tech? At virebent.art we host:

CryptPad - docs, sheets, presentations, kanban with end-to-end encryption
cryptpad.virebent.art

Jitsi Meet - video calls with no account, no tracking
jitsi.virebent.art

Two tools, zero surveillance. All open source.

Collaborate on documents, make calls, organize projects. Without giving away your data.

#RemoteWork #Privacy #OpenSource #CryptPad #Jitsi #FOSS #DigitalRights

CryptPad: end-to-end encrypted collaboration suite

^{cryptpad.virebent.art}

I've been running this in #Firefox for 3 years since I listened to a talk by its original developer, Serene, at the World Ethical Data Forum in 2022.

It is completely unobtrusive. Here is a good explainer from @eff

eff.org/deeplinks/2022/10/snow…

Serene also has an interesting story
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serene_(…

#music #software #privacy #activism

Oh look: #discord outsourced their age verification to some vendor. You know, the #ageverification that countries like the UK want to make mandatory for basically every online service. And the vendor had a data breach exposing photos of government IDs for 70,000 people.

Do you feel safer? How many children did we protect by exposing the IDs of these 70,000 (presumably) adults? Thanks for taking one for the team, you 70,000 canaries in the #privacy coal mine.

discord.com/press-releases/upd…

Update on a Security Incident Involving Third-Party Customer Service | Discord

At Discord, protecting the privacy and security of our users is a top priority. That’s why it’s important to us that we’re transparent with them about events that impact their personal information.

^discord.com

Just MS things 🤷‍♀️

#opensource #privacy #microsoft

The EU has floated something interesting...

itsfoss.com/news/eu-open-sourc…

#eu #privacy #2026

Europe Has a New Plan to Break Free from US Tech Dominance

This four-week consultation on open source software tackles the cloud, AI, cybersecurity, and automotive sectors.

^{Sourav Rudra (It's FOSS)}

Latest comic: Mr. and Mrs. Perkins' Holiday Stroll

#holidays #authoritarianism #cartoon #comic #privacy #surveillance

Discover how to take full control of your photo library with a self-hosted PhotoPrism setup at home.

itsfoss.com/self-hosting-photo…

#selfhosting #privacy

What Google Photos? Self-Hosting Photo Storage with PhotoPrism Using Docker in My Homelab

PhotoPrism offers one path toward that goal of data ownership. With PhotoPrism, your vacation photos don’t become training data for someone else’s business model. They remain what they actually are, your memories, under your control.

^{Bhuwan Mishra (It's FOSS)}

This holiday season, make a donation to a privacy organization ❄️ @torproject @eff @privacyint @noybeu @edri @EngageMedia @fight @openrightsgroup @calyxinstitute

theprivacycloud.substack.com/p…

#privacy #donate

Support Privacy This Holiday Season

Now more than ever do they need our support

^{Monique Barrow (The Privacy Cloud 🔐☁️)}

A new proposed bill has people questioning Denmark's motive.

itsfoss.com/news/denmark-contr…

#privacy #vpn #denmark

Is Denmark Really Banning VPNs? A Controversial Bill Has People Worried

Proposed legislation would make it illegal to use VPNs for accessing geo-blocked content.

^{Sourav Rudra (It's FOSS)}

The Tor project's rustification is on track.

itsfoss.com/news/tor-rust-rewr…

#opensource #tor #privacy #rust

The Tor Project is Making a Switch to Rust, Ditches C

Arti, the Rust rewrite of Tor, brings circuit isolation and onion service improvements in its 1.8.0 release.

^{Sourav Rudra (It's FOSS)}

A quick talk with the President of the Session Technology Foundation. 📝👇

itsfoss.com/news/alexander-lin…

#session #privacy

There is No Future for Online Safety Without Privacy and Security

Alexander Linton on building decentralized messaging and why platform-wide content moderation is impractical on encrypted platforms.

^{Sourav Rudra (It's FOSS)}

A Swiss group has raised concerns over Big Tech cloud infra use.

itsfoss.com/news/privatim-decl…

#privacy #bigtech #switzerland

Swiss Data Protection Group Says US Cloud Giants Can't Meet Privacy Standards

Lack of end-to-end encryption makes international cloud services unsuitable, privatim says.

^{Sourav Rudra (It's FOSS)}

Brain Computer Enterprises, Cooperative Inc. believes privacy and security is important for all, which is why we run a TOR (Transparent Onion Router) node to support the Tor Project:

metrics.torproject.org/rs.html…

#privacy #security #tor #torproject

Tired of Chrome clones? Meet the Firefox-powered alternatives. 🦊✨

itsfoss.com/firefox-based-brow…

#firefox #privacy

Not Every Browser is Built on Chrome: Explore These Firefox-based Options

Think all popular browsers out there are Chromium based? Take a look at this Firefox-based options.

^{Pulkit Chandak (It's FOSS)}

7 easy weekend wins to reclaim your privacy!

itsfoss.com/privacy-wins-linux…

#linux #privacy

7 Privacy Wins You Can Get This Weekend (Linux-First)

Take one step at a time to get your privacy right.

^{Theena Kumaragurunathan (It's FOSS)}

Austria’s Ministry of Economy kicks out Microsoft, moving 1,200 staff to Nextcloud in 4 months 🕒

EU-based cloud ensures GDPR & NIS2 compliance 🇪🇺
Hybrid setup keeps Teams only for external use; all internal collaboration now on Nextcloud 🔒
Smooth rollout earns positive employee feedback 👍

🔗 news.itsfoss.com/austrian-mini…

#TechNews #OpenSource #Privacy #Cloud #DataSovereignty #Nextcloud #EU #FOSS #CyberSecurity #IT #Government #Software #Innovation #Digital #Security #Linux

Good News! Austrian Ministry Kicks Out Microsoft in Favor of Nextcloud

The BMWET migrates 1,200 employees to sovereign cloud in just four months.

^{Sourav Rudra (It's FOSS News)}

NEW BLOGPOST!

The Onionspray Ansible role version 3 has just been released, and with it, I've put together this article about @torproject , online privacy, and related concepts. If you'd like to learn more about Tor onion services, and how you can easily deploy your own with Onionspray and Ansible, be sure to take a look!

zoug.fr/deploy-tor-onion-servi…

Feel free to leave a comment on it by replying to this post 😀

#tor #onion #privacy #ansible

Deploy a Tor onion service with Onionspray and Ansible - zoug.fr

Learn more about Tor onion services (or hidden services), how they work, and how to easily deploy one with **Onionspray** and **Ansible**.

^zoug.fr

Proton VPN's CLI client looks promising. 🗔🐧

news.itsfoss.com/proton-vpn-li…

#linux #privacy #protonvpn

Terminal Geeks Rejoice! Proton VPN's Long-Awaited Linux CLI is Finally Here

Still in beta but there is progress. Manage Proton VPN from the command line on Ubuntu, Debian, and Fedora.

^{Sourav Rudra (It's FOSS News)}

Proton's latest launch targets the dark web. 🕵️👩💻

news.itsfoss.com/proton-data-b…

#privacy #proton #darkweb

Proton Launches Data Breach Observatory to Track Dark Web Activity in Real-Time

A constantly updated dark web monitoring tool.

^{Sourav Rudra (It's FOSS News)}