Personal Privacy News Roundup - February 2025

Noteworthy Digital and Internet Privacy News From February 2025

Welcome to everyone.

For our new subscribers, this is our eagerly anticipated monthly news and notes roundup for all things personal privacy.

This month we’re mixing up the format a bit and adding a new section - Privacy commentary from Substack thought leaders. Substack has seen an explosion of privacy writers lately, so much so that we need a new dedicated section.

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This post is organized by the following categories:

1. Secrets of Privacy Posts from around the web

2. AI Scams and other AI related privacy news

3. Privacy Coins and CBDC related privacy news

4. All other digital and internet privacy news

5. Privacy commentary from Substack thought leaders (**NEW**)

As always, feel free to drop a story in the comments that we overlooked.

Secrets of Privacy Posts from February 2025:

Celebrity AI Imposters Are Coming For Your Bank Account

Privacy Tools Can Save You Thousands

The Truth About Passkeys

The Top 20 Worst Mobile Apps for Privacy

92% of People Skip This Easy Privacy Protection — Are You One of Them?

Are Hardware Keys the Ultimate Security Flex?

AI scams are here and getting more sophisticated. One of the best things you can do to protect yourself is to remove your personal information from Google and the data broker sites. That starves the scammers of vital information, making you a much harder target. You can DIY, or pay a reasonable fee to DeleteMe to do it for you. Sign up today and get 20% off using our affiliate link here. We’ve used DeleteMe for almost five years and love it for the peace of mind. It’s also a huge time saver.

AI Scams and other AI Privacy Related News

1. DeepSeek AI collects your keystrokes and may never delete them (source)

2. Advanced generative AI cyber fraud rose 118% last year (source)

3. Gmail users urged not to ignore FBI warnings as sophisticated AI-driven scams target users (source)

4. 2025 Predictions: How will the interplay of AI and fraud play out? (source)

5. Google report warns of AI’s expanding role in cybercrime and disinformation (source)

6. How AI-driven identify fraud is causing havoc (source)

7. 5 sneaky ways hackers use generative AI to scam you (source)

8. Scammers using AI to dupe the lonely looking for love (source)

9. AI-Driven Biometric Fraud Surges in 2024, Threatening Financial Sector Security (source)

10. Shadow AI: How unapproved AI apps are compromising security, and what you can do about it (source)

11. Scammers use AI to trick mother into thinking she was dating Elon Musk (source)

12. AI-Powered Deception is a Menance to Our Societies (source)

13. The cruel new scam where AI is used to lure people in as one victim loses £60k (source)

14. These Scientists Are Using AI To Spot Financial Scams Before They Begin (source)

15. Why your stolen data could be used in AI-powered scams (source)

Privacy Coins and Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) News

1. Central Bank Digital Currencies and the Future of the Payment Systems (source)

2. BDC requires interoperability, privacy protection, robust infrastructure, and clear benefits of use to become currency in future, says GlobalData (source)

3. Trump's digital dollar ban gives China and Europe's CBDCs free rein (source)

4. CBDC require clear benefits of use to become currency in future, says GlobalData (source)

5. Ripple featured CBDC tech for years, dumped it after Trump victory (source)

6. Waller: Fed has 'dropped' wholesale CBDC concept (source)

7. Are CBDCs Doomed to be Put on Ice? Exploring Project Delays, Challenges and Potential (source)

8. 48% of central banks plan to issue CBDC within 5 years (source)

9. As Powell Commits to No CBDC, Global Momentum Stalls (source)

10. Russia’s CBDC Digital Ruble Won’t Expire or Be Forced on Users, Bank of Russia Confirms (source)

11. EU needs a permanent CBDC — Deutsche Börse CEO (source)

12. Central Banks Face Mounting Delays in CBDC Issuance (source)

13. Half of Planned CBDCs Designed to be Programmable (source)

14. Bank of Israel may consider paying interest on future CBDC (source)

Password managers are a must have in our digital first world. Not only do they organize your logins securely, they’re huge productivity boosts as we explained here. We use Proton Pass. Bitwarden is another large player. Both have limited free plans to try out. If you want full functionality, Proton Pass is only around $3/month. Use our affiliate link here to get started and support the newsletter.

All Other Privacy News

1. Spyware maker Paragon confirms US government is a customer (source)

2. Chinese-Made Patient Monitor Contains a Secret Backdoor (source)

3. Police refuse to return stolen phone to owner because thief 'used it' and device now contained his private information (source)

4. Creating smart buildings with privacy-first sensors (source)

5. X accounts of Leni Robredo, Maria Ressa hacked to promote crypto (source)

6. Meta Sues Alleged Instagram Extortionist (source)

7. X is blocking links to Signal (source)

8. Larry Ellison wants to put all America's data, including DNA, in one big Oracle system for AI to study (source)

9. Google’s new policy tracks all your devices with no opt-out (source)

10. Local woman receives letter from stranger who tracked her down using dating app (source)

11. Google Confirms Gmail To Ditch SMS Code Authentication (source)

12. China’s latest surveillance tech: A spy camera so advanced it can capture faces from 100 km away (source)

13. "We will never build a backdoor" – Apple kills its iCloud's end-to-end encryption feature in the UK (source)

14. ISP sued by record labels agrees to identify 100 users accused of piracy (source)

15. FBI Warns iPhone, Android Users—We Want ‘Lawful Access’ To All Your Encrypted Data (source)

16. How to disable ACR on your TV (and why you shouldn't wait to do it) (source)

17. Signal's CEO: Then We're Leaving Sweden (source)

18. A new Android feature is scanning your photos for 'sensitive content' - how to stop it (source)

19. Millions of Avast antivirus software customers are getting a refund. Here's why. (source)

20. Apple faces likely French antitrust fine for privacy tool, sources say (source)

Privacy Commentary and Notes From Substack Thought Leaders

1. How Being FAKE Can Help You Stay Private (source) via

   BioRat

2. DeepSeek security and privacy analysis (source) via

   Walter Haydock

3. The Devastating Impact of Privacy Violations in Abusive Relationships (source) via

   Shadows of Control

4. Stop Apps Spying: Take 5 minutes to check the App Permissions on Your Phone (source) via

   Tate Jarrow

5. The Perfect Pseudonym: Why You Need Fake Emails (source) via

   BioRat

6. Privacy in Authoritarian Times (source) via

   Marison Souza

7. Is pseudonymised data personal data? (source) via

   Mahdi Assan

8. The ET Deep Dive: Five big concerns about credential tracking and privacy (source) via

   Jamie Smith

9. Breach or Blessing? Lessons from a Suppression List Slip-Up (source) via

   Carey Lening

   Exploring Privacy-Enhancing Technologies (PETs)

10. Children's safety and privacy regulation - what to look out for in 2025 (source) via

    Steve Wood

11. Privacy is Dead: Data Companies Spy on Where You Sleep, Pray, and Seek Medical Care (source) via

    Cyber-intelligence Brief

12. AI: The Study That Reveals the 12 Biggest Privacy Risks (source) via

    Marison Souza

13. Google’s Android 16 Fights Scammers: Blocks Sideloading & Accessibility Changes During Calls (source) via

    Dark Marc

14. How To Remove Personal Information Off The Web (source) via

    Monique Barrow

    If you’re an iPhone user, this iCloud setting is a must for your privacy and security!

15. The UK's war against encryption and digital sovereignty (source) via

    Matte

16. We Need Our Claws Out to Protect our Privacy and Fundamental Rights (source) via

    Carey Lening

17. Stalkers Love When You Use This One Word on Twitter (source) via

    BioRat

18. SafetyCore: Is Google paving the way for the end of encryption? (source) via

    Matte

19. UK to Apple: Build us a backdoor 🚪, or else! (source) via

    Samuel Solberg

20. Virtual Private Nightmare: Your VPN Isn’t Safe. What’s The Best VPN? (source) via

    HS

21. Don't leave your privacy and safety to chance, safeguard your information before you become a target. (source) via

    Tate Jarrow

22. Lights On, Hazards Off: Safely Exploring The Darkweb (source) via

    Investigator515

    [Guest Post] Stalkers Use This Website to Find You. Use It First

23. 🔒 Privacy at Stake: The Future Depends on Us (not USA) (source) via

    Marison Souza

24. Stop Apps Spying: Take 5 minutes to check the App Permissions on Your Phone (source) via

    Tate Jarrow

25. 2025 MacOS Cyber Safety (source) via

    Paul Caloca - EssentialRiskMgt

26. Quantum Computing, AI as Lawyers, and Biometric Nightmares—Oh My! (source) via

    Rachel Harris

27. Apple Just Surrendered (What This Means for Your Privacy) (source) via

    Jason Rowe

28. Don't Let Your Work Device Betray You: Keep Your Personal Digital Life Separate (source) via

    Tate Jarrow

29. Why I NEVER Answer This Question on the Internet (source) via

    BioRat

30. Telefed: Telegram Has Gone Federal. Here’s How To Use It Safely (source) via

    HS

31. 🔒 How to stop AI from using your data? (source) via

    Marison Souza