Personal Privacy News Roundup - May 2025
Noteworthy Digital and Internet Privacy News From May 2025
Welcome to everyone.
For our new subscribers, this is our eagerly anticipated monthly news and notes roundup for all things personal privacy. We’ll even touch on some related cybersecurity issues to round things out.
Enjoy!
If you’re reading this but haven’t yet signed up, join the Secrets of Privacy community for free and get our newsletter delivered to your inbox by subscribing here 👇. Upgrade to a paid subscription to support our work for less than $0.25 per day.
If a subscription is right for you, we also now have a tip jar, where you can donate with USD, Monero, Bitcoin or Ethereum. See here.
This post is organized by the following categories:
The above is a clickable table of contents, so feel free to jump around to the sections you want to read. As always, drop any stories in the comments that we overlooked.
Secrets of Privacy Posts from May 2025:
We just published a new guide on how to protect your inbox using disposable email addresses and aliases. It covers the best tools, when to use (and not use) them, and how to combine aliases with other privacy tactics and tools for maximum protection. There are even a few bonuses included. Free for all paid yearly subscribers. Everyone else can grab a copy for a small price that’s less expensive than having your email address leaked all over the net. Grab a copy here.
AI Scams and other AI Privacy Related News
Deepfakes, Scams, and the Age of Paranoia (source)
AI scam calls are getting smarter. Here’s how telecoms are fighting back (source)
I scammed my bank (source)
Scammers are using AI voice-cloning apps to sound like someone you love. Then comes the call (source)
Wrong number scams are on the rise again thanks to AI (source)
FBI warns of scam targeting victims with fake hospitals and police (source)
Experts explain ways to safeguard against AI-enhanced scams (source)
How a new type of AI is helping police skirt facial recognition bans (source)
Meta Overhauls Ray-Ban Smart Glasses Policy to Default AI Surveillance, Voice Data Cloud Storage for Model Training (source)
Meta’s AI social feed is a privacy disaster waiting to happen (source)
By Default, Signal Doesn't Recall (source)
'Definitely my son's voice': Manitoba woman targeted by AI phone scam (source)
Welcome to the age of paranoia as deepfakes and scams abound (source)
Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office warn of scams using AI – how to spot the warning signs (source)
FBI issues warning of AI scams impersonating federal officials (source)
Pig butchering scams use AI to more effectively lure victims (source)
Woman Scammed Out of $160K by AI Keanu Reeves (source)
FBI warns iPhone, Android users: New AI scam being used to steal money and personal info (source)
Instagram tries using AI to determine if teens are pretending to be adults (source)
🎯 Want to know how your privacy setup really stacks up? We just launched a complimentary privacy and security assessment to help you pinpoint gaps and uncover quick wins. It only takes ~2 minutes and gives you personalized next steps.
It’s open to the first 200 people - grab your spot here: The Personal Privacy Scorecard 2025
Privacy Coins and Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) News
Shaping The Future With Top 10 Goals of Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDC) In The Coming Years (source)
CBDCs : Open Source Blockchains Are Being Used to Launch Central Bank Digital Currencies – Report (source)
CBDCs Could Accelerate Tokenised Ecosystem (source)
Analysing the Global CBDC Landscape Amid US Policy Reversal (source)
U.S. Treasury Secretary Bessent Calls CBDC a 'Sign of Weakness', Supports Bitcoin as Store of Value (source)
70 organizations join ECB’s digital euro innovation platform (source)
Are Privacy Coins Gaining Momentum? (source)
Arizona says NO to CBDC ban and crypto payments in sweeping veto (source)
Digital Yuan vs Bitcoin: China’s CBDC Threatens Crypto Freedom (source)
Michigan Proposes Bold Crypto Legislation: Bitcoin Pensions, CBDC Ban, and Mining Incentives (source)
Exclusive: Colombia to issue first CBDC on Cosmos, says Interchain Labs' CEO (source)
In the market for a new book to read? Check out our a virtual bookshelf. It’s a curated list of 10 privacy related books that cover key topics like the history of facial recognition, verified privacy techniques, Monero, and others. Check it out here:
All Other Privacy News
Proposed Swiss encryption laws may have a severe impact on VPNs – what you need to know (source)
The IRS Says Your Digital Life Is Not Your Property (source)
Are UK supermarkets the right place for facial recognition systems? (source)
Facebook Allegedly Detected When Teen Girls Deleted Selfies So It Could Serve Them Beauty Ads (source)
Google Wallet integrates privacy-focused ID verification (source)
Brave for Android adds a powerful tool that will make Chrome desktop users jealous (source)
Top 10 Privacy Mistakes You’re Still Making in 2025 (source) via
Nintendo says it may monitor and record chat sessions in updated privacy policy (source)
“Smart Glass" Is About to Revolutionize Privacy Concerns in Our Homes (source)
Smart home devices used to monitor domestic workers raise safety concerns (source)
A whopping 94% of leaked passwords are not unique - will you people ever learn? (source)
Google Rolls Out On-Device AI Protections to Detect Scams in Chrome and Android (source)
Mysterious Database of 184 Million Records Exposes Vast Array of Login Credentials (source)
Trump administration scraps Biden-era plan to limit sale of Americans' personal data (source)
Survey shows Gmail users would gladly sacrifice features for more privacy (source)
Inside Kroger's Secret Shopper Profiles: Why You May Be Paying More Than Your Neighbors (source)
Top 5 Mistakes When Trying to Geo-Locate a Photo (link)
Is World's Biometric ID Model A Threat To Self-Sovereignty? (link)
Substack Privacy and Cybersecurity Spotlight
Slamming the Door on Google Account Surveillance (source) via
How to Build a Burner Phone: A Step-by-Step Guide (source) via
AirPods Security Alert: How Your Wireless Earbuds Can Be Weaponized Against You (source) via
DuckDuckGo or DuckDuckNo? (You'll be Shocked at My Answer) (source) via
Surveillance as Digital Detention, Age Verification Harm, POST Act Updates, The Algorithmic Informant & More (source)
Your iPhone’s new AI is Spying on You — And Apple Built It That Way (source) via
Lock Down Your Mac (source) via
3 Browser Extensions That Instantly Upgrade Your Privacy (No Tech Skills Required) (source) via
The Fraud That Fooled Facial Recognition: The Case That Reveals the Limits of Biometrics (source) via
Metadata in Documents: The Hidden Risk You Can’t Afford to Ignore (source) via
Credit Card Fraud Targeted 62 Million Americans Last Year: Here's How to Avoid Becoming a Statistic (source) via
Essay: Criminalizing Artificial Intelligence (source) via
Controlled Chaos: How Coinbase Turned a Breach into a Blueprint (source) via
All Google users should do these 3 things to protect their privacy right now! (source) via
When Privacy Becomes Optional (source) via
New Privacy Seal Helps Parents, Teachers, and Schools Identify Privacy Protecting Leaders in EdTech (source) via
AI-Powered Advertising: Ethics and Privacy (source) via
Scammers Love Your LinkedIn More Than Recruiters (Fix this now) (source) via
When Stablecoins Meet On-Chain Credit and Privacy (source) via
23andMe and the Future of Human Genomic Data Privacy and Security (source) via
Lower risk by checking these 2 items before picking any AI tool (source) via
The AI Agent Era Has Begun, and Privacy Risks Are Rising (source) via
When you share your kids online, who benefits? (source) via
Self-Hosting AI Models (via )
Senior Cyber: Best Security Practices for Your Golden Years (source) via
Cryptocurrency Taxation and Privacy Coins: Understanding the Complexities of Digital Currency and Privacy (source) via
Scam Alert: This "Review" Site Will STEAL Your Information (source) via
The Risks of Free AI in the Workplace (source) via
If we missed a privacy story, article or post, please drop it in the comments.
📌 P.S. If you found this post helpful, please consider restacking it and sharing it with your friends, family and audience.
This helps spread the words and keeps us writing content that will help you bolster your privacy and become a harder target.
Looking for help with a privacy issue or privacy concern? Chances are we’ve covered it already or will soon. Follow us on X and LinkedIn for updates on this topic and other internet privacy related topics.
Disclaimer: None of the above is to be deemed legal advice of any kind. These are *opinions* written by a privacy attorney with 15+ years of working for, with and against Big Tech and Big Data. And this post is for informational purposes only and is not intended for use in furtherance of any unlawful activity.
Google recently made four big changes that you should be aware of. Get prepared here.
Check out our Personal Privacy Stack here.
Check out our Virtual Bookshelf here.
Looking to De-Google your life? Proton is one of the best ways to get there. Get started here with a paid plan for around $1/month. (affiliate link)
If you’re reading this but haven’t yet signed up, join the growing Secrets of Privacy community for free and get our newsletter delivered to your inbox by subscribing here 👇
Thank you!