Privacy news round-up #101

This ‘invisible’ data trail can reveal your location, health status and even sexuality to scammers: “Metadata is the raw material of mass surveillance, and artificial intelligence [AI] systems are making it more and more refined.” – Harry Halpin

Jaya Brekke on Mixnets and digital privacy’s inflection point: Privacy isn’t about having ‘something to hide,’ but about preserving the basic integrity of how we make decisions and relate to one another offline within digital environments.

Switzerland Launches Apertus: A Public, Open-Source AI Model Built for Privacy: Researchers from EPFL, ETH Zurich, and the Swiss National Supercomputing Centre (CSCS) have unveiled Apertus, a fully open-source, multilingual large language model (LLM) built with transparency, inclusiveness, and compliance at its core.

Fired WhatsApp security head accuses Meta of ignoring major privacy threats: Attaullah Baig said Meta ignored repeated warnings about hacks and data risks on WhatsApp, gave staff wide access to private details and then fired him after he raised concerns.

AI agents are coming for your privacy, warns Meredith Whittaker: The Signal Foundation’s president worries they will also blunt competition and undermine cyber-security.