Author: Ian Vielma

The application of the GDPR to OpenAI’s ChatGPT remains undecided, and the lawfulness and fairness of data processing leaves OpenAI at risk without guidance on compliance. Complaints against ChatGPT under GDPR, including inaccurate data and refusal to correct errors, have been filed. Read the full story below. Full Story

A data breach at the BBC affected over 25,000 current and former employees, compromising names, birthdates, genders, home addresses, and insurance numbers. The incident did not involve the exposure of phone numbers, email addresses, user credentials, or sensitive health information. The BBC Pension Trust Chair Catherine Claydon assured that immediate steps were taken to contain the incident, and the source of the breach has been secured. Full Story

Google CEO Sundar Pichai recently discussed the addition of AI Overviews to Google Search. This new feature provides instant answers to user queries and reduces the need to click on external links, causing concern about web traffic impacts. There are currently many concerns from journalists and media about traffic loss. Full Story

Senator Schumer (D-NY), leading a bipartisan senate AI working group, has released a roadmap for AI policy, which is a call to action to foster advancements in and address risks posed by artificial intelligence. With a proposed $32 Billion dollar plan, he aims to increase funding for AI research and development, minimize job displacement, maintain election integrity, and protect children from AI and social media harm. Full Story

Slack, a cloud-based team communication platform, is currently receiving backlash for its privacy policy regarding its AI training methods. The policy states that Slack can use customer data to train AI/ML products without approval from its user community. Users demanded clarity on data usage and expressed concern over workspace communications being analyzed without consent.  It became a concern as Slack only offered an opt-out option initially. Slack did not comply with GDPR regulations, which require explicit opt-in permission. Slack has since updated the language in its privacy policy to clarify that it does not use customer data to train LLM…

The UK’s Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) released its Cybersecurity Breaches Survey 2024. It revealed that 50% of businesses and 32% of charities experienced cyberattacks in 2023, with phishing being the most common threat. Larger organizations appear to be better prepared, while smaller ones, often part of larger supply chains, lag in cybersecurity measures. Encouragingly, 75% of businesses and 63% of charities now prioritize cybersecurity, but sectors like agriculture remain vulnerable. Addressing these gaps is essential to prevent a rise in attacks in 2024. Full Story

The American Radio Relay League (ARRL) experienced a cyberattack that disrupted its IT systems and online operations. ARRL is the national association for amateur radio in the United States, representing amateur radio interests to government regulatory bodies, providing technical advice, and promoting events and educational programs for enthusiasts around the country. This attack affected various services like the ARRL Learning Center and Logbook of the World (LoTW). The ARRL assured members that no credit card or social security numbers were stored. However, their database did contain names, addresses, and call signs. There was no exact reason for the cyberattack, but…

Nissan North America has been targeted in a data breach where attackers accessed files containing the personal information of over 53,000 individuals, primarily current and former employees. Discovered in late February 2024, the breach involved the theft of files from both local and network shares, with the attackers demanding a ransom. Full Story

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, a recent data breach at WebTPA has affected approximately 2.5 million individuals. WebTPA, a third-party administrator providing services to health plans and insurance companies, detected suspicious activity on its network on December 28, 2023, prompting an investigation. The exposed data included full names, contact information, dates of birth, Social Security Numbers (SSNs), and insurance details. Read More

GPT-4o was recently introduced, which offers faster speed and enhanced capabilities across text, voice, and vision. It can now understand and discuss images better, supports over 50 languages, and is gradually being rolled out to ChatGPT Plus and Team users. Free users will also benefit from GPT-4o’s features, with message limits. A new ChatGPT desktop app for macOS facilitates integration and voice conversations and a new simplified interface for a more user-friendly experience. Full Story