Privacy news in Portugal

TV giant faces court over "domestic espionage"

The consumer advocacy association Citizens Voice has sued the LG brand. The case is being heard at the Lisbon Civil Court.

Privacy is no cover for a lack of manners

The STJ ruling has a worrying impact: it could seriously limit schools' ability to intervene when they become aware of unacceptable behaviour.

Does badmouthing teachers on WhatsApp lead to compensation?

A student suspended for private conversations won the case against the school in Braga. Meanwhile, in Milan, the Mona Lisa appears topless with scars to raise awareness for breast cancer.

Is your television listening to your conversations? "They hear everything"

Smart TVs can collect more information than we imagine. Nuno Mateus-Coelho, a cybersecurity expert, warns of privacy risks and explains how data can reach third parties.

Millions of phones exposed to Israeli spyware operation through online ads, researchers say

EU and NATO websites displayed online ads linked to Israeli hacking software.

When Artificial Intelligence starts acting on our behalf

The author shares an experiment where AI assistants handled WhatsApp and Instagram messages, mimicking their writing style so convincingly that friends could not tell the difference. This raises complex questions about trust, digital delegation, and the ethics of autonomous interaction. The text explores how 'prompting' is evolving from a way to generate text into a tool for managing digital life, from financial management to productivity tasks. It also addresses privacy risks, the danger of 'prompt injection' attacks, and the importance of maintaining human authenticity in relationships, concluding that these tools should be used to reclaim time for genuine human connection rather than replacing it.

Lights, bells and liability: Europe’s privacy regulators crack down on smart glasses

Smart glasses firms could be forced to build in flashing lights, audio alerts to abide by EU privacy law.

Les renforts d’Europol en IA suscitent des inquiétudes sur la protection de la vie privée

L’agence européenne de coopération des services de police devra faire face à la fois aux cybercriminels et aux défenseurs de la vie privée.

Meta launches AI 'tamagotchi' and first camera-free smart glasses

The social media giant unveiled a small device to interact with the Muse agent and smart glasses without cameras, in response to growing privacy concerns.

The eye on the corner does not make us safer

Cameras are multiplying in our cities without debate. They sell us an illusion of security and charge for it in freedom.

The living room that never sleeps

An analysis of the privacy implications of smart TVs and IoT devices that continue to collect data, including audio, even when turned off. The article discusses the tension between technological innovation and legal compliance, highlighting the EU's Cyber Resilience Act, the AI Act, and the growing risks of class-action lawsuits for manufacturers who fail to prioritize 'privacy by design' and consumer trust.

Stricter rules planned for smart glasses

Freemasonry? With liberals like these, we are doomed

I hope we continue to defend the right of no one being forced to declare what they do in their private life or which allegiances they belong to. It is called freedom. Opinion by Pedro Adão e Silva

LG televisions record audio with the screen off, investigation reveals

An investigation has detected a series of features in LG Smart TVs that map nearby mobile phones and devices, capture audio via the microphone when the screen is off, and turn them into clandestine listening devices. The Gamers Nexus YouTube channel published details of its analysis of LG OLED Smart TVs, conducted in collaboration with Level1Techs and independent analysts, as reported on Tuesday, September 7, by the Europa Press agency. The analysis used various network interception methodologies, including Wireshark, and code disassembly. Network traffic analysis revealed that the TVs were scanning the local network for unrelated devices and extracting data such as IP addresses, SSIDs, signal strength of neighbouring Wi-Fi networks, and geolocation. When the TV screen was off, the team discovered that even after disconnecting the TV from the home network, it continued to record local voice audio, storing it in its internal flash memory. Once the connection was restored, the stored files were sent to the company's servers. Furthermore, the analysis exposed critical security flaws in webOS, the LG operating system, which allow for root access for remote system control, effectively turning the TV into a listening device capable of live audio streaming. The researchers also found that this voice capture extends to external peripherals, such as USB-connected webcams. The team notes that this poses a security risk for professional and corporate environments. The TVs also use Automatic Content Recognition (ACR) technology, which captures six-second clips of what users are watching to create a digital fingerprint that is transmitted to LG Ad Solutions for advertising profiling. According to the researchers, while LG has sold approximately 216 million smart TVs globally, the data collection covers roughly 363 million devices in the United States alone.

Investigation reveals that LG televisions record audio with the screen off

An investigation has detected a series of features in LG Smart TVs that map mobile phones and nearby devices, capture audio via the microphone when the screen is off, and turn them into clandestine listening devices. The Gamers Nexus channel published the details of its analysis of the Smart TVs on its YouTube channel.

Clandestine eavesdropping on LG devices: investigation reveals audio recording on televisions with the screen off

An investigation revealed the scanning of the local network for unrelated devices and the extraction and recording of data such as IP addresses, SSIDs, Wi-Fi signal strength, and geographical location.

Investigation reveals LG televisions record audio with the screen off

An investigation has detected a series of features in LG Smart TVs that map nearby mobile phones and devices, capture audio via the microphone when the screen is off, and turn them into clandestine listening devices.

LG televisions record audio with the screen off

An investigation revealed that LG brand televisions record surrounding audio even when disconnected from the home network, subsequently sending the data to the company.

Investigation reveals that LG televisions are listening to users through the microphone even when turned off

Researchers also discovered that this voice capture is not limited to microphones integrated into the TV or remote control, as it can also extract audio from external peripherals, such as webcams connected via USB.

Users accuse Grindr of sharing HIV data

The lawsuit was filed in 2024 by 12,000 users. The company states that the “settlement does not include any finding or admission of guilt,” although it acknowledges the “distress and loss of trust.”

PSP demands personal data of lawyers in Portugal and the Bar Association repudiates it

The Public Security Police (PSP) is requesting personal information from lawyers, a move that has been strongly condemned by the Portuguese Bar Association.

Is privacy only worth something in the Assembly of the Republic?

There is something deeply revealing in how our MPs decide, within the same timeframe, two seemingly contradictory things: they refuse more video surveillance in Parliament corridors, citing privacy and the freedom to move and talk without feeling watched; yet, at the same time, many parties continue to defend, or accept without much resistance, the expansion of video surveillance on streets, public transport, and common spaces as a tool to fight crime. The article highlights the asymmetry in this stance, arguing that the privacy concerns MPs claim for themselves—such as the freedom to communicate and negotiate without scrutiny—should also be extended to ordinary citizens in public spaces, rather than being treated as a privilege dependent on holding political office.

Security services proposed strengthening video surveillance in Parliament, but parties refused

A working group including members of the PSP and GNR, the two forces responsible for ensuring the security of the Assembly of the Republic, proposed several months ago to reinforce indoor video surveillance in the two buildings. However, the parties disagreed. According to a report by Público, even the proposal for the installation of cameras...

Company fined over 14,000 euros for installing GPS to monitor employee

The Lisbon Court of Appeal rejected the appeal filed and confirmed the fine imposed by the Authority for Working Conditions.

“We do not accept this”: European Commission accuses TikTok of failing to protect minors' privacy

European Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier concluded this Friday that TikTok does not adequately protect the privacy of minors on the platform, noting that these failures could expose children and adolescents to risks such as cyberbullying, unwanted contact, and predatory behaviour.

The EU has crossed the red line of what is acceptable in a liberal democracy with cars

The European Union's new General Safety Regulation (GSR II) mandates that all new cars sold in the EU must be equipped with driver monitoring systems, including an interior-facing camera that cannot be permanently disabled. The author argues that this constitutes an unacceptable violation of privacy and individual liberty, treating the private vehicle as an extension of the home. Furthermore, the article highlights cybersecurity risks, such as potential software vulnerabilities and the danger of 'function creep,' where surveillance technology is repurposed for judicial or insurance purposes, ultimately undermining the fundamental rights enshrined in the EU Charter.

motor24.dn.madrid.quintype.io21 Jul

Everyone becomes a suspect

One cannot trade the presumption of innocence for mass surveillance.

EU Court validates email seizure in Portugal

The court clarified that EU rules do not prevent the collection of emails exchanged between employees and company administrators without prior judicial approval.

Europe wants to impose rules on influencers and parents

All those who use the image of minors to fuel their online presence will have to comply with a code for the protection of children and adolescents.