Our weekly picks of digital trust-related articles

The article reports that the US may have paused its offensive cyber operations against Russia, suggesting it is likely part of a broader diplomatic strategy to encourage talks over the Ukraine conflict, or to possibly focus more on addressing cyber threats posed by China. Scaling back offensive actions without reciprocal guarantees risks exposing critical infrastructure to ongoing cyber threats, testing the limits of deterrence strategies in a geopolitically tense environment. Now the question remains: how will the interplay of diplomacy and cyber strategy evolve in a world where nations like Russia and China continue to leverage cyber capabilities as tools of geopolitical influence?

The text explores the concept of trust in transformative technologies, highlighting the importance of understanding the nuances of "trust" in different contexts. It elevates discussions to a philosophical level by questioning the true essence of trust—whether it is rooted in transparency, reliability, or alignment with human values. By addressing these contrasts, the article encourages dialogue on building a framework that ensures responsible innovation aligned with societal values.

The European Union’s AI Act has reached a significant milestone by banning AI systems across the EU that pose an 'unacceptable risk,' defined as serious threats to people's rights and safety. The Act will be implemented in phases, with additional regulations for high-risk AI systems expected in the next 2-3 years. With security risks from AI systems surfacing and misinformation spreading in our daily lives, the pressing question remains: when will regulatory timelines align with their intended societal goals?

Following in the footsteps of OpenAI, Anthropic and Meta, Google is the latest Big Tech giant to lift restrictions on their AI technologies, in this case with regards to, amongst others, weapons and surveillance. These companies reassuring us over and over again that they were committed to safe and ethical use of AI was a big reason why no meaningful regulatory safeguards were put in place. Now that they are walking back on their end of the deal, what do we do next?

'Quantum computing applications may become practical within the next 5 years', according to recent claims by Microsoft and Google, both of which released statements within days of each other. The fact that these two rival tech giants made the same prediction at the same time lends credibility to the statement, especially given the ongoing global competition to develop quantum computing technology. It is important to recognize that this claim should serve as a reminder to prioritize the adoption of quantum-resistant cryptography. [Editing this take was completed within 91 seconds by DeepSeek_LLM_7B_chat installed locally on a laptop with an Intel i7 CPU with 32 GB of RAM without a dedicated GPU.]

A very dark example of search engine optimization (SEO): Ice is suspected of updating time stamps of reports on old operations to push them up in Google searches. Whether it is, as the article suggests, done on purpose to create Potemkin-like images of mass deportations, or was just a clumsy update of their website, this is a valuable reminder to not be overly trustful of the algorithms that push content and to dig a bit deeper than the first glance.

Amid the controversy surrounding Musk's operatives accessing US government data, this article gives some nice examples of how an organization’s sensitive data could become compromised. At the top of the list is the failure to follow basic cybersecurity protocols, such as adhering to transparently developed guidelines for system access and data handling. Other red flags include failing to implementing multi-factor authentication and accessing an organization’s networks through unapproved devices and platforms, like personal email accounts or unauthorized servers.

Donald Trump's new Department of Government Efficiency, led by Elon Musk, is set to transform the US Digital Service into the US DOGE Service, ostensibly to modernize federal technology. However, there are indications that the true focus is on cost-cutting and workforce reduction, as evidenced by executive orders mandating a government-wide hiring freeze and allowing broad access to agency records. This shift suggests a possible intent to restructure federal agencies by emphasizing data sharing and interoperability, which could facilitate budget cuts and increased oversight (or surveillance). For Trump skeptics, this should not come as a surprise, but the likely fallout from the resulting reduction in services could be unexpected for US citizens.

Do you believe in magic? Recent research reveals a 'lower literacy-higher receptivity' link, suggesting that the less people understand AI, the more they perceive its human-like capabilities as magical, making them more likely to use it. This quirky perspective on how people perceive AI could reveal new ways to communicate its benefits and risks to support harm minimization efforts, while still nurturing the sense of 'awe' that encourages people to embrace new technologies.

It is said that the Internet is capable of routing around missing links and setting up new routes. But what do you do if the data itself gets removed from the internet? Well, you create a copy, preferably before the data gets taken down. This is the work of the Internet Archive, which shows once more how important it is to have reliable documentation of the data on the internet. Here is one example involving health data from the US CDC.

UBS has completed a proof-of-concept (PoC) for its 'UBS Key4 Gold' offering on the Ethereum layer-2 network, zkSync. I liked UBS's step-by-step progress toward adopting blockchain technologies. Initially, the company implemented its private blockchain network, leveraging the inherent traceability of blockchain. Now, with this PoC, UBS is seeking scalability by deploying its 'UBS Key4 Gold' solution on the Ethereum layer-2 network, while preserving privacy—a feature enabled by zkSync’s Validium technology.

Interesting work from OpenAI, who are testing how good their models are at convincing people to change their minds. Currently, they're running the tests only internally on pre-selected human testers. But who knows where this will eventually be used, and whether in the open or hidden? For that matter, what about the LLM-generated messages Meta puts on Facebook and Instagram? How much do they influence us?

The new laws targeting AI-generated CSAM position the UK as the first nation to criminalize the possession, creation, or distribution of AI tools used for generating such material, imposing penalties of up to five years in prison. These measures also prohibit related manuals, penalize those operating websites that share CSAM, and grant Border Force the authority to inspect digital devices of suspected individuals. While some experts suggest the measures could go further, the UK's initiative marks a significant step in addressing the technology behind child sexual exploitation, potentially inspiring similar legislation in the EU and also Switzerland.

While free fitness apps may seem like a cost-effective way to stay in shape, it’s worth reconsidering the hidden price you pay with the sensitive data these apps collect and sell. Some of these do so with sensitive information, such as racial or ethnic background, disability status, and location data to third parties, yet very few of us are aware that this is happening. As we kick off this year’s Data Privacy Week with the theme “put privacy first,” why not shift the focus to a “put the individual first” mindset that prioritizes the needs of individuals whose data should be protected from the start. By doing so, we can work to transition away from managing our privacy through complex T&Cs that almost none of us read, and towards a reality where we can make informed decisions that reduce exposure to privacy risks when simply trying to meet our new year health resolutions.

While the 'Code of conduct on countering illegal hate speech online' that the European Commission included into the Digital Services Act (DSA) is work in progress, the fact that even companies such as Meta and X feel compelled to sign shows that regulations are far from the toothless tigers that they are often made out to be - and that the EU is capable of protecting their citizens in an increasingly hostile digital landscape.

I never get tired of yet another story about hacking into connected cars. This time it's Subaru! Their 'STARLINK' system (nothing to do with the satellites) allowed anybody to start, stop, lock, or unlock a car from a distance (among other things). Funny side note: the author, a security researcher, bought the car for his mom under the condition that he would be allowed to try to hack it!

Cryptocurrencies are in again thanks to Donald Trump. Is the U-turn the new government is taking on digital assets due to careful deliberations of the advantages and risks? Is its goal to take currencies into the 21st century and beyond? Or is it nothing but the result of an extremely successful lobbying campaign? This may be a new golden age for cryptocurrencies, but whether it will be beneficial for society at large only time will tell.

We've been having a lot of discussion about the 'Swiss Government Cloud,' which is effectively hosted in the USA and China. The EU has the same setup, but someone - likely in the Trump administration - is now attempting to put holes in it by removing parts of the privacy guarantees its remote cloud has. Will the EU and Switzerland rise up to the challenge of actually offering a local alternative?

DeepSeek, a new Chinese open-source LLM that uses limited resources—particularly older Nvidia chip models—extremely efficiently, has exploded onto the AI tech scene almost overnight. Many are calling this a new 'Sputnik moment' for the US. Already the most downloaded free app on the US Apple Store, DeepSeek is expected to challenge the oversized investment bubble in AI, notably through the announcement of Stargate, by demonstrating that innovative AI can thrive even under restrictive resource environments. Overall, this is bad news for the US, but possibly good news for countries like Switzerland, which were surprisingly excluded from the group granted access to high-performance US chips.

I find this article interesting because it reveals how popular apps are being used to collect personal location data through real-time bidding (RTB), all without the knowledge of the app developers. The hacked Gravy Analytics files prove how apps, even those that are supposed to be private, can accidentally become part of this data supply chain, This article also exposes the secretive practices of some (?) data brokers, linking them to government agencies.

I'm quite surprised that even Apple cannot get rid of LLMs hallucinations in its products. And I always thought that one of the best parts of LLMs are the summaries they produce. So for the moment it seems like a good idea to wait some more for the AI revolution.

Here is an article, in Cory Doctorow's signature style, discussing social networks and what drives them and what makes people leave or stay. I like specifically how he dissects the way the once-good services these platforms used to provide got untethered from the profits their creators and CEOs were chasing over the years. Towards the end he gives some interesting insights into how we can go forward from here.

The awesome Molly White throws light upon how to calculate the market cap of a crypto coin. I still think that decentralized systems like blockchains are very useful in some cases. However, the run for the coin with the most money seems very sad to me, and not just because of all the investors who will lose money.

This article discusses the effectiveness of the fact-checking mechanism that was recently discontinued by Facebook. I like it because it is easy to read and offers an objective perspective based on scientific statements.