WhatsApp Now Lets You Block People From Exporting Chats
WhatsApp is adding a new privacy feature that will allow you to block others from exporting chats, automatically downloading media, and using your messages for AI features, among other limitations. All of this is a part of a new option called Advanced Chat Privacy, which is currently rolling out to WhatsApp users worldwide.
How to block people from exporting your WhatsApp chats
To use these features, make sure you are running the latest version of WhatsApp on your device. Then, open a private chat or a group in WhatsApp, tap the name of the contact or group, and scroll down until you see Advanced Chat Privacy. This button is located near the Lock Chat option on this page. Note that it may not appear on WhatsApp immediately since it's being rolled out in batches worldwide. If you don't see this feature, sit tight, as it should roll out to you soon.
Once you enable Advanced Chat Privacy, others won't be able to export your chats from WhatsApp. You can also block others from enabling automatic media downloads on their device or using your messages for AI features in WhatsApp. Notably, the company is calling this the "first version" of Advanced Chat Privacy, and says it will add more features to this setting in the future.
You should know that enabling this setting doesn't make it impossible to export your chats or save media. If someone is determined to export data from WhatsApp, they can easily take screenshots or manually download media. This privacy feature will make it a little harder to export data, since users won't be able to rely on WhatsApp's built-in options, but it won't really be able to stop someone who is determined to bypass these restrictions.
The latest update follows a slew of new WhatsApp features, including the ability to see who's online in a group chat, more control over group notifications, a built-in document scanner on WhatsApp for iPhone, and many more.
via Lifehacker (author: Pranay Parab)
WhatsApp is adding a new privacy feature that will allow you to block others from exporting chats, automatically downloading media, and using your messages for AI features, among other limitations. All of this is a part of a new option called Advanced Chat Privacy, which is currently rolling out to WhatsApp users worldwide.
How to block people from exporting your WhatsApp chats
To use these features, make sure you are running the latest version of WhatsApp on your device. Then, open a private chat or a group in WhatsApp, tap the name of the contact or group, and scroll down until you see Advanced Chat Privacy. This button is located near the Lock Chat option on this page. Note that it may not appear on WhatsApp immediately since it's being rolled out in batches worldwide. If you don't see this feature, sit tight, as it should roll out to you soon.
Once you enable Advanced Chat Privacy, others won't be able to export your chats from WhatsApp. You can also block others from enabling automatic media downloads on their device or using your messages for AI features in WhatsApp. Notably, the company is calling this the "first version" of Advanced Chat Privacy, and says it will add more features to this setting in the future.
You should know that enabling this setting doesn't make it impossible to export your chats or save media. If someone is determined to export data from WhatsApp, they can easily take screenshots or manually download media. This privacy feature will make it a little harder to export data, since users won't be able to rely on WhatsApp's built-in options, but it won't really be able to stop someone who is determined to bypass these restrictions.
The latest update follows a slew of new WhatsApp features, including the ability to see who's online in a group chat, more control over group notifications, a built-in document scanner on WhatsApp for iPhone, and many more.
via Lifehacker (author: Pranay Parab)
WhatsApp.com
Introducing Advanced Chat Privacy: Enhanced Protection for Your Most Sensitive Conversations
We're introducing our latest layer for privacy called Advanced Chat Privacy. This new setting available in both chats and groups helps prevent others from taking content outside of WhatsApp for when you may want extra privacy.
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via 豆瓣最受欢迎的书评 (author: 新京报书评周刊)
新京报书评周刊评论: 在书里，在床上：伍尔夫读书随笔
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Blue Shield of California Exposed the Data of 4.7 Million People to Google
Blue Shield of California shared the protected health information of 4.7 million individuals with Google over a nearly three-year period, a data breach that impacts the majority of its nearly 6 million members, according to reporting from Bleeping Computer.
This isn't the only large data breach to affect a healthcare organization the last year alone. Community Health Center records were hacked in October 2024, compromising more than a million individuals' data, along with an attack on lab testing company Lab Services Cooperative, which affected records of 1.6 million Planned Parenthood patients. UnitedHealth Group suffered a breach in February 2024, resulting in the leak of more than 100 million people's data.
What happened with Blue Shield of California?
According to an April 9 notice posted on Blue Shield of California's website, the company allowed certain data, including protected health information, to be shared with Google Ads through Google Analytics, which may have allowed Google to serve targeted ads back to members. While not discovered until Feb. 11, 2025, the leak occurred for several years, from April 2021 to January 2024, when the connection between Google Analytics and Google Ads was severed on Blue Shield websites.
The following Blue Shield member information may have been compromised:
● Insurance plan name, type, and group number
● City and zip code
● Gender
● Family size
● Blue Shield assigned identifiers for online accounts
● Medical claim service date and provider
● Patient name
● Patient financial responsibility
● "Find a Doctor" search criteria and results
According to the notice, no additional personal data—Social Security numbers, driver's license numbers, and banking and credit card information—were disclosed. Blue Shield also states that no bad actor was involved, nor have they confirmed that the information has been used maliciously.
What to do if your information was leaked
Blue Shield of California has begun notifying members of the breach, though the company is unable to confirm whether any specific individual's information was compromised. Blue Shield is not offering credit monitoring or identity protection services to affected members at this time. If you have questions about the breach and how you may be impacted, you can call the support line at 833-918-5064 Monday to Friday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. PT.
That said, as with any data breach, you should continue to monitor your credit report and financial accounts for any suspicious activity. Request a free copy of your credit report (available weekly), freeze your credit and place a fraud alert, and take steps to protect your Social Security number from being used fraudulently.
via Lifehacker (author: Emily Long)
Blue Shield of California shared the protected health information of 4.7 million individuals with Google over a nearly three-year period, a data breach that impacts the majority of its nearly 6 million members, according to reporting from Bleeping Computer.
This isn't the only large data breach to affect a healthcare organization the last year alone. Community Health Center records were hacked in October 2024, compromising more than a million individuals' data, along with an attack on lab testing company Lab Services Cooperative, which affected records of 1.6 million Planned Parenthood patients. UnitedHealth Group suffered a breach in February 2024, resulting in the leak of more than 100 million people's data.
What happened with Blue Shield of California?
According to an April 9 notice posted on Blue Shield of California's website, the company allowed certain data, including protected health information, to be shared with Google Ads through Google Analytics, which may have allowed Google to serve targeted ads back to members. While not discovered until Feb. 11, 2025, the leak occurred for several years, from April 2021 to January 2024, when the connection between Google Analytics and Google Ads was severed on Blue Shield websites.
The following Blue Shield member information may have been compromised:
● Insurance plan name, type, and group number
● City and zip code
● Gender
● Family size
● Blue Shield assigned identifiers for online accounts
● Medical claim service date and provider
● Patient name
● Patient financial responsibility
● "Find a Doctor" search criteria and results
According to the notice, no additional personal data—Social Security numbers, driver's license numbers, and banking and credit card information—were disclosed. Blue Shield also states that no bad actor was involved, nor have they confirmed that the information has been used maliciously.
What to do if your information was leaked
Blue Shield of California has begun notifying members of the breach, though the company is unable to confirm whether any specific individual's information was compromised. Blue Shield is not offering credit monitoring or identity protection services to affected members at this time. If you have questions about the breach and how you may be impacted, you can call the support line at 833-918-5064 Monday to Friday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. PT.
That said, as with any data breach, you should continue to monitor your credit report and financial accounts for any suspicious activity. Request a free copy of your credit report (available weekly), freeze your credit and place a fraud alert, and take steps to protect your Social Security number from being used fraudulently.
via Lifehacker (author: Emily Long)
Here's When (and How) You'll Need to Start Repaying Your Student Loans
via Lifehacker (author: Meredith Dietz)
via Lifehacker (author: Meredith Dietz)
Telegraph
Here's When (and How) You'll Need to Start Repaying Your Stu…
The Department of Education announced Monday that the FSA will finally restart collections on defaulted student loans beginning May 5, 2025, following a five-year pause that began during the COVID-19 pandemic. This decision affects approximately 5.3 million…