If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. Hong Kong is preparing for a major expansion of its public surveillance network, aiming to install approximately 60,000 CCTV cameras by 2028. This marks a dramatic increase from the fewer than 4,000 currently in operation under the police-led SmartView program. According to legislative filings, the rollout will be phased over three years, with deployment focused on locations with higher foot traffic and crime levels. Police officials told lawmakers the upgraded network would integrate artificial intelligence tools already in use for license plate reading and crowd analysis. They described suspect tracking across the network as a function that could “naturally” follow once the infrastructure is in place. This expansion represents one of the largest surveillance undertakings in the city since the passage of the “National Security Law.” The scale mirrors similar initiatives that have already become common across cities in mainland China, where AI-powered monitoring is widely used. Authorities have acknowledged that the new cameras will be equipped for facial recognition and other forms of automated image processing. However, the actual deployment of such functions is subject to existing legal constraints under the Personal Data Ordinance. Current regulations from the Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data require that a privacy impact assessment be carried out before any biometric technologies are activated. These assessments must demonstrate necessity and proportionality. SmartView planning materials also reference requirements for public notification and limits on how long footage is retained, pointing to an attempt to establish formal privacy boundaries. This latest plan builds on earlier steps to bring artificial intelligence into Hong Kong’s surveillance systems. A prior initiative aimed to enable facial recognition in more than 3,000 cameras by the end of 2025. The new timeline converts that limited upgrade into a citywide infrastructure project, with cameras feeding into centralized platforms capable of real-time identification and video scanning. Legislative summaries estimate that around 20,000 new cameras will be added each year, supported by cloud-based analytics for threat detection and video searches. Hong Kong’s trajectory places it among the most surveilled urban centers in Asia. If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. The post Hong Kong to Install 60,000 AI-Enabled Surveillance Cameras by 2028 appeared first on Reclaim The Net.

If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. Tech giants Apple and Google have confirmed they will comply with Texas’s newly passed age verification law, but both companies warn that doing so will come at the cost of user privacy. The legislation, known as SB2420, is scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2026. Under this law, app marketplaces and developers will be required to implement strict age assurance mechanisms that, according to Apple, will force the collection of personal data even for basic app downloads. “Beginning January 1, 2026, a new state law in Texas—SB2420—introduces age assurance requirements for app marketplaces and developers,” Apple stated in a developer update. “While we share the goal of strengthening kids’ online safety, we are concerned that SB2420 impacts the privacy of users by requiring the collection of sensitive, personally identifiable information to download any app, even if a user simply wants to check the weather or sports scores.” More: Tea App Leak Shows Why Digital ID Age Verification Laws are Dangerous The Texas App Store Accountability Act sets out mandatory age checks and specific restrictions on users under 18. Developers will be expected to make structural changes to how their apps function and handle user data to comply with the mandate. To help developers adjust, Apple plans to update its existing Declared Age Range API and introduce additional tools to allow apps to handle required consent procedures more easily. These changes are meant to align with the law while trying to reduce exposure of sensitive user data, Apple said. More technical information is expected to be released this fall. Google is taking a similar approach and has already launched a beta version of its Play Age Signals API. Through this system, apps will be able to receive information about users’ age ranges, supervision status, and other relevant signals, but only in the states affected. In an earlier blog post, Google voiced concern over how the Utah law, which takes effect May 7, 2026, compels data-sharing. “The bill requires app stores to share if a user is a kid or teenager with all app developers (effectively millions of individual companies) without parental consent or rules on how the information is used,” the company warned. “That raises real privacy and safety risks, like the potential for bad actors to sell the data or use it for other nefarious purposes.” Google emphasized that apps like weather services shouldn’t need access to a user’s age data. More: Discord Support Data Breach Exposes User IDs, Personal Data Apple and Google both mentioned that developers in Utah and Louisiana will face similar legal demands next year. Louisiana’s rules are scheduled for July 1, 2026. All three state laws require that apps accommodate age-specific experiences and integrate parental controls where necessary. Although currently limited to a few states, momentum is building at the federal level. Lawmakers, including Rep. John James (R-Mich.) and Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) have introduced a proposal to apply similar rules nationwide. Lee argued that oversight is necessary because “Big Tech has profited from app stores through which children in America and across the world access violent and sexual material while risking contact from online predators.” Both Apple and Google already offer optional parental tools. The new mandates, however, would impose those controls by default and require age verification before any app use, even for content with no relevance to age. Privacy advocates warn that by forcing companies to gather and distribute identifying data, these state laws not only expand surveillance but also hand tech companies an obligation that could backfire if the information is misused or exposed. If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. The post Google and Apple to Enforce Age Verification in Texas Starting in 2026 appeared first on Reclaim The Net.

A skinny cat arrived, doing everything she could to care for her kittens. Now, she's got the best outcome ever. Foster Kitten MamaWhen a shelter cat and her litter of newborns urgently needed a foster home, Heidi Shoemaker, founder of Foster Kitten Mama, immediately stepped up to help.What she didn't know was just how frail the mother cat, Athena, was. Though severely underweight and dehydrated, Athena never stopped feeding and protecting her babies and stayed by their side through everything.Heidi provided fluids, nourishing meals, and plenty of love. Within a few days, Athena began to perk up. AthenaFoster Kitten MamaWith medication and supportive care, Athena's stomach troubles started to ease. Heidi supplemented the kittens, changed their bedding regularly, and ensured Athena could rest comfortably and regain her strength.Her appetite soon returned, and she eagerly devoured every meal as if making up for lost time. Foster Kitten MamaThanks to Heidi's dedication, Athena regained her spark and slowly began to fill out. The kittens were also treated for tummy issues and kept hydrated through tube feeding.Despite her best efforts, one kitten didn't make it. But the remaining four pulled through and started to thrive. Foster Kitten MamaAs Athena grew stronger, she finally allowed herself to take small breaks between nursing sessions. Realizing she was safe, she watched Heidi with curious, trusting eyes whenever Heidi spoke to her in a soft, loving voice."Athena is one of the tiniest mamas I've ever had," Heidi shared. Foster Kitten MamaSoon, the kittens' eyes opened, their ears perked up, and their wobbly little legs carried them on mini excursions around the nest. They tumbled over each other like little drunken sailors learning to walk.Maddie, the only girl, offered her brother Howie a shoulder to lean on during their clumsy adventures. Howie and MaddieFoster Kitten MamaThen kittens grew by leaps and bounds, with Maddie leading the charge into mischief. Her brothers—Buck, Bobby, and Howie—were never far behind.Bobby, the ginger boy, had an impressive set of pipes. When Heidi entered the room, he marched up to her and loudly declared that he was ready for more space, toys, and attention. Maddie, Buck, Bobby, and HowieFoster Kitten MamaHeidi upgraded their space into a kitty wonderland filled with toys, food, and climbing posts. The little family explored every inch, enchanted by all the new sights and smells, their purrs filling the room.Watching her kittens play awakened Athena's playful side. For the first time since arriving, she batted at toys and let herself be a cat again. Foster Kitten MamaFor weeks, Athena had devoted herself to raising her babies (her last litter). But as they grew more independent, she began spending more time doing what she loved. "She is night and day better from when she first arrived. She's put on weight, her coat looks healthy, and her eyes are bright."When the kittens were old enough to be spayed and neutered, Heidi planned to give Athena all the time she needed to find the perfect home. As it turned out, that home was just around the corner. Buck, Bobby, and HowieFoster Kitten MamaA wonderful family fell head over heels for Athena. Not wanting her to feel lonely, they adopted her and two of her kittens, Maddie and Bobby. The remaining two, Buck and Howie, soon captured the hearts of a mother and daughter, who welcomed them into their loving home.After a rough beginning, Athena and her kittens have made an incredible comeback. Today, they're living their best lives—a dream come true. Foster Kitten MamaShare this story with your friends. More cats and kittens at Foster Kitten Mama on Instagram and Facebook.Related story: Cat Left Out on the Streets Found His Way into Shelter, Determined to Be Someone's One and Only

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