gm, readers.

At Automata we work on protecting privacy and fairness. And in this newsletter, we find more reasons to talk about it. Explore headlines and catch up on the biggest crypto news in Web3 privacy.

This week:

• Nansen’s third-party vendor security breach exposes user emails, leads to phishing airdrop scams

• Abkhus launches Mainnet on Secret Network, utilizes confidential computation to securely tokenize sensitive data like medical records

• Secret to present on Unstoppable Wallets in ACM ASIACCS 2024

• User information from Okta’s customer support system stolen by hackers

• Meta’s paid no-ads subscription faces criticism, users expresses concerns over paying for privacy

• DP World Australia faces security breach as hackers access files containing employees' personal details

• Italy’s privacy watchdog investigates online personal data collection for AI algorithm training

• Joint project by central banks validates feasibility of maintaining user privacy in CBDC payments

Zooming into ZK:

• Mina Protocol shares highlights and innovative ZK projects from Devconnect Istanbul

• Aleo’s ZK pitch competition, Snark Tank, awards privacy-focused projects like Aleo Swap, Puzzle and Arcane Finance

• Scroll integrates Circle’s bridged USDC standard

• Polyhedra teams up with KTX Finance, enables bridging of funds between BNB Chain and Mantle Network via zkBridge

Conversations you missed:

• Bankless DAO hosts AMA series on Web3 privacy solutions

• Nym chats with FairBlock Network about their approach to privacy

• ATOR Protocol shares its upcoming roadmap

• Crust Network discusses how Crust Files, secured by Oasis Sapphire, enables customizable visibility for on-chain data storage and limits access to sensitive data

We dive into the details, so you don’t have to:

In September, Nansen experienced a security breach affecting its third-party vendors. This incident resulted in the exposure of users' email addresses, some password hashes, and the compromise of several blockchain addresses. Consequently, affected users have reported receiving phishing emails from scammers promoting a fraudulent "Nansen airdrop". The scam claimed that users could secure a guaranteed allocation of counterfeit NANSEN tokens within the next 48 hours.

Advocacy group NOYB has filed a complaint with an Austrian regulator against Meta Platforms' (META.O) new ad-free subscription service in Europe, launched this month. NOYB, founded by privacy activist Max Schrems, argues that the service, which charges a 'privacy fee' of up to 250 euros per year, goes against the genuine free will of users as required by EU law. NOYB warns that if Meta's approach is accepted, competitors may follow suit.

Italy's data protection authority has initiated an inquiry into the collection of substantial personal data online for training artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms. Known for its proactive stance, the watchdog is among the leading national authorities ensuring compliance with Europe's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The investigation seeks to evaluate if online platforms implement adequate measures to prevent the extensive collection of personal data, also known as data scraping, for AI algorithms. This move follows the authority's brief ban on the popular chatbot ChatGPT earlier this year, citing concerns about a potential breach of privacy rules.

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