Benjamin Powers

Powers is a tech reporter at Grid. Previously, he was privacy reporter at CoinDesk where he focused on data and financial privacy, information security, and digital identity. His work has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Daily Beast, Rolling Stone, and the New Republic, among others. He owns bitcoin.

Benjamin Powers

Latest from Benjamin Powers


Technologies

A New Ultrasonic Hack Can Exploit Your Siri

A new hack called a SurfingAttack uses ultrasonic guided waves to communicate with a device through the voice assistant.

Via Shutterstock

Technologies

Zoom Has Privacy Issues, Here Are Some Alternatives

Worried about getting Zoombombed? Here are some privacy-facing services to check out while you're WFH.

One of Zoom's view options. (Credit: Zoom)

Technologies

Privacy Advocates Are Sounding Alarms Over Coronavirus Surveillance

Crises provide opportunities for surveillance architecture to move forward, say privacy advocates. This time is no different.

Photo by Dennis Kummer on Unsplash

Juridique

In Fight Against Coronavirus, Governments Face Trade-Offs on Privacy

Safeguarding privacy rights is tricky during a time of pandemic and panic.

Oct 29 - g4ll4is flickr

Technologies

Mass Surveillance Threatens Personal Privacy Amid Coronavirus

The extreme surveillance measures taken to address COVID-19 are not normal or inevitable.

(Shutterstock)

Marchés

Bernie Sanders: Our Campaign Is About People, Not Tech

Bernie Sanders has never been closer to delivering a “revolution” in American life. How will he address personal privacy, cryptocurrencies and big tech?

Bernie Sanders, Rally at Pittsburgh University, Sunday April 14.

Marchés

Amy Klobuchar Wanted a Return to Normalcy, but Do Voters?

While Trump self-inflated and Bernie talked of revolution, Klobuchar took a middle lane on tech. From election security to privacy to transparency in online ads, Klobuchar was a practical legislator in a chaotic political environment.

Klobuchar supporters at a rally in Charleston, South Carolina.

Juridique

Privacy Laws Are Only as Effective as the Companies Implementing Them

Sometimes the very laws meant to enforce privacy can result in companies sharing it.

GDPR

Juridique

When Corporations Violate Privacy, They Do Concrete Harm

There are tangible safety implications to consumer privacy violations, says Lindsey Barrett of Georgetown Law.

identity, privacy

Marchés

MIT Wasn't Only One Auditing Voatz – Homeland Security Did Too, With Fewer Concerns

A newly declassified DHS cyber audit complicates Thursday’s reports of major security vulnerabilities in the Voatz mobile voting app.

DHS's cybersecurity branch audited Voatz's internal networks and servers, finding little to be concerned about, in stark contrast with an MIT report published Thursday. (Image via Mark Van Scyoc / Shutterstock)