Texas Drops the Ball - Exposes SSN's of 3.5 million teachers, others

"This was the second high-profile technological failure at the comptroller's office in the past year. Last April, thousands of consumers seeking rebates for energy-efficient appliances could not get access through phone banks or a website. That problem was blamed on the outside vendor."

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Tennis Star Moves to Monaco for Privacy

Court pro Novak Djokavic says that a lack of privacy in his native Serbia, where he enjoys a cult-like status, was the reason for his move to Monaco.

Monaco is where I call home now, says Novak Djokovic - The National

"It's [privacy] one of the reasons I am not spending too much time at home in Serbia because I just don't have my private life," he said to The National. "That's what I looked for and I found it in Monaco. I just feel great spending time there."

GOOGLE TO DEBUT CHROME "DO NOT TRACK" TOOL

January 24, 2011 / http://www.politico.com/morningtech/ //-- Watch for Google today to unveil a new Chrome browser extension called “Keep My Opt-Outs,” the search company's response to recent federal calls for browser-based “Do Not Track” technology to protect consumer privacy. The new tool builds off of work by the Network Advertising Initiative – a group of Web advertisers, including Google – that allows Web users to say no to ads targeted to their browsing behavior.

The difference between NAI's own opt-out tool and Google's work is what's under the hood: NAI allows you to opt out, and communicates that via cookie, but that can be deleted whenever you erase your saved history. By contrast, Google's tool keeps the no-lever pulled permanently: It means you can avoid seeing targeted ads from NAI members, including Google and Yahoo, even if you delete your full browsing history. We hear Google will offer the code as open source, and that the company is expected to roll out a similar tool for other browsers in the future. Keep your eyes peeled today, and find more on privacy after the jump.