Welcome to your weekly Byte-Sized Briefs!
These are just a few pieces of tech news from the week, ranging from gaming and AI to PC hardware and mobile devices.
Tiny Updates, Major Impact
September 7- September 12- Week 37
Who’s Watching the Watchers? Flock Tightens Camera Safeguards
After recent reports of Flock’s automated license plate reader cameras being misused by law enforcement, the company is implementing new safeguards aimed at preventing abuse.
Flock CEO Garrett Langley said the changes were motivated, in part, by the public’s lack of trust in law enforcement.
“I’ve spent a lot of time in the last two years talking to individuals, and a lot of them have said, ‘Well, I don’t trust the police,’ and I go, ‘Why?’ ‘Oh, well, the police have abused their power so many times,’” Langley said in an interview ahead of the announcement. “What’s changed for me is realizing that we have a responsibility, maybe an obligation even, to the communities we serve to set the standard.”
Flock will require all customers to use its “Audit Assistance” tool by the end of the year. The tool flags abnormal search behavior and can temporarily lock users out of the system pending administrative review.
This type of safeguard could have helped in a case involving a former Milwaukee police officer who reportedly used Flock cameras 124 times to search for his romantic partner’s location.
Flock will also require users to enter a case number to justify searches, with exceptions for genuine emergencies that will still be flagged for review.
The company is also reducing its standard data-retention period from 30 days to seven days. Agencies may adjust the retention period based on local or state policies, but a case number will be required to preserve data longer.
Langley called the misuse of Flock cameras by police officers “completely unacceptable” and said the new safeguards are intended to address surveillance concerns.
The Grid Is the New Cyber Battleground
Following cyberattacks targeting U.S. power systems, a power generator in the U.K. was reportedly shut down for four days following a cyberattack.
The Telegraph reported that the incident occurred around the same time as cyberattacks targeting U.S. infrastructure.
A spokesperson told CNBC that the incident affected a small-scale energy generator and did not pose a threat to the wider U.K. energy system.
The pro-Israel hacking group Gonjeshke Darande, also known as “Predatory Sparrow,” claimed responsibility for the attack.
The incident comes amid growing concerns over cyber threats targeting critical infrastructure. On August 26, President Donald Trump declared a national emergency aimed at protecting the U.S. power grid from foreign security threats.
Why it matters: Power systems are increasingly becoming cybersecurity targets. An attack on critical infrastructure can have consequences far beyond a compromised computer—it can potentially disrupt essential services.
Is Your Smart TV Watching You? Researchers Raise LG Security Concerns
An investigation highlighted by Malwarebytes and conducted by Gamers Nexus, Level1Techs, and independent researchers examined several LG television models and raised concerns about their security and privacy.
Researchers also tested whether a compromised television could capture audio through its microphone, including while the television appeared to be powered off. According to the testing described in the source material, audio could be stored while the television was disconnected from the internet and retrieved after connectivity was restored.
A compromised smart TV is more than a privacy concern. It could potentially give attackers another way to gather information about a home or business network, access audio, or attempt to reach other devices on the network.
Best Practices to Protect Your Home Network
- Install firmware updates promptly, especially security updates. Check your model’s support page and the TV’s software-update settings.
- Review privacy controls under Settings, Privacy & Terms, or User Agreements. Turn off ACR, viewing-information collection, personalized ads, voice recognition, and other features you do not need.
- Do not accept every agreement by default. Read each consent screen and decline optional advertising and voice-data features where possible.
- Use a separate IoT or guest network for televisions, cameras, speakers, and other smart-home devices. This limits what a compromised device can reach on your main network.
- Disable UPnP on your router unless it is genuinely needed, and avoid exposing TV services directly to the internet.
Apple Enters the Fold: Meet the iPhone Duo
At Apple’s “Surprise & Shine” event on Wednesday, September 9, Apple debuted the iPhone Duo, marking the company’s entry into the foldable smartphone market.
The Duo features a shorter, wider front display that maintains the familiar iPhone experience. Unfolding the device reveals a larger, iPad-like display designed to give users more screen space for streaming, browsing social media, multitasking, and more.
“iPhone Duo brings an entirely new design while still delivering everything you expect from an iPhone,” John Ternus said during the reveal.
Here are some of the highlights:
- A20 Pro chip designed to power both displays simultaneously.
- Vapor-chamber cooling similar to the iPhone 18 and iPhone 18 Pro.
- Apple’s new C2 modem for improved efficiency and faster connectivity.
- Up to 31 hours of video playback for battery life using the inner display, up to 44 hours of video playback for the outer display
- 48MP main camera similar to the camera featured in the iPhone 18 Pro.
- Dual Capture in FaceTime, allowing users to share content from both cameras simultaneously.
The iPhone Duo will be available in two colors: Star White and Night Sky. Pricing starts at $1,999, with preorders beginning October 16 and an October 23 launch date.