Microsoft’s controversial Recall feature is now blocked by Brave and AdGuard

Privacy apps Signal, Brave, and AdGuard push back against Windows Recall

Signal was one of the first apps to block Windows Recall from capturing screenshots of its interface, and more developers have since followed suit. This week, both...

Microsoft starts removing Copilot buttons from Windows 11 apps

The underlying AI features are here to stay, though

Privacy vs. Profit: The Impact of Google's Manifest Version 3 (MV3) Update on Ad Blocker Effectiveness

Google's recent update to the manifest file for Chrome browser extensions, transitioning from manifest version 2 (MV2) to manifest version 3 (MV3), has raised concerns among users and ad blocker providers, who worry that the new restrictions, notably the shift from the powerful WebRequest API to the more restrictive DeclarativeNetRequest API, might reduce ad blocker effectiveness. Because ad blockers play a vital role for millions of users seeking a more private and ad-free browsing experience, this study empirically investigates how the MV3 update affects their ability to block ads and trackers. Through a browser-based experiment conducted across multiple samples of ad-supported websites, we compare the MV3 to MV2 instances of four widely used ad blockers. Our results reveal no statistically significant reduction in ad-blocking or anti-tracking effectiveness for MV3 ad blockers compared to their MV2 counterparts, and in some cases, MV3 instances even exhibit slight improvements in blocking trackers. These findings are reassuring for users, indicating that the MV3 instances of popular ad blockers continue to provide effective protection against intrusive ads and privacy-infringing trackers. While some uncertainties remain, ad blocker providers appear to have successfully navigated the MV3 update, finding solutions that maintain the core functionality of their extensions.

Google Chrome has its own version of Window’s troubled Recall feature

Google has announced some new AI features for Chrome, including a way to search your browsing history using natural language.

Origin Trials

Chrome origin trials allow developers to safely experiment with web platform features

Microsoft Struggling With Hundreds of AI-Discovered Security Bugs — ProPublica

Anthropic’s Mythos has flagged bugs faster than Microsoft can fix them. Documents reviewed by ProPublica reveal the tech giant's “mad dash” behind the scenes to patch holes before hackers can find and exploit them.

Why Native Apps Really are Doomed: Native Apps are Doomed pt 2

I recently wrote an article called “Native Apps are Doomed.” I was surprised at how many people were defending native apps. In all honesty…

Bastian Greshake Tzovaras (@gedankenstuecke@scholar.social)

It's great that a class of tool that by its very design is an unfixable security issue is forced into everything: «This works often enough that Måløy reported this to Microsoft as a security hole in March. He gave them a 90-day reporting window, Microsoft extended that twice to a total of 144 days, and they still didn’t have a solid fix. So Måløy posted about the hole on July 28th.» Copilot prompt injection goes viral in your documents https://pivot-to-ai.com/2026/08/03/copilot-prompt-injection-goes-viral-in-your-documents/

Ads and Ad blockers

Last time, we shared how ethical advertising works to keep Read the Docs sustainable without creepy ad targeting. This time, we will share about one of our biggest challenges with advertising. At the beginning of April, Read the Docs was added to one of the most popular ad block lists: the Easyli...

Brave’s Payment Spec Out for Developer Input | Brave

The following post contains early plans for, and descriptions of, the Brave Publisher Ads program. Publishers were expected to earn no less than 55% of ad revenue for participating in this program.

Anthropic's safety warnings may have just backfired — the government has pulled the plug on its most powerful AI | TechCrunch

Anthropic isn't hiding its frustration. "We disagree that the finding of a narrow potential jailbreak should be cause for recalling a commercial model deployed to hundreds of millions of people," the company wrote in a blog post.

The browser that puts you first | Brave

The Brave browser is a fast, private and secure web browser for PC, Mac and mobile. Download now to enjoy a faster ad-free browsing experience that saves data and battery life by blocking tracking software.

How to Fix the Web | Brave

The Web is always in trouble for some reason or other. I remember when Microsoft came after Netscape and threatened to lock Web standards into IE. Only the Web is so big, with such reach to billions of users, that no one owns it. This means it will always be contested ground.

Microsoft patents system to freeze games and inject ads during downtimes — watching commercials earns ad-free playtime credits

Is this patent a sign of things to come?

Microsoft, I forgive you!

Microsoft is different now. The evil masterminds are all retired. No more Ballmer jumping around screaming for developers, developers, developers. No more Gates plotting monopoly schemes for world …