Google reduces AOSP source code releases, Cloudflare threatens to withdraw in Italy, California DROP Act enforced, and more!

Our top stories this week:

• Google announced that they are now releasing Android source code twice a year
• Italy fines Cloudflare €14m over piracy filtering on public DNS. In response, the CEO threatens a withdraw from the Italian market entirely
• California's Delete Act is now complemented with the DROP Act, allowing residents of the U.S. state to automatically delete their data from over 500 data brokers with one click
• Bryan Flemming, former CEO of stalkerware software pcTattleTale, has pleaded guilty to federal charges after a devastating data breach
• A series of ongoing cryptocurrency thefts have been linked to the 2022 LastPass Breach

TWIP Live 🔴

Updates from the Team

A (Not) Farewell From Kevin

After a full year with Privacy Guides, I am announcing my official departure as the Community and News Intern on January 14th, 2026. This week is the last week where I will co-host the TWIP podcast and author the newsletter.

My time with Privacy Guides was an incredibly transformative experience. I was originally afraid of becoming involved, but this internship allowed me to try out things that I would otherwise never do. Most importantly, I was able to learn from an awesome community through our countless discussions together.

Don't worry, I won't be gone completely! I plan on being involved with the Privacy Guides community as a volunteer moderator and occasional contributor to our articles/news briefs. It's hard to break a habit, right?

As always, thank you so much for joining along my privacy and security journey.

Confidentially Yours,

Kevin

Hush Line Review Out!

After quite some time, I am excited to announce that my review on Hush Line has been published to the website! If you are looking for a inexpensive tip line solution for your organization or newsroom, Hush Line might be an option for you.

Hush Line review: An accessible whistleblowing platform for journalists and lawyers alike

Tip lines don’t work if your source does not know how to use them. Hush Line tries to make this process easier for the most vulnerable in society, but how does it actually work?

Privacy GuidesKevin Pham

Privacy is like Broccoli

Nate has released a members-only video adaptation of Em's Privacy Is Like Broccoli article. Check it out here on YouTube:

Privacy Guides Newsroom

The Privacy Guides Newsroom is working constantly to deliver objective reporting straight to your inbox. Here are the latest news briefs we published this past week:

Data Breach Roundup (Jan 2 – Jan 8, 2026)

From cryptocurrency to healthcare, 2026 seems set to bring us more of the same breaches.

Privacy GuidesNate Bartram

Logitech macOS Software Fails, Leaving Mice and Keyboards Malfunctioning

Logitech’s G HUB and Logi Options+ software stopped working, leaving users who relied on it for managing their mice and keyboards high and dry.

Privacy GuidesFria Reyes

Telegram Adds Passkey Support, Still Requires Phone Number

Telegram has added support for passkeys, a secure and convenient sign-in method, replacing SMS verification codes.

Privacy GuidesFria Reyes

Sources

Google will now only release Android source code twice a year

Google has announced that they will only release the source code of the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) two times a year, compared to their original quarterly release schedule. As of right now, the releases will occur in Q2 and Q4 of each year.