financial privacy

Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul has announced a multistate settlement with Laboratory Corporation of America (Labcorp) over the data breach at American Medical Collection Agency, the billing firm that exposed millions of patients' personal and financial information. The settlement resolves claims that Labcorp failed to safeguard sensitive patient data from an intrusion that affected numerous laboratory customers across the country.

Adtech firm 33Across has rebranded as WealthStage, an advertising platform aimed at banks, trading apps, lenders, brokers and insurers. The company says its AI engine scores household wealth, positioning itself for an estimated $124 trillion in assets changing hands by 2048. Industry observers are questioning which data feeds the scoring engine and what parts of the old business remain at 33Across.

A new battle over financial privacy is emerging, with debate centering on how much access governments and institutions should have to individuals' financial data. The dispute touches on surveillance, consumer rights, and the balance between security and personal freedom in the digital economy. Observers expect the issue to grow as regulators weigh new rules affecting how financial information is collected and shared.

A new research paper dubbed 'Shielded Bitcoin' proposes bringing private payments to BTC by adapting Zcash's shielded transaction technology. The proposal suggests applying zero-knowledge proof techniques so Bitcoin payments could be made confidential while remaining verifiable. CoinDesk examined the paper, which is drawing attention in crypto circles to the long-running debate over privacy and compliance on public blockchains.