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Why Experts Are Questioning AI-Powered Police Reports — and What It Means for Your Rights Police departments across the United States are increasingly turning to artificial intelligence to write incident reports. The idea is simple: save time, reduce paperwork, and let officers focus on patrol. But new research from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) suggests that these AI-assisted reports come with serious downsides—inaccuracies, built-in bias, and a surprising lack of accountability. ...

How Privacy Tech Can Make AI Safer for You: What the GAO Report Means Intro If you’ve used ChatGPT, an AI photo editor, or a health symptom checker, you’ve probably wondered: what happens to my data? A new report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) suggests that the answer may lie in a set of tools collectively called privacy-enhancing technologies (PETs). The report, published May 20, 2026, and covered by MeriTalk, argues that PETs are essential for making AI adoption safe—not just for organizations, but for the people whose data feeds these systems. ...

New GAO Report: How Privacy Tech Can Keep You Safe When Using AI If you’ve used a chatbot, an AI image generator, or even your phone’s autocorrect, you’ve traded some of your data for that convenience. How much, and where it ends up, isn’t always clear. A new report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) suggests that a set of privacy technologies could help tip the balance in favor of consumers—making it possible to use powerful AI without handing over the keys to your personal information. ...

How to spot and avoid online shopping scams: tips from VA.gov Online shopping has become part of daily life, but it has also opened the door for scammers looking to steal money and personal information. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) regularly publishes warnings and practical advice to help veterans and their families — and really, anyone — stay safe when shopping online. The guidance from VA News covers the most common tricks fraudsters use and how to avoid them. Because scammers constantly adjust their tactics, it’s worth reviewing the basics regularly. ...

GAO Report: Privacy Tech Can Make AI Safer — Here’s What That Means for You Every time you ask an AI chatbot a question or let a voice assistant schedule a meeting, you’re handing over data. How that data is stored, used, and shared isn’t always clear. A recent report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) confirms what many privacy researchers have been saying: the best way to protect users during the rapid adoption of AI is to build privacy protections directly into the technology. ...

Watch Out for These Online Shopping Scams — and How to Stay Safe Online shopping has become a routine part of life for most of us. It’s fast, convenient, and often the best way to find deals. But that same convenience also attracts scammers who are constantly looking for new ways to trick shoppers out of their money and personal information. Whether you’re a seasoned online buyer or just starting out, knowing how to spot a scam can save you time, money, and a lot of frustration. ...

How Privacy Tech Can Make AI Safer for Everyone: A New Report Explains A recent report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) suggests that privacy-enhancing technologies (PETs) could be a key piece of making artificial intelligence safer for widespread use. The report, published in May 2026 and first covered by MeriTalk, arrives as concerns about how AI tools handle personal data have become more urgent. But what does this actually mean for someone who uses ChatGPT, Google Gemini, or any other AI service? This article cuts through the policy language and explains what these technologies are, why the government is paying attention, and what you can do to protect your data right now. ...

How to Spot and Avoid Online Shopping Scams: Advice from the VA Online shopping has become routine for most of us, but the convenience comes with a persistent risk: scams. Every year, fraudsters invent new ways to separate shoppers from their money and personal information. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has published several recent articles warning about these threats, focusing on how veterans and the general public can stay safe. This guide distills that advice into a straightforward set of practices you can use right now. ...

What the GAO Says About Privacy Tech for Safer AI: A User’s Guide If you use ChatGPT, Gemini, or any other generative AI tool, you’ve probably wondered what happens to your data. It’s a fair concern. These services often send your prompts to remote servers, and that information can be used to retrain models – or worse, mishandled. ...

How to Spot and Avoid Online Shopping Scams This Year Online shopping scams are becoming more sophisticated each year, and they often target veterans and military families who use VA benefits. The Department of Veterans Affairs has published several alerts in recent months warning about fake websites, phishing emails, and impostor calls designed to steal personal information and benefit payments. Knowing what to look for and how to respond can save you money and protect your identity. ...