Observed Signal · Oct 13, 2023 · Technical Release · Source: OnlineMarketing.de · Impact: 2/5 · Sentiment: Positive
Firefox Improves Privacy with OHTTP and DAP
Mozilla Firefox has expanded user privacy with two technologies: Oblivious HTTP (OHTTP) and the Data Access Partitioning (DAP) system. Fastly collaborates on the implementation, with Divvi Up from ISRG contributing to the privacy initiative. OHTTP relays encrypt and mask the source of requests by routing data through an intermediary so the origin remains hidden, while DAP splits user data into two separate sets and processes them across independent servers, preventing any single party from reconstructing sensitive information. Both approaches are described by Mozilla and Fastly as privacy-preserving methods that still enable aggregate data collection to improve browser performance. The effort extends to Google's Privacy Sandbox efforts, where OHTTP is used as a relay for the FLEDGE targeting alternative, illustrating a broader industry trend toward enhanced privacy. Mozilla CTO Bobby Holley and Fastly's Jana Iyengar are quoted on the goals, highlighting commitment to privacy without sacrificing web experience.
Introduction of browser-level privacy technologies affecting data collection in advertising ecosystems.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Mozilla and Fastly introduced Oblivious HTTP relay in Firefox to enhance privacy.
- DAP splits data into two sets and processes them across independent servers to prevent data reconstruction.
- Divvi Up, a unit of ISRG, supported the privacy initiative.
- OHTTP also forms part of Google's Privacy Sandbox ecosystem for FLEDGE.
- Jana Iyengar (Fastly) and Bobby Holley (Mozilla) commented on the privacy goals.
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Google launches unified agentic AI for Gemini
At a Google Cloud event on Thursday, Google announced it is bringing agentic AI to its Gemini assistant, launching a unified agent that can autonomously plan and execute tasks on behalf of users. Aimed initially at businesses, the agent can connect to internal systems and external tools, use custom skills, and even choose from third-party models like Anthropic's Claude. It will have its own Workspace account with an email address, and will write its own audit trail. Early testers include On, Shopify, and PayPal. Gemini has over 1 billion monthly active users, and nearly 90% of Fortune 100 companies use Gemini Enterprise.
US Government Excludes Microsoft from Visa Program
The US government has barred Microsoft from participating in the permanent residency process for foreign workers with H-1B visas, accusing the company of abusing the program. Vice President JD Vance stated that Microsoft laid off 6,000 American employees last year while benefiting from 6,300 H-1B visa holders. The Department of Labor, led by Keith Sonderling, will not accept new permanent residency applications from Microsoft, as well as several consulting firms and Adobe. This action comes weeks before the midterm elections and reflects the Trump administration's broader criticism of the H-1B program, which it claims disadvantages American workers. Microsoft has not yet responded. The move could impact the tech industry's ability to retain skilled foreign talent.
US suspends Microsoft, Adobe from green card labor program
The Trump administration has suspended Microsoft, Adobe, and six other major tech firms—Capgemini, Cognizant, HCL, Infosys, Tata, and Wipro—from the U.S. Permanent Labor Certification program, which facilitates green cards for skilled foreign workers. Secretary of Labor Keith Sonderling cited active federal investigations and alleged fraud, noting that no new or pending applications from these companies will be accepted. Vice President JD Vance accused Microsoft of replacing laid-off workers with H-1B visa holders. Microsoft defended its practices, stating that most U.S. employees are American and that 80% of its H-1B petitions were for existing employees. The announcement was made during a White House summit on H-1B fraud, and the administration also plans to investigate nine universities, including Harvard, Yale, and Stanford, over student visa program abuse.
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