Surveillance Report Microsoft's Control Over Open Source Grows
Aug 19, 2025
Microsoft's increasing control over GitHub takes center stage, especially after the CEO's resignation. The podcast dives into significant cybersecurity breaches and the challenges of AI surveillance, highlighting troubling trends in data privacy. Legislation affecting chat control threatens innovation, while there's excitement around Debian 13 and developments in the open-source community. Listeners also learn about urgent software updates from Plex and practical solutions for managing personal information online.
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GitHub Moves Into Microsoft's AI Core
- Microsoft is folding GitHub into its core AI organization, signaling tighter integration between the code platform and Microsoft's AI ambitions.
- This may increase use of repository data for training and shift GitHub's strategic priorities toward AI features like Copilot.
Protect Your Code From Unwanted AI Training
- If you host open source code on GitHub and care about training-data usage, review GitHub's terms and project settings for licensing and data policies.
- Consider mirroring critical projects to alternatives like GitLab or Codeberg to retain control and reduce dependence.
Major Breaches Hit Financial And Staffing Firms
- Connex Credit Union reported a breach exposing names, account numbers, debit cards, SSNs, and government IDs for 172,000 members.
- Manpower's breach impacted nearly 145,000 people and included passport scans, HR data, and corporate documents.