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Tech Beat · 4 PM Update

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A new report from CalMatters is putting a spotlight on the data broker economy, and the names involved may surprise you. Disney, General Motors, major insurers, and banks are among the companies purchasing personal data on American consumers. It's a reminder that the digital footprint you leave behind has a very active market.

Shifting to a story about a different kind of privacy, Proton has long been a name associated with encrypted email, and now a developer has released ProtonSync, a free, open-source tool that bridges Proton's contacts and calendar with Android's native apps. It's a small but meaningful step for users who want privacy-first services without sacrificing convenience on their phones.

And in the world of hardware, a startup called Fortell just raised one hundred sixty-three million dollars to rethink the hearing aid. Backed by Founders Fund, Thrive Capital, and Valor Equity, the company is building AI-powered devices meant to be worn willingly, not reluctantly. The founder's observation is a sharp one — nobody has to convince you to put on your glasses.

That's what's moving in tech today. Keep surfing. Tech Beat out.

Sources

  1. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49728703
  2. https://twitter.com/harshagundal/status/2100044305536889015
  3. https://calmatters.org/economy/technology/2026/09/whos-buying-your-personal-data-disney-gm-your-insurer-and-bank/
  4. https://techcrunch.com/podcast/why-thrive-founders-fund-and-antonio-gracias-are-betting-on-hearing-aids/
  5. https://www.techradar.com/tech/techradar-readers-choice-awards-2026-fitness-and-home-tech-categories
  6. https://www.techradar.com/tech/techradar-readers-choice-awards-2026-tv-streaming-and-audio-categories
  7. https://towardsdatascience.com/how-to-make-linear-regression-survive-outliers/
  8. https://www.techradar.com/tech/techradar-readers-choice-awards-2026-computing-and-gaming-categories
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