Penetralia is a UK based, not for profit organisation working to regain a level of privacy and security in today's Internet. Whilst there are laws and regulations governing what data can and cannot be collected, many websites do not follow these rules and harvest much more data than they should. Sometimes this is accidental and small website operators do not know the intricacies of the laws. Sometimes "Webmasters" are tricked into this by the likes of Google offering simplified website security with reCaptcha or statistical analysis with GoogleTagManager scripts which, in truth, are there to gather data for Google.
Penetralia try to help by pointing out to website authors where they are exceeding their permissions with regard to data capture and, working together, to correct the errors. However, where the errors are intentional or the website is not prepared to remedy them, Penetralia are prepared to enlist the help of gevernment bodies ( including the ICO ) or to use legal options to enforce compliance.
We also try to provide help and guidance to users so they can better determine their level of privacy requirements and take any precautions necessary to achieve that.
We all know computers make mistakes which is why we should build safe and secure systems around them. The more serious issue is what happens when the safety systems are misused, abused or fail?
The GDPR has clauses to protect our data by insisting companies only collect that data NEEDED for the purpose. The clause is often refered to as "Data Minimisation"
Once again, the Government uses peoples fears to bring in ineffective legislation
Spending £91m in 2024/25 alone, should we expect more from the ICO?.
It's not that we have anything to hide, we just dont have anything we wish to share.
20th, Sep 2026
The Humber Bridge revised toll system does away with the Toll Booths making it very difficult, and sometimes impossible, to make payments by any means other than their website which has a number of privacy concerns.
In a 2024 investigation, UK consumer group Which? examined 12 smart products and their Android apps. Its tests found that the app for a Xiaomi air fryer connected to trackers associated with Facebook, TikTok’s advertising network and Tencent.
Smart devices in our homes and on our wrists may prove useful but do we know how much data they collect, where they store it or who they share it with?
Sep 25th, 2026
Apart from the privacy concerns around smart glasses, researchers have found that some cheap brands come with barely any security at all.
ABC Australia reports the main problem they uncovered with cheap smart glasses was insecure Bluetooth pairing: If the glasses were powered on and not connected to their owner’s phone, an attacker could connect first, with no password or meaningful pairing confirmation. After connecting, an attacker could reportedly control the glasses to capture photos or recordings, copy existing media, and intercept data moving between the glasses and the phone. An attacker could also make another device appear to be the victim’s glasses, allowing it to connect to the owner’s mobile app.
Sep 23rd, 2026