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Daily Archives: June 18, 2019

It’s Time to Switch to a Privacy Browser

Wired – “There’s a new battleground in the browser wars: user privacy. Firefox just made its Enhanced Tracking Protection a default feature, Apple continues to pile privacy-focused features into its Safari browser, and people are more aware than ever before of the sort of information they can reveal every time they set a digital footprint on the web. If you want to push back against online tracking, you’ve got several options to pick from when choosing a default browser. These are the browsers that put user privacy high on the list of their priorities…”

Developing Artificially Intelligent Justice

Re, Richard M. and Solow-Niederman, Alicia, Developing Artificially Intelligent Justice (May 19, 2019). Stanford Technology Law Review, Forthcoming; UCLA School of Law, Public Law Research Paper No. 19-16. Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3390854 “Artificial intelligence, or AI, promises to assist, modify, and replace human decision-making, including in court. AI already supports many aspects of how judges… Continue Reading

Protect your online identity now: Fight hackers with these 5 security safeguards

ZDNET – Having your identity stolen can be a nightmare, and cleaning up the mess can take months. You can make life difficult for a would-be identity thief by locking down these five key aspects of your online life. “…You don’t have to be the next victim. With a little effort (and, yes, a little expense),… Continue Reading

Boaty McBoatface makes major climate change discovery on maiden outing

UK Telegraph: “Boaty McBoatface’s maiden outing has made a major discovery about how climate change is causing rising sea levels. Scientists say that data collected from the yellow submarines’s first expedition will help them build more accurate predictions in order to combat the problem. The mission has uncovered a key process linking increasing Antarctic winds… Continue Reading

Should the police be able to investigate your genetic family tree for any crime, no matter how minor?

The New York Times – Want to See My Genes? Get a Warrant – Should the police be able to investigate your genetic family tree for any crime, no matter how minor? “…Genetic genealogy requires lots of DNA samples and an easy way to compare them. Americans have created millions of genetic profiles already. A… Continue Reading

How Retail’s Secret Surveillance Tracks Your Every Move

The New York Times: “Imagine you are shopping in your favorite grocery store. As you approach the dairy aisle, you are sent a push notification in your phone: “10 percent off your favorite yogurt! Click here to redeem your coupon.” You considered buying yogurt on your last trip to the store, but you decided against… Continue Reading

Study – Your Facebook profile can indicate if you have a medical condition

CNN – “In a new study, researchers were able to predict 21 types of medical conditions — ranging from pregnancy to skin disorders — by analyzing people’s Facebook profiles. Facebook status updates were “particularly effective at predicting diabetes and mental health conditions including anxiety, depression and psychoses,” the study found. The study will be published… Continue Reading

When a book disappears, it turns up here

Fully searchable banned book database catalogues 125,000 titles – When Argentinian artist Marta Minujin wanted to build a replica of the Parthenon out of banned books, UBC professor Florian Gassner was one of the first people she turned to for help. Gassner, a senior instructor in UBC’s department of Central, Eastern, and Northern European studies, was… Continue Reading