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Monthly Archives: December 2019

How to spot a bot (or not)

First Draft – The main indicators of online automation, co-ordination and inauthentic activity. “First Draft has put together a number of indicators that might suggest — but not proof — automated activity online. Bot detection is no simple task…From talking with academics and researchers, studying the work of others, and carrying out our own investigations, First Draft has put together a list of indicators to help anyone identify suspicious online activity. The list of indicators is broken down by category: the account’s pattern of activity, account information, content posted by the account, and network of other accounts it may be a part of. Within each category are different metrics which are red flags for automation…”

Pete Recommends – Weekly highlights on cyber security issues, December 29, 2019

Via LLRX – Pete Recommends – Weekly highlights on cyber security issues, December 29, 2019 – Four highlights from this week: What You’re Unwrapping When You Get a DNA Test for Christmas; Ring and Amazon sued in federal court over security concerns; Smart Home Tech, Police, and Your Privacy: Year in Review 2019; and Fake… Continue Reading

The Old Internet Died And We Watched And Did Nothing

BuzzFeedNews: “…The internet of the 2010s will be defined by social media’s role in the 2016 election, the rise of extremism, and the fallout from privacy scandals like Cambridge Analytica. But there’s another, more minor theme to the decade: the gradual dismantling and dissolution of an older internet culture. This purge comes in two forms:… Continue Reading

Protecting the Legal Foundation of the Internet: 2019 in Review

EFF: “When someone says something unlawful online, they should be the one held responsible for it, not the website or platform where they said it. Section 230—the most important law protecting free speech online—reflects that common-sense principle. This year, EFF defended Section 230 in Congress, the courts, and on the Internet…” Continue Reading

Amazon files patent for tech to identify you using the veins in your hand

USA Today: “What if you could pay for your groceries using your veins?  Amazon filed a patent for technology that could identify you by scanning the wrinkles in the palm of your hand and by using a light to see beneath your skin to your blood vessels. The resulting images could be used to identify you… Continue Reading

How open-source software took over the world

CNBC – “Much of the software that powers the world’s largest companies, protects our personal data, or encrypts national security information is open to the public. Anyone can download the source code behind Facebook’s user interface, Google’s Android operating system, or even Goldman Sachs’s data modeling program, and use it as a building block for… Continue Reading

How Do You Save an Endangered Tree from Extinction

Scientific American – How Do You Save an Endangered Tree from Extinction – When You Can’t Save Its Seeds? “Recalcitrant” seeds hold the secret to saving a critically endangered Indian tree—thanks to a bit of human help. A team of Indian conservationists working to save a critically endangered tree from extinction just achieved an important… Continue Reading

Converging Paths: A Librarian’s Journey to Becoming a Privacy Professional

Via LLRX – Converging Paths: A Librarian’s Journey to Becoming a Privacy Professional – After receiving her MLIS Stephanie Davis worked in the field of knowledge management (KM) where she sourced, documented, categorized, and shared information about her consulting firm’s people and project experiences. Davis designed webpages, delivered training programs on information access and disclosure,… Continue Reading

2019 Data Breach Hall of Shame

Cnet – These were the biggest data breaches of the year – We never want to hear the words “unsecured database” ever again: “The words “unsecured database” seemed to run on repeat through security journalism in 2019. Every month, another company was asking its customers to change their passwords and report any damage. Cloud-based storage… Continue Reading