ZDNet: “There is now a special page in the Firefox browser where users can see what telemetry data Mozilla is collecting from their browser. Accessible by typing about:telemetry in the browser’s URL address bar, this new section is a recent addition to Firefox. The page shows deeply technical information about browser settings, installed add-ons, OS/hardware… Continue Reading
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Monthly Archives: February 2020
Microsoft Teams goes down after Microsoft forgot to renew a certificate
The Verge – “Microsoft Teams went down this morning [February 3, 2020] for nearly three hours after Microsoft forgot to renew a critical security certificate. Users of Microsoft’s Slack competitor were met with error messages attempting to sign into the service on Monday morning, with the app noting it had failed to establish an HTTPS… Continue Reading
Tracking Police Shootings in the United States
Washington Post – 950 people have been shot and killed by police in the past year – “In 2015, The Washington Post began to log every fatal shooting by an on-duty police officer in the United States. In that time there have been nearly 5,000 such shootings recorded by The Post. After Michael Brown, an… Continue Reading
How YouTube supports elections
Official YouTube Blog – How YouTube supports elections – “As the 2020 election season kicks into high gear in the United States, people will visit YouTube to learn about the candidates and watch the election season unfold. Over the last few years, we’ve increased our efforts to make YouTube a more reliable source for news… Continue Reading
GAO – Insolvency Dates for Federal Trust Funds
Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget – “Last week, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report on the financial health of the nation’s federal trust funds. Requested by Senate Budget Committee Chairman Mike Enzi (R-WY) and Senator Mike Braun (R-IN), the report shows that insolvency dates for major trust funds are fast approaching and… Continue Reading
Competitive Intelligence – A Selective Resource Guide – Updated January 2020
Via LLRX – Competitive Intelligence – A Selective Resource Guide – Updated January 2020 – Sabrina I. Pacifici has completely revised and updated her guide, which she first published in 2006 and has updated regularly since that time. A wide range of free and low cost sites with expertly sourced content specific to researchers focused… Continue Reading
Pete Recommends – Weekly highlights on cyber security issues February 1, 2020
Via LLRX – Pete Recommends – Weekly highlights on cyber security issues February 1, 2020 – Privacy and security issues impact every aspect of our lives – home, work, travel, education, health and medical records – to name but a few. On a weekly basis Pete Weiss highlights articles and information that focus on the increasingly complex… Continue Reading
Principled Artificial Intelligence
Fjeld, Jessica and Achten, Nele and Hilligoss, Hannah and Nagy, Adam and Srikumar, Madhulika, Principled Artificial Intelligence: Mapping Consensus in Ethical and Rights-Based Approaches to Principles for AiI (January 15, 2020). Berkman Klein Center Research Publication No. 2020-1. “The rapid spread of artificial intelligence (AI) systems has precipitated a rise in ethical and human rights-based… Continue Reading
How to Change Your Off-Facebook Activity Settings
EFF: “Facebook’s long-awaited Off-Facebook Activity tool started rolling out today. While it’s not a perfect measure, and we still need stronger data privacy laws, this tool is a good step toward greater transparency and user control regarding third-party tracking. We hope other companies follow suit, and we encourage users to take advantage of it. This tutorial will guide… Continue Reading
Visualising the amount of microplastic we eat
Reuters Graphic – A plateful of plastic – Visualising the amount of microplastic we eat – “Microscopic pieces of plastic have been discovered in the most remote locations, from the depths of the ocean to Arctic ice. Another place that plastic is appearing is inside our bodies. We’re breathing microplastic, eating it and drinking plastic-infused… Continue Reading
GSA launches public campaign to battle bots, fake comments from online rulemaking forums
Follow up to previous posting – Deepfake Bot Submissions to Federal Public Comment Websites Cannot Be Distinguished from Human Submissions – via Federal News Network – “The General Services Administration kicked off a public effort this week to modernize the federal e-rulemaking process, with a special emphasis on how agencies should respond to an ever-growing number… Continue Reading
The fact-checker’s dilemma
NeimanLab – Humans are hardwired to dismiss facts that don’t fit their worldview – “Human cognition is inseparable from the unconscious emotional responses that go with it.” By Adrian Bardon – “Something is rotten in the state of American political life. The U.S. (among other nations) is increasingly characterized by highly polarized, informationally insulated ideological… Continue Reading
