The Atlantic: “…Cynics of every age suspect their virtual assistants of eavesdropping, and not without reason. Smart speakers are yet another way for companies to keep tabs on our searches and purchases. Their microphones listen even when you’re not interacting with them, because they have to be able to hear their “wake word,” the command… Continue Reading
Accurate, Focused Research on Law, Technology and Knowledge Discovery Since 2002
Category Archives: Privacy
Law firms can learn from other industries’ missteps on cybersecurity awareness and prevention
ABA Journal – “Equifax. Yahoo. Anthem. Sony. In the past few years, these companies experienced some of the most significant data breaches to date. And all of these companies found themselves subject to intense worldwide media coverage over their failure to secure their information. The industries affected—from health care to entertainment—know all too well that… Continue Reading
Google+ shutting down after belated news of consumer data breach
Google Blog: “Many third-party apps, services and websites build on top of our various services to improve everyone’s phones, working life, and online experience. We strongly support this active ecosystem. But increasingly, its success depends on users knowing that their data is secure, and on developers having clear rules of the road. Over the years… Continue Reading
Voice Phishing Scams Are Getting More Clever
Krebs on Security: “Most of us have been trained to be wary of clicking on links and attachments that arrive in emails unexpected, but it’s easy to forget scam artists are constantly dreaming up innovations that put a new shine on old-fashioned telephone-based phishing scams. Think you’re too smart to fall for one? Think again:… Continue Reading
Facebook bug prevented users from deleting their accounts
VentureBeat: “Until just a few days ago, some Facebook users could not delete their accounts — the option to do so simply didn’t work. After VentureBeat reached out to Facebook regarding the issue, an engineer was able to squash the bug. Every few months, there’s a new Facebook scandal that results in a #deletefacebook campaign.… Continue Reading
New on LLRX – Text Analysis Systems Mine Workplace Emails to Measure Staff Sentiments
Via LLRX – Text Analysis Systems Mine Workplace Emails to Measure Staff Sentiments – Giving the processes of observation, analysis and change at the enterprise level a modern spin, is a fascinating new article in the September 2018 issue of The Atlantic, titled What Your Boss Could Learn by Reading the Whole Company’s Emails, by Frank… Continue Reading
Open Data, Grey Data, and Stewardship: Universities at the Privacy Frontier
Borgman, C. L. (2018). Open Data, Grey Data, and Stewardship: Universities at the Privacy Frontier. Berkeley Technology Law Journal, 33(2), 287–336. “As universities recognize the inherent value in the data they collect and hold, they encounter unforeseen challenges in stewarding those data in ways that balance accountability, transparency, and protection of privacy, academic freedom, and… Continue Reading
Inventor of World Wide Web announces project to restore power and agency of individuals on the web
Tim Berners-Lee – via his company, inrupt: “I’ve always believed the web is for everyone. That’s why I and others fight fiercely to protect it. The changes we’ve managed to bring have created a better and more connected world. But for all the good we’ve achieved, the web has evolved into an engine of inequity… Continue Reading
Facebook Is Giving Advertisers Access to Your Shadow Contact Information
Gizmodo: “…One of the many ways that ads get in front of your eyeballs on Facebook and Instagram is that the social networking giant lets an advertiser upload a list of phone numbers or email addresses it has on file; it will then put an ad in front of accounts associated with that contact information.… Continue Reading
Google to give Chrome users an opt-out to ‘forced login’ after privacy backlash
Techcrunch: “Google has responded to blowback about a privacy hostile change it made this week, which removes user agency by automating Chrome browser sign-ins, by rowing back slightly — saying it will give users the ability to disable this linking of web-based sign-in with browser-based sign-in in a forthcoming update (Chrome 70), due mid next month.… Continue Reading
Digital Deceit II: A Policy Agenda to Fight Disinformation on the Internet
“Digital disinformation poses a grave threat to our democracy and demands a new social contract between consumers and internet companies that is rooted in transparency, privacy and competition, according to a new report co-published by the Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School and New America, the Washington, D.C.-based… Continue Reading
These Police Drones are Watching You
POGO: “…Existing technology that is affordable and in wide use allows law enforcement to spy on individuals over huge distances. The most prominent example is the DJI Zenmuse Z30 camera, which can be affixed to commonly used drone models such as the Inspire 2 and the Matrice. Chinese manufacturer DJI, the drone maker most favored by U.S. law enforcement, promotes the… Continue Reading
