Menu

Blog

Archive for the ‘privacy’ category: Page 31

Dec 9, 2013

Cellphone surveillance: A new tool in police arsenal to combat crime

Posted by in categories: law enforcement, mobile phones, privacy, surveillance

WAYNE HOLMES

Written by John Kelly USA Today

The National Security Agency isn’t the only government entity secretly collecting data from people’s cellphones. Local police are increasingly scooping it up, too.

Armed with new technologies, including mobile devices that tap into cellphone data in real time, dozens of local and state police agencies are capturing information — about thousands of cellphone users at a time, whether they are targets of an investigation or not, according to public records obtained by USA Today, The Des Moines Register and other Gannett newspapers and TV stations.

The records, from more than 125 police agencies in 33 states, reveal:

Read more


Dec 9, 2013

Tech Giants Band Together to Fight Government Surveillance

Posted by in categories: business, ethics, government, privacy, surveillance

If NSA employees were bummed that President Obama hasn’t paid them a visit, they’re going to be devastated to learn that all their favorite tech companies are publicly calling them out. Eight companies – Google, Facebook, Apple, Microsoft, Twitter, Yahoo, LinkedIn and AOL – have put aside their rivalries and issued a call for the reform of government surveillance. “We understand that governments have a duty to protect their citizens. But this summer’s revelations highlighted the urgent need to reform government surveillance practices worldwide,” says an open letter featured in full-page ads in several newspaper on Monday. “The balance in many countries has tipped too far in favor of the state and away from the rights of the individual — rights that are enshrined in our Constitution. This undermines the freedoms we all cherish.”

Read more

Dec 4, 2013

Congress members push privacy bills in response to Amazon delivery drones

Posted by in categories: drones, ethics, government, law, policy, privacy

Will drones give you better shopping recommendations by watching your house?

By Adi Robertson on

http://cdn3.sbnation.com/entry_photo_images/9510337/prime-air_high-resolution02_large_verge_medium_landscape.jpg

Since Jeff Bezos announced Amazon’s hypothetical delivery-by-octocopter service earlier this week, its drones have become a point of focus for existing debates over privacy, regulation, and “disruptive” technology. The plan has given a sense of urgency to questions about widespread governmental and commercial drone use, and a new hook for members of Congress trying to answer those questions through legislation. Yesterday, Rep. Ted Poe (R-TX) became the second member of Congress to raise the specter of Amazon Prime Air to support an anti-surveillance bill, giving a sometimes colorful account of how the drones could change our future.

Continue reading “Congress members push privacy bills in response to Amazon delivery drones” »

Dec 2, 2013

Google’s Anti-Facial Recognition Policy for Glass is Deadly

Posted by in categories: ethics, information science, policy, privacy

I believe Google is making a huge mistake in completely banning facial recognition systems for its Glass product. In my opinion, such a system could be used to help save thousands of lives. But then, we’re too damn caught up on absolute privacy that we’re willing to sacrifice actual, physical lives to ensure our privacy remains untainted. Such individualist dogma is deadly.

According to the Amber Alert webpage, “A child goes missing in the United States every 40 seconds,” and that “More than 700,000 children go missing annually.” That is an absolutely frightening statistic! Much more frightening than the prospect that some Glass user may know my name.

How far are we willing to go to ensure absolute privacy isn’t diminished whatsoever? When does the right of privacy begin interfering with the right of safety? Can the two come together in harmony, or are they destined to be in conflict until society finally reaches a decision over one or the other?

Continue reading “Google’s Anti-Facial Recognition Policy for Glass is Deadly” »

Jul 5, 2013

Amber Alert for Human Freedom

Posted by in category: privacy

amber alert

Amber Alert for Human Freedom

By Michael Lee

Continue reading “Amber Alert for Human Freedom” »

Page 31 of 31First2425262728293031