Privacy

Lawmakers Ask for Clarity on Google Glass and Privacy
May 17, 2013

Eight members of Congress have sent a letter to Google asking about the privacy implications of Google Glass. The letter was sent from Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas) and seven other lawmakers from the bipartisan Congressional Privacy Caucus. It asks Google whether users will be able to opt in to various proposed scenarios.

New Yorker Launches Strongbox Source-Protection Service
May 16, 2013

The New Yorker has launched Strongbox, an anonymous system for providing the publication with information, based on the open source DeadDrop program developed by the late Aaron Swartz and Kevin Poulsen. Strongbox can be thought of as an extension of the mailing address printed in small type on the magazine's inside cover, said The New Yorker.

Bloomberg Caught With Hands in the Customer Data Jar
May 16, 2013

Bloomberg has been embroiled in scandal since news broke last week that its reporters were using the company's corporate terminals to monitor its customers' activities. The story began to unravel when news surfaced that Goldman Sachs had confronted Bloomberg over the possibility that reporters were accessing its account data.

Obama May Pick Twitter Lawyer for Privacy Post
May 08, 2013

The Obama administration appears to be sending a message to privacy advocates that it's taking their issue seriously by creating a new position devoted to it -- and choosing a high-profile tech lawyer to occupy it. The White House reportedly is tagging Nicole Wong, Twitter's legal director for products, for a top privacy post.

CISPA on Collision Course With Obama Veto
April 18, 2013

The Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act, which faces a vote in the U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday, may end up vetoed by President Obama. CISPA encourages private companies to share security information among themselves and with the government. The House Rules Committee on Tuesday rejected a bipartisan amendment that would have addressed user privacy.

Safety, Privacy Issues Temper Google Glass Coolness
April 16, 2013

Google on Tuesday released the tech specifications for Google Glass, which will sport 720p resolution for the eyeware's video camera and 16 GB of onboard flash storage. The forthcoming availability of the Web-connected glasses, however, is also raising questions about health/safety and privacy. The glasses will include the ability to take 5 MP still camera images and have WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity.

IRS May Be Sifting Through Email in Defiance of Court Order
April 11, 2013

The ACLU has raised a disturbing possibility after reading 247 pages of records it obtained from the Internal Revenue Service via a Freedom of Information Act request: The agency may be reading taxpayers' emails without a warrant. The IRS was told not to do this after a 2010 appellate court ruling in United States v. Warshak. However, the ACLU now seems to think the IRS has reverted to its previous behavior -- or perhaps never stopped.

The Next Big Thing in Smartphones: Multiple Video Camera Support
April 08, 2013

I've been meeting with a number of companies that build video-editing software, and I've been becoming increasingly concerned that we aren't at all ready for a world in which nearly every car and every head has a streaming camera attached to it. Regardless of whether we are prepared or not, I think it likely that the next big smartphone feature will be the ability to stream multiple cameras at once.

Facebook Home: Brilliant Stroke or Desperate Measure?
April 08, 2013

Political and economic news from around the globe may bombard us with annoying regularity here in the tech community, and as most of us know, the news is almost always bad. That, of course, is why it's such a good thing we have Facebook to filter out what we don't want to hear. It's also why we all waited in rapt attention for the Facebook Home announcement.

Google Searches for a Fight on National Security Letters
April 05, 2013

Google is reportedly challenging a government request for private information on its users, just weeks after it became the first major tech company to release information about the security probes it receives from the FBI. The tech giant is mounting a court challenge against a National Security Letter (NSL), a highly secretive demand issued by the FBI that asks Google to provide private information on certain users.

6 Euro Nations Scream at Google Over Privacy
April 03, 2013

The six leading European markets -- France, Spain, Italy, the UK, the Netherlands and Germany -- announced on Tuesday that they will take joint legal action against Google over its privacy policies. The action will involve an investigation and possible fines. This follows the company's decision last year to consolidate more than 70 privacy policies for products and services into one policy.

Russian Clampdown on Web Content Raises Red Flags
April 01, 2013

The Russian government is using a law passed last year to restrict online content, and three major social networks have removed content authorities deemed objectionable. The Russian law created a blacklist of sites containing child pornography, drug-related and extremist material, and other illegal content.

Microsoft Pulls Back the Curtain on Law Enforcement Requests for Data
March 22, 2013

Microsoft on Thursday released its first transparency report, detailing what information was sought from the company last year by governments and law enforcement agencies around the world -- and what information Microsoft gave up to those authorities. The 2012 Law Enforcement Requests Report covers all the company's major online services.

Netflix, Facebook Integration Brings Back the Water Cooler
March 13, 2013

Movie and TV buffs will soon be able to share what they've watched on Netflix more easily, the service announced Wednesday. Users in the United States will be able to take advantage of "frictionless sharing" with their friends on Facebook in the coming days. The sharing will be available only on Netflix by default. Users will be able to allow their friends to see which titles they viewed and to see their friends' ratings.

Google Hit With $7M Fine at the Privacy Tollbooth
March 13, 2013

Google has settled its Street View privacy case with 38 states and the District of Columbia. As part of the settlement, the company will destroy the personal information it collected under the project, train its employees on privacy issues for a 10-year period, launch a campaign to educate consumers on WiFi security, and pay a $7 million fine.

Likes Can Tell the Story of Your Life
March 12, 2013

It is possible to predict intimate personal characteristics such as sexual orientation by studying a person's Facebook Likes, according to findings released Monday by University of Cambridge researchers. Just by studying Likes, the team was able to determine a person's race, age, IQ, personality type, level of substance use and political views with a surprising degree of accuracy.

Judge Orders Apple to Quit Pussyfooting Around
March 11, 2013

A judge gave Apple until the end of last week to produce details about how it would provide documents and other evidence requested in a privacy lawsuit. U.S. Magistrate Judge Paul S. Grewal issued the order in San Jose, Calif., on March 6, following claims from the plaintiffs' lawyers that Apple was withholding documents it had been ordered to produce.

Despite Denials, China No Doubt Sponsored Hacks, Insists Mandiant
February 20, 2013

A study on Chinese hacking practices issued by U.S. security firm Mandiant sent shock waves Wednesday through the technology and business worlds. A large number of cyberattacks on American corporations, organizations and government agencies are coming from a building near Shanghai, the study found.

Traditionally Progressive Iceland Mulls Internet Porn Ban
February 19, 2013

Iceland's credentials as a progressive country are beyond reproach. The prime minister is openly gay, for starters, plus the recently rewritten constitution included input from citizens who joined the discussion via social media. Even so, Iceland is considering a ban of online pornography.

Iran Double-Exposed for Stealth Jet Photoshopping
February 13, 2013

Iran's defense minister is going to be ticked off at the Photoshop minister. A photo of Iran's Qahar 313 stealth fighter is bunk -- just like the last one. After being called out for its fake stealth fighter pic last week, Iran went all in and released a new, updated photo of the jet soaring over Mount Damavand, the highest peak in Iran.