Smartphones now provide the ability for users impulsively to take photographs and videos of life as it happens. And lovers in the midst of passion at times record their amorous activities with the intent of keeping revealing photos and videos private. What happens, though, when love dies, but the photos and videos remain? Do they stay private?
Unfortunately, often times the answer is “no.”
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has launched an inquiry to determine whether Facebook’s recently announced privacy policies violate an agreement to obtain express consent before revealing users’ private information to new viewers.
According to The New York Times, the FTC claims Facebook’s new policies require users to provide Facebook with broad permission to utilize their personal information in advertising. Facebook has fired back, stating that this requirement comes from a class action settlement to users who were unhappy that their names and images were used in Facebook ads to shill products to their friends.
Continue reading “FTC Investigates Facebook’s Proposed Privacy Policies”
In the early days of the Internet, an editorial cartoon from The New Yorker depicted a dog in front of a computer monitor and keyboard with a caption that read “On the Internet, nobody knows you’re a dog.” The point was that people could behave however they liked online without others knowing their true identity.
But is that really true? Au contraire my canine friends.
Continue reading “Can You Really Remain Anonymous On The Internet?”
Gone are the days of non-electronic, hard-copy communications, right? Not so fast! According to The Associated Press, the Justices of the United States Supreme Court are still very low-tech — almost to the point of being no-tech.
When communicating with each other about pending cases under consideration, the Justices tend to send each other formal memoranda printed on ivory paper. This was revealed by Justice Elena Kagan during an interview by Ted Widmer, a Brown University historian and librarian.
With potential reforms in the wind with respect to government surveillance practices, the National Security Agency (NSA) has issued a seven-page report that seeks to explain and justify its conduct.
The report, titled “The National Security Agency: Missions, Authorities, Oversight and Partnerships,” begins with a quote from President Obama that calls for “reviewing the authorities of law enforcement, so we can intercept new types of communication, but also build in privacy protection to prevent abuse.”
Continue reading “NSA Seeks To Come Clean On Surveillance Practices”
Cyber threats are real and they’re on the rise. In this climate, the White House is considering certain incentives for companies that follow government recommended cybersecurity measures.
While the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act (CISPA) passed the House in April, the Obama administration’s cybersecurity program is only just taking shape, and its tentative concepts were recently unveiled.
Continue reading “Proposed White House Cybersecurity Incentives Could Pay Off”
We live in the always-on age. Around the clock we can log in and communicate electronically in many ways.
While this often is advantageous and convenient in the working world, this dynamic can create challenges and even risks when it comes to vacations.
‘Vacation’ Means Taking a Break
We are rewarded with vacation for a reason. It gives us the opportunity to take a break from the workplace, relax, and rejuvenate ourselves with down time and leisure activities.
Continue reading “Vacation Should Mean Vacation In The Tech Era”
American universities are being bombarded by cyberattacks, according to a recent New York Times article.
These universities are being hit with millions of hacking attempts per week, and some of those attempts have succeeded in obtaining personal and other data.
Unfortunately, at times these data compromises are not discovered until long after the fact, if at all.
Continue reading “American Universities Under Siege By Cyberattacks”
Microsoft is serious when it comes to software pirates. Indeed, it has just reported that it has reached settlements in more than 3,000 copyright infringement matters that it initiated globally in the past year alone.
The vast majority of the cases were international, spanning 42 countries. In fact, only 35 of the 3,265 cases were in the United States.
Microsoft states that most of its enforcement cases have been the result of tips and feedback from consumers. To drive that point home, Microsoft notes that since 2005 it has been tipped off by over 450,000 customers who disclosed counterfeited software.
Continue reading “Microsoft Settles Thousands Of Software Privacy Cases Worldwide”
Last week, you were informed about the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) updating advertising disclosure guidance for search engines. But there’s more! On July 1, new FTC rules went into effect that are intended to provide greater privacy protection for children online. Indeed, the rules are supposed to afford increased safeguards when it comes to data such as geo-location and social media information.
By way of background, the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) became operative in 2000, in the early days of the commercial Internet. The law was designed to enable parents to control personal information collected from these young children in hopes that COPPA would prevent children under the age of 13 from being targeted via personalized online marketing messages.
Continue reading “COPPA Now Includes Greater Protections For Kids Online”
