Eric Sinrod – Page 9 – Duane Morris TechLaw

September 28, 2016 by Eric J. Sinrod

The Internet – Latest Addiction

We routinely hear about all sorts of addictions relating to drugs, alcohol, food, and even sex. But what about internet addiction? Is it real, and is it a problem? The answer to both, unfortunately, is yes.

According to a study led by Michael Van Ameringen at the McMaster University in Canada, heavy internet use can exacerbate various mental health conditions, including depression and anxiety, especially among college-aged students. The results of the study recently were presented at the European College of Neuropharmacology conference in Vienna. Continue reading “The Internet – Latest Addiction”

September 14, 2016 by Eric J. Sinrod

The Different Layers of the Internet

Most of us regularly use the surface level of the internet. But there are other deeper and darker levels. So, let’s briefly explore three levels of the internet.

First, there is the “surface web.” As you read this blog, you are operating on the surface web. When you access your email, when you tweet on Twitter, when you conduct Google searches, when you listen to Pandora, when you watch YouTube videos, when you buy and sell things on eBay, and when you shop on Amazon, you are utilizing the surface web.

This part of the internet probably is the most familiar to you, so you might think that it comprises the vast majority of the internet. Wrong! According to a recent blog by Vinay Kumar, the surface web comprises only 4 percent of the internet. Continue reading “The Different Layers of the Internet”

September 9, 2016 by Eric J. Sinrod

Got Drone? New FAA Regulations: To Infinity and Beyond!

Drones are coming down in price, and they no longer are confined for deployment by military officials and high-level business moguls. So, can you just go out and buy and use a drone, completely unfettered? Sorry, no. Not under new FAA rules. But where there is a will, there is a way.

If you have a business purpose for your drone, you could be fined for using your drone without obtaining FAA approval. However, beginning last week, you can apply for a license by taking a multiple choice exam and by paying a modest fee. Continue reading “Got Drone? New FAA Regulations: To Infinity and Beyond!”

August 30, 2016 by Eric J. Sinrod

How to Improve Your Computer Experience

It probably is fair to say that most of us are glued to our computers for a large part of each and every day. Accordingly, how can we improve our computer experience? A good start is to follow eight fairly simple tips, among a variety of other tips that also could be considered.

First, make sure periodically to restart your computer. A restart can cure computer sluggishness. We all have a need for speed, so reboot!

The second tip is not use your keyboard as a plate. You accidentally could spill something that could destroy your computer. Also, computer keyboards host all sorts of bacteria and thus are not sanitary. So, don’t compute where you eat! Continue reading “How to Improve Your Computer Experience”

August 24, 2016 by Eric J. Sinrod

The Ultimate Impact of Sex Robots

Technology continues to advance to help humans in so many countless ways. And now we are getting to the point that we are not simply dealing with cold machines, but we are dealing with features and contraptions that are becoming quite human.

For example, we can talk to Siri on our Apple devices, and a human voice, programed to our liking by gender and accent, will talk back to us. And when we call all sorts of businesses, we are guided through various prompts by a human voice that is powered by voice activation software. Who knows, is it possible that some people can become smitten by these voices, like the protagonist in the movie “Her”? Continue reading “The Ultimate Impact of Sex Robots”

August 10, 2016 by Eric J. Sinrod

Internet Olympic Battles: USA’s King vs. Russia’s Efimova

The United States and Russia are superpowers and have potential and actual conflicts in various realms. And the Olympics are no exception when it comes to conflicts between the two countries. Let’s set the stage:

At first, it appeared the International Olympic Committee was going to ban all Russian athletes from competing in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games because of doping concerns. Indeed, the World Anti-Doping Agency issued a report that concluded that dozens of Russian athletes were doping during the Winter 2014 Sochi Olympic games, and on top of that, the Russian government had been complicit in a cover up of that doping scandal. Continue reading “Internet Olympic Battles: USA’s King vs. Russia’s Efimova”

August 4, 2016August 4, 2016 by Eric J. Sinrod

Amazon Now Raking in the Dough

Once upon a time, toward the beginning of the commercial internet, critics questioned Amazon’s aggressive approach in throwing money at the concept of becoming the full-purpose seller of all types of products online. Indeed, while Amazon was growing along the way, it was in the red, far from turning a profit. Detractors believed that Amazon’s “Hail Mary” approach would fail, and the only question was when Amazon would go under, like many other early dot coms.

Well, who is laughing now? Amazon, and CEO Jeff Bezos, of course. Continue reading “Amazon Now Raking in the Dough”

July 20, 2016July 20, 2016 by Eric J. Sinrod

Potential Federal Criminalization of Revenge Porn

Revenge porn is unacceptable and should not be tolerated. Some federal lawmakers agree, and they now seek to push legislation aimed at criminalizing revenge porn.

So, what exactly is revenge porn? It often goes something like this:

A man and woman are in a committed, consensual relationship. As part of that relationship, they engage in sexual activity, and they agree, for their own enjoyment purposes, to take photos and videos of their activities. Later, the relationship, whether husband and wife, fiancees, or boyfriend and girlfriend, ends. But the sexually explicit photos and videos still exist. The man (it usually is the man) then posts the photos and videos on the internet to get back at the woman, to humiliate the woman, or to make demands on her. And there are websites that seek such photos and videos — the women who are the victims often must pay a fee to the sites to have the photos and videos taken down. Continue reading “Potential Federal Criminalization of Revenge Porn”

July 6, 2016 by Eric J. Sinrod

Government Surveillance of Internet Traffic

At this point, it may come as no surprise that the US government has some ability to monitor internet traffic. However, the tremendous extent of government surveillance may be somewhat alarming to those who are interested in privacy on the internet.

An article by RT.com reports that the NSA has the ability to read 75 percent of all U.S. internet traffic. The article points out that programs referred to as Stormbrew, Lithium, Oakstar, Fairview, and Blarney all have the ability to monitor the actual text of emails, not just email metadata. Continue reading “Government Surveillance of Internet Traffic”

June 29, 2016June 29, 2016 by Eric J. Sinrod

The FAA Finalizes New Drone Rules

The Federal Aviation Administration has announced in a press release that it has finalized its first operational rules for the use of small unmanned aircraft systems, otherwise more commonly known as drones. According to the FAA, these rules “work to harness new innovations safely, to spur job growth, advance critical scientific research and save lives.”

The FAA states that industry estimates indicate that these rules could generate at least $82 billion for the United States economy and possibly could create in excess of 100,000 new jobs for the next 10 years. These new rules will take effect in late August. The rules provide safety regulations for drones weighing less than 55 pounds that are performing non-hobbyist operations.

Continue reading “The FAA Finalizes New Drone Rules”