Category «Privacy»

Majority of Americans believe online and offline activities tracked and monitored by companies and govt

Pew – Americans and Privacy: Concerned, Confused and Feeling Lack of Control Over Their Personal Information – “Majorities think their personal data is less secure now, that data collection poses more risks than benefits, and believe it is not possible to go through daily life without being tracked. “A majority of Americans believe their online …

Subjects: Civil Liberties, E-Commerce, E-Records, Health Care, Internet, Privacy, Social Media

How to Protect Yourself From Unethical or Illegal Spying

MakeUseOf: “A quick Google search for “spy software” yields over 150 million results. There is a massive interest in spying software and gadgets. Irrespective of the motivation or justification, spying is illegal. It is a gross invasion of privacy in most countries around the world. You don’t have to suffer if someone is spying on …

Subjects: Cybercrime, Cybersecurity, Internet, PC Security, Privacy

Over half of Fortune 500 exposed to remote access hacking

Axios – “Over a two-week period, the computer networks at more than half of the Fortune 500 left a remote access protocol dangerously exposed to the internet, something many experts warn should never happen, according to new research by the security firm Expanse and 451 research…According to Coveware, more than 60% of ransomware is installed …

Subjects: Cybercrime, Cybersecurity, E-Records, Economy, Financial System, Internet, Privacy

The Internet Dream Became a Nightmare. What Will Become of It Now?

The New York Times Magazine: “In this special Tech & Design Issue of The New York Times Magazine, we ponder the internet’s future at a time when that future has never felt more unsettled. It isn’t just about Facebook and the other American tech giants, which no longer enjoy the rapid growth that characterized their …

Subjects: Censorship, Civil Liberties, Internet, Knowledge Management, Legal Research, Privacy, Social Media

Next in Google’s quest for consumer dominance – banking

WSJ via FoxNews: “Google will soon offer checking accounts to consumers, becoming the latest Silicon Valley heavyweight to push into finance. The project, code-named Cache, is expected to launch next year with accounts run by Citigroup Inc. and a credit union at Stanford University, a tiny lender in Google’s backyard. Big tech companies see financial services as a …

Subjects: E-Records, Economy, Financial System, Privacy

Federal Court Rules Suspicionless Searches of Travelers’ Phones and Laptops Unconstitutional

EFF – Government Must Have Reasonable Suspicion of Digital Contraband Before Searching People’s Electronic Devices at the U.S. Border – “In a major victory for privacy rights at the border, a federal court in Boston ruled today that suspicionless searches of travelers’ electronic devices by federal agents at airports and other U.S. ports of entry …

Subjects: Civil Liberties, Courts, Government Documents, Legal Research, Privacy

E.P.A. to Limit Science Used to Write Public Health Rules

The New York Times: “The Trump administration is preparing to significantly limit the scientific and medical research that the government can use to determine public health regulations, overriding protests from scientists and physicians who say the new rule would undermine the scientific underpinnings of government policymaking. A new draft of the Environmental Protection Agency proposal, …

Subjects: Climate Change, Energy, Environmental Law, Government Documents, Health Care, Medicine, Privacy

Google’s ‘Project Nightingale’ Gathers Personal Health Data on Millions of Americans

WSJ.com [paywall]: “Google is engaged with one of the country’s largest health-care systems to collect and crunch the detailed personal health information of millions of Americans across 21 states. The initiative, code-named “Project Nightingale,” appears to be the biggest in a series of efforts by Silicon Valley giants to gain access to personal health data …

Subjects: E-Records, Health Care, Knowledge Management, Legal Research, Medicine, Privacy

DHS will have comprehensive biometric data on more than 250 million people

“The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) expects to have face, fingerprint, and iris scans of at least 259 million people [Quartz – paywall] in its biometrics database by 2022, according to a recent presentation from the agency’s Office of Procurement Operations reviewed by Quartz. From the report: That’s about 40 million more than the …

Subjects: Civil Liberties, E-Records, Government Documents, Legal Research, Privacy

Leaked documents show Facebook leveraged user data to fight rivals and help friends

NBCNews: “A cache of leaked Facebook documents shows how the company’s CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, oversaw plans to consolidate the social network’s power and control competitors by treating its users’ data as a bargaining chip. The documents were obtained and are being published by NBC News. This trove comprises approximately 7,000 pages in total, of which …

Subjects: E-Commerce, E-Records, Internet, Privacy, Social Media