All technologies have intended uses and unintended, fringe, use cases. Tech companies can only do so much to anticipate bad actors.
The modern smart home is becoming a reality. You can monitor and control it from afar, it knows … Read the rest
privacy
Dumb vs Smart
It seems in many ways dumb devices are better than smart devices:
Why? Security, privacy, and quality.
Anything with a network connection can be hacked: smart TV’s, cars, streaming boxes, appliances, routers and every other smart device, or IoT device, … Read the rest
Android vs iPhone – behind the scenes
From the front, the user space, this argument is tired. Both smartphones do whatever you can imagine at this point. Both are amazingly thin and packed full of sensors and features.
Behind the scenes though…. things are very different. Why … Read the rest
The Logical End of Social Media
The logical end of social media is tribalism based not on bloodlines or geography but on opinion and politics. It feels inevitable.
It could abolish the economy. It could crush the democracy.
It could trample on the constitution and bill … Read the rest
Trapping Ignorance
I’m generally against tracking and monitoring of innocent people, and I support the 1st amendment (and the rest of the amendments, and the constitution) so I’ll probably argue with myself about this one, but….
It would be so easy … Read the rest
Spotify Wants Your Profile For The Highest Bidder
While Pono makes news with their righteous promise to give you free content upgrades for life, Spotify is making news with an update to their privacy policy that informs the users of their service – particularly the free subscription tier … Read the rest
Facebook Siding With Turkish Government To Limit Opposition?
Reports out of Turkey are claiming that Facebook has sided with the Turkish government and are enacting pro-government policies including blocking discussion groups about Kurdish independence and banning users that insult the current Turkish president or his policies towards theKurds. … Read the rest
Lots of Gadgets Are Spying On You
I covered it last week here. Samsung gets called out for their smart TV’s listening and transmitting everything we say to a third party. Very 1984. You might have thought ‘Samsung isn’t the only one doing it’ – and … Read the rest
Samsung TV is Listening To You
Samsung Warns Smart TV Customers That Personal Conversations Will Be Recorded & Shared
It sucks being right about this. As soon as the devices are listening to us and watching us at all times, there will be no shred of … Read the rest
Manipulate You Socially
Facebook aren’t the only ones learning about how to exert control over people through social networks:
Air Force research: How to use social media to control people like drones
More proof that you shouldn’t trust or believe most of what … Read the rest
Google+ Lets You Be Yourselves
Google has finally reversed their “real names only” policy they were pushing for Google+, which was affecting people’s Youtube and even Gmail usage.
I’m sure they will still make it confusing as hell to understand, and of course, as long … Read the rest
HUD FUD
Heads Up Displays: Fear Uncertainty & Doubt. Seems as though the future is here now, and it kinda sucks.
We have predicted in-eye HUD’s for decades now. But it was for fiction and hollywood visuals, not day to day life. … Read the rest
From Your Face
Save face? About face? In your face? A Chicago artist has decided to have some fun with digital surveillance – he’s printed and is selling a realistic mask of his own face for your public enjoyment.
The idea isn’t … Read the rest
Computer Shoes Zap You With Feedback
There have been shoe computers before. Since the early 1980’s people have been shoving embedded computers of some sort into their shoes for mileage and step tracking. Apple & Nike have been doing this for 15 years too.
Now, started … Read the rest
The Internet Is Owned – Act Accordingly
The top guy at Kaspersky Labs, one of the top security/encryption geeks walking, and one of the more restrained ones, dropped this bombshell during his keynote at their latest security conference:
… Read the rest“I operate under the principle that my computer is
It’s Not Just the NSA: Police Are Tracking Your Car
It’s Not Just the NSA: Police Are Tracking Your Car – Slashdot.
I told y’allz.
I build (and then query) databases, and have been doing it for many years.
Facebook, Google, NSA, the cops, drug stores, retailers, the education … Read the rest
Facebook Is Also Tracking What You Don’t Do
It’s kind of obvious at this point that Facebook is storing, packaging, and selling every bit of data you give them while you use their “free service” to connect with your family, friends, and whatever.
I think most people get … Read the rest
ACLU Study Says Police Cameras Create Database of Our Movements
Ah great:
ACLU Study Says Police Cameras Create Database of Our Movements – Slashdot.
The Cops Are Tracking My Car and Yours – Ars Technica.
I always wanted to see someone (else!) do an experiment with the traffic … Read the rest