Internet Privacy and Safety Blog

US IP Address - How To Get One

2012-01-25T13:22:00.000-05:00

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Fighting Cyber Crime the Better Way

2012-01-07T04:39:00.005-05:00

As the use of mobile devices becomes more popular, the number of cyber crimes also increases. The internet can now be accessed by almost anyone who has a smartphone or other digital device. This worsening scene has made law enforcers look for more inventive ways of combating these criminals. The usual strategies alone cannot be effective against cyber crime. It needs a good deal of initiative, coupled with technology, in order to take a good stand against cyber criminals.

In California, a new special eCrime Unit is now catching and prosecuting internet crooks. This is a team created by the State’s Attorney General and, is comprised of 20 attorneys and investigators. It uses modern techniques to target criminal activities like email scams, piracy, child pornography, online fraud, and others. Many people have been, and are still being victimized by cyber crime, or e-crime, both online and off.

The unit has already solved one case and put a man in jail who was found guilty of hacking email and Facebook accounts. What he usually did was to break into an account, and he would then intimidate its owner by threatening to expose embarrassing pictures. Another case involved a criminal group whose main activity was using card scanners and hidden cameras at ATM machines to steal passwords and other sensitive account information.

Knowing that the internet is very important to the economy, to individuals, and to businesses, these criminals are not lacking in victims. From offline, their operations shifted online to steal very important information from individuals and groups. The year 2012 is seen to be a year of battling against online criminal activities. The past year proved to be problematic in terms of scams; this year will give rise to other types of online crimes.

More systematized and focused internet crime fighting activities will be delivered by the new eCrime Unit. According to the Attorney General, California would like to set a new trend in going after cyber criminals and prosecuting offenders. They will make sure that internet technology is useful not only to online criminals but more so to law enforcement agencies.

Image: chanpipat / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Be Prepared for Narural Disasters

2012-01-04T11:20:00.000-05:00

No matter what you call it, a natural disaster is something that comes with or without warning. The year 2011 was rich in natural catastrophes that cost billions of dollars. In the United States alone, there were numerous hurricanes and tornadoes. There were earthquakes that rocked and destroyed places on the East Coast, in Colorado and in Peru. Japan had her share of tsunami while Queensland, Australia, Bangkok and most recently the Philippines, suffered from devastating floods. Many people learned the lesson that natural disasters should be put at the top of risk concerns.

Businesses and government agencies have to be prepared for all these impending disasters. Every business and agency should have its own disaster recovery plan. In today’s information-driven world, power outages and network failures can be a result, and these further the chaos that comes with disasters. It should not be too late for every business to adapt and respond to risks if it is to survive. No matter what happens, there should be uninterrupted and continuous access to data, whether it is personal or corporate in nature.

So, how should one get ready for disaster? It is a given that the most important assets of a company or agency are its people. These people have their own most important asset, which is their family. The company or agency should have a plan on how to move its people, including their families, if the need arises. There should also be efforts to make a communication plan that is timely, clear and honest.

Because company and agency data are vital to the uninterrupted stream of activities, a data back-up plan should be verified and validated. Is it actually out of harm’s way? Is it accessible to the recovery location? What about data privacy? Cloud service is now available so a company or agency could use this to store key data.

Thinking ahead of the situation, it should be clear to all that catastrophic events could last for some time. The impact of such events could be expected to last for days, weeks or even months. What options are there if the business facilities, network, technology and people could not be available? It is also very important to think about those other businesses associated with it. Their being prepared has a direct effect on any company or agency because together, they form a chain or network. There is no point in doing everything right if everybody else around is not prepared.

Image: Maggie Smith / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Securing Patient Data

2011-12-29T10:56:00.000-05:00

There are new privacy concerns that were triggered by the continuous increase in data breaches at health care providers. There were some studies conducted to pinpoint the main cause of this exasperating situation. There were some that put the blame on insufficient funding for security, while others said that the sudden surge in data breaches is due to devices that were either lost or stolen. The first reason could be explained by the government’s priorities in distributing funds, but it is not good to hear that there is human error, or that health care professionals are not well informed about securing patient data.

Almost all private and public organizations are now using mobile technology in their daily operations. People in these organizations use smartphones or tablets to conveniently manage data because doctors and other health care professionals discovered the convenience of using these gadgets for electronic health records. These tools, however, do not possess the much needed, necessary security. Because they do not have enough background, some doctors are using these gadgets without taking advantage of the use of encryption technology, or even passwords.

A spokesperson from the American Health Information Management Association saw the need for education and awareness. He said that training sessions on the use of mobile technology in relation to data management are already being implemented. But he also added that these are not as effective as education and awareness. There must be better involvement if health professionals are to have the sufficient awareness of patient data security.

It is surprising to note that at present, 4 out of 10 health care professionals surveyed believe that patient data accessed by mobile devices is secured. An added surprise comes from knowing that 81% of them are using these devices to collect, store and transmit patient records. But the shocking detail is that almost one-half of the participants surveyed revealed that their organizations do not have any data security mechanism at all.

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Still on Health Record Breaches

2011-12-26T10:22:00.000-05:00

The number of hospitals in the United States that are adopting electronic medical records is continuously growing, but according to a study from the Ponemon Institute, insufficient funding for security has also triggered a surge in patient data breaches. A recorded 32% increase in data breach incidents from 2010 to 2011 tends to support such a claim. Hospitals say that there should be enough funding from the agency concerned in order to ensure patient privacy.

Converted into cost, the health care industry lost an estimated $6.5 billion just last year alone. Nearly one-half of the health organizations that were surveyed said that the major cause of this was lost or stolen devices. The survey included 72 hospitals and health care providers, but the names of the organizations were kept private.

Observers see that the condition is getting worse, mainly because security seems to not be given any major importance. They also anticipate that it will not get better given the policy of providing incentives to doctors and hospitals that implement digital health records. More patient records will be exposed to theft with the compensation budget that reaches up to $27.4 billion. Health care organizations then rush to speed up health records, but there is no corresponding needed security.

Another study showed that more than 50 percent of the organizations surveyed blame insufficient funding as the reason for such breaches. There are existing data breach notification laws that order organizations to report to the Health and Human Services Department those breaches that involve more than 500 people. The agency then makes a list of those affected and posts these violations on its website.

There are laws on federal privacy that health care providers and employer-sponsored group health plans are obliged to comply with. These laws require periodic audits to be conducted by the Health and Human Services Department. This is to carry out security risk reviews and assess security and breach notification policies. This mechanism ensures that organizations have their privacy, security and breach notification policies in place.

Image: Salvatore Vuono / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Anti-Hacking Laws Must be Updated

2011-12-19T08:53:00.000-05:00

Lawmakers are busy looking into the 1986 anti-hacking law primarily because it no is no longer up to date with the current online “culture”. Without the needed changes, the law would punish even innocent web surfers. But those concerned with its updating are very careful because changing the penalties might not sink the law’s teeth in legitimate criminals. Revising the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act should not set aside the civil liberties of users while seeing to it that cyber-criminals are prosecuted.

One important revision that has to be made is in the power of government to penalize users who violate a website’s terms of service agreements. A law school professor openly said that the present state of the law is harsh. He added that it threatens the civil liberties of Americans who simply give false information on Facebook and other sites.

The professor gave some typical examples in his written testimony of how millions of users give fake information. He wrote that a user could be held criminally responsible for simply writing that he goes to the gym every day when in fact, he goes there only once a month. He added that the millions of users who supply false information about their height, weight or age could be considered criminals. He also mentioned a study that suggested 8 out of 10 users provide false information in their profiles. Incredible, but there are millions of Americans out there who are cyber-criminals!

One critic deemed it necessary for lawmakers to spell out what the law actually means, particularly with the phrase “exceeds authorized access”. This will set the limits of employers to penalize those employees who break terms of service agreements. The same critic also said that the revisions should make those federal employees who are handling confidential information answerable.

Such initial steps and suggestions would narrow down the prosecution threats to those breaches committed by government employees. A letter was co-signed by organizations that have been known to protect consumers and citizens. They laid down their common concern of defending people who break site service contracts by “accident”.

Online Job Hunting Scams

2011-12-16T08:43:00.000-05:00

You should read about these phishing scams that you might run into, so you could have the understanding on how to handle them. If you want to find a job online, be cautious of those that encourage you to send personal information. There are many online criminals that hide behind legitimate job sites just so they can appear legitimate too. Some of them will use familiar-looking logos and convincing words that could attract your attention. The truth is that they will only lead you to fake websites that appear to be owned by legitimate companies.

Aside from asking for personal information, another method of operation is charging fees for services that they do not really provide. Many people have been victims of this kind of scam where they paid for services that are nonexistent. This idea of online fraud is so effective that more victims are coming forward to present their complaints. These criminals are not easy to catch because they “close down” their operations after a while and then leave without a trace.

If you are an online job seeker, it would help if you bear in mind these few tips that would help to protect you. Do not give any personal information unless it is related to work. Be alert when a prospective employer asks for your social security number, date of birth, home address, etc. It is strongly advised that you should not give out this kind of information over the phone, through email, or via fax.

It is said that your resume is one of your most valuable “assets” in job hunting. It carries with it such vital information about you that it has to be kept private. Never give away your resume unless you have a compelling reason. When posting your resume online, opt for a job site that has a clear privacy policy. Choose one that validates recruiters before permitting them to gain access to your records.

It is a good practice to verify a prospective employer or recruiter. Look for the company’s contact number and find out if it really exists. If you find it necessary, you can even visit the company yourself during regular work hours. Only after verifying the company’s legitimacy should you give consent to a background check if they ask for one.

Image: photostock / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Fake E-Card Scam, Beware

2011-12-14T14:53:00.000-05:00

Have you noticed that more users are becoming victims of phishing scams? New phishing scams crop up whenever there is an event that is getting the attention of a large number of people. It could be a natural disaster, an election, or even developments in the world financial system. It is best to make yourself aware of how scammers entice their victims to give in to their tricks.

Beware of fake e-cards, especially during the holiday season. In reality, these e-cards may be a phishing scam, spam, a spyware installer, or a virus. E-cards are links that are sent to you, which you can click on to open the “greeting card”. Needless to say, once you click on the link, you are actually opening the “website” where your greeting card was created. This is where the danger of downloading something that could be very destructive is.

So how do you avoid fake e-cards? More often than not, scammers send fake e-cards using reputable companies in order to appear more convincing. On your end, you must be alert to recognize the sender of the e-card. If you do not know the sender, do not trust the e-card. If you are familiar with the company that sent it to you, it is obvious that you have your own way of telling that the email is not a fraud.

You must check the display name and the sender’s email address. When you are in doubt as to the sender or the intent of the email, never click on any links. Most importantly, do not download anything, even if the source seems legitimate. When it comes to a file attachments, do not open or download any attachment unless you are sure of its origin.

In case you happened to open a seemingly legitimate website that has an end-user agreement, take the time to read all of it. Of course, it will take a lot of time to read all that fine print, but it is a must. You might be agreeing to install something that you do not want, like spyware.

Cookies No More

2011-12-13T07:33:00.000-05:00

The Federal Trade Commission (or FTC) is in the process of improving internet privacy protection. If the plan goes through, this time it will be brought to a new level. This will be done without prejudice to innovation on the internet, but with enhanced consumer protection. Among other things, the proposal by the FTC includes innovative functions such as “do not track” and several others.

When internet technology was significantly developed, online activities of consumers started to be tracked by the use of “cookies”. To do this, websites send cookies to the consumer’s computer, making it easy for data miners to easily know consumer behavior online. Having gathered enough information, companies can then target specific products and services to online consumers. It is not easy for consumers to guard themselves against this because only very few of them know how to turn off cookies. They have to painstakingly find out the browser’s privacy settings so that they can opt out of cookies. However, this is easier said than done, even for the experienced user.

Some consumers might find data mining beneficial to them since they can get special offers and discounts if they continually buy the same product. But this is only true to some, because most consumers consider targeted advertisements annoying and threatening to their privacy. That is why authorities never give up in finding ways to protect consumers from these types of unwelcome ads.

The FTC wanted to make things easier for the “opt out” issue through the issued proposal. Once approved, consumers can opt out of cookies at anytime they like and, if they wish, turn it off permanently. Users are already fed up with being presented with very long privacy policies. Aside from this, the terms used are hard to understand except for users who have some knowledge of legal jargon. In the FTC’s scheme, consumers would be allowed to know who is following their online activities. More significantly, they will be given the power to permanently decline cookies.

Consumer watchdogs and companies that maintain websites can use this proposal to come together and plan concrete steps that need to be taken. Then they could zero in on some guidelines for consumer protection without hindering innovation on the web.

Image: piyato / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Here Comes the New Privacy Threat

2011-12-08T09:34:00.000-05:00

A new security risk was discovered and has roused concerns among smart phone users. Security researcher Trevor Eckhart posted a 17-minute video which gave details of unknown software that is installed. It was shown that this software can log numerous details about what the user does with his or her mobile device. The software, particularly known as Carrier IQ, logs all text messages, Google searches and phone numbers entered in by the user. This data is then automatically reported to the mobile phone carrier. In addition to this, the software can log the URL of websites searched by the phone owner, even if he or she is using “https” URLs that encrypt data.

There are several mobile devices running on Android operating systems that come with the software installed by default. Eckhart said that it operates without being noticed or without the user’s knowledge. He added that even if the user does become aware of it, the software cannot be stopped. It is the kind of software that is often used in malware and Eckhart called it a “rootkit”.

When Eckhart was able to get hold of the training materials posted on the software’s website, he was able to discover more about Carrier IQ. Thinking that the company might take the files offline, he immediately copied these training materials. He was correct because the said files became unavailable shortly after he posted his analysis online.

A cease and desist letter was sent by the company to Eckhart, claiming that he infringed on copyrights by publishing its training manuals online. The company also claimed that his allegations about the software were vague and false. Furthermore, it demanded that the researcher turn over all the contact information of all those who obtained copies of the files.

In addition to this, Carrier IQ demanded that he replace his analysis with a statement renouncing his research. The company even drafted the statement for Eckhart and sent it to him so it could be posted. The company was bent on taking legal action against the researcher. However, Eckhart found support from the digital rights group Electronic Frontier Foundation, or EFF. The company then decided not to proceed with the actions.

Image: jscreationzs / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Tech Toys and Kids' Safety

2011-12-02T12:20:00.000-05:00

Christmas is near and for sure, many parents will be giving their kids tech toys. These are some of the hottest items on children’s wish lists: smartphones, tablets, and computers. Parents will gladly say “yes” and then be happy watching their kids click or tap away on their newest treasured possession. However, just as some parents would not think of giving their children a bike without a helmet, technology gifts should also come with safeguards.

Tens of thousands of parents do not realize the need to child-proof these devices. As these open the worldwide web to children, parents should make sure that their kids do not stumble upon the unsavory side of the internet. Kids have impressionable young minds and there are lots of “bad” things online that are not meant for them to see.

Without the needed protection, children might open a Pandora’s Box with their tech toys. There are those millions of x-rated web pages, violent videos, websites with disturbing topics from gambling to guns, and many more. Parents should not take their children’s safety for granted; instead they should look for software that could help filter the good from the bad.

There is a lot of available internet safety software for kids. Some are made for PCs and Macs, while others are suitable for specific mobile devices such as iPods, iPhones, and iPod Touch. There is nothing wrong with giving tech toys to kids this Christmas. The thing is that parents have to bear in mind that internet for kids should always be paired with safety.

Make your kids happy this Christmas by fulfilling their digital wishes. But before finally wrapping the gift, why don’t you install the software that will protect him? After all, kids of this generation cannot do away with being connected online. Keeping the line of communication open between parents and children can help the children understand why they need protection. They have to accept that not all sites on the internet are appropriate for them.

Image: Stuart Miles / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

When Buying Gadgets for Children

2011-11-29T11:01:00.000-05:00

Parents, in this age of technology, have to always keep themselves ahead of their kids. This is necessary in order to see to it that their children stay safe and protected in their online activities. Children at school have discovered how to use phones and web enabled devices to cheat during tests. Teachers do not find it easy to stop this combined effort among children who avoid, and even break, school rules and regulations. There are some children who teach other kids how to get around filters on school computers. Teachers get themselves updated with technology along with their students so that this behavior will not remain unnoticed and unchecked.

Parents who really don’t care about being involved with their children’s online activities are in danger. Children nowadays own gadgets that allow them to get connected online anytime and anywhere. If they are not properly guided, these tech gadgets will lead them to become victims of cyber bullying, cyber sex, identity theft, and other risks. Parents, especially mothers, must try to understand what kind of technology their kids bring home.

When a child asks for a new device, game, or phone, parents should not buy it right away. They have to discuss the matter before finally giving in to their child’s request. They can start by asking their child specific questions about the device. For sure, by asking the right questions, they can get an impression about the gadget and have a “feel” for it. From here, they can come to a decision whether it would be safe to let their child have it. Parents can also do their own research about the gadget either online or at a store.

Some parents will find this to be time consuming, but it is worth the effort. The cyber world offers tremendous benefits to the lives of children, but without proper guidance and control, it could compromise their safety and security. Parents should take on this responsibility, which cannot be taken for granted. Parental control is the key in kids’ internet safety. Parents should be comfortable with technology so that their children do not become slaves to it.

Image: Salvatore Vuono / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Smart Phones for Financial Transactions

2011-11-27T11:28:00.000-05:00

Internet technology has made financial transactions easier and more readily available. Businessmen have extensively used the internet in their dealings. They are no longer confined to their offices in order to communicate with clients. More importantly, they can complete their financial transactions even during business travels or vacations. They no longer have to make frequent visits to the bank or have face-to-face meetings with their associates.

In earlier days, most of these transactions were done using desktop computers. Later, laptops and notebooks became more popular and transactions were made even more convenient. They can effortlessly keep track of their financial records from almost anywhere. Today, smart phones are slowly gaining popularity among businessmen. It used to be that these gadgets were used mainly in social networking, more particularly Facebook and Twitter.

A recent survey showed that the number of people using their smart phones to transmit personal and financial information is increasing. These pieces of information are uploaded mostly for online banking, shopping or social networking. There are about 17% of smart phone owners who use their device for money matters. This fact has called the attention of online criminals who take advantage of these circumstances to make money at the expense of businessmen.

Observers have said that accessing the web with the use of a mobile device is both fun and time saving. Obviously, criminals are also on the lookout for every opportunity to see how they can fit their activities into the situation. That is why it is very important for businessmen to remain vigilant. There is a new modus operandi by online criminals that is hidden in the guise of “the good guy”.

The recent rise in demand for smart phones and mobile and web applications has given online criminals the right signal. They are now using malicious software, or malware, in order to take control of users’ accounts. Hiding behind online application stores, these crooks would entice smart phone users to download rouge apps. A user does not notice that he is also downloading a program that would allow the criminal to take control of his or her phone. The rouge app would allow the criminals to eventually gain access to all personal and payment data stored on the phone.

Smart phone users have to be very careful when deciding to use their devices for accessing the web. Moreover, they should be selective about applications that they are going to download. They should learn lessons from those who were surprised when they saw their monthly bills. There were some who were made to pay for premium calls that they did not make. After all, smart phone users are expected to be smarter than online criminals, right?

Image: jannoon028 / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Clickjacking and Internet Safety

2011-11-24T00:16:00.000-05:00

The fast pace of development of new internet technology is aimed at improving user online experiences. To make online communication complete with audio and video, microphones and webcams are always available. Web browsers make use of every new feature that is being rolled out to them, either for free or for a price. There are even social networking sites where people share their thoughts, including their likes and dislikes.

Sadly, online criminals are always looking for ways on how they can use these new tools for their benefit. Legitimate programs and products are now being attacked by these criminals in the guise of similar beneficial tools. There was a newly launched subtle but disastrous attack called “clickjacking”, or, in technical terms, known as user interface (UI) redressing. It basically tricks and lures users to initiate some unwanted actions.

Facebook’s Like and Share features have been used in this attack. These two legitimate buttons are made transparent and placed over what appear to be genuine pages. The pages seem “real” so that users are tricked into clicking those buttons. The users do not realize that they were actually “liking” rogue pages or posting spam on their walls. Another tactic that criminals use is invisible iframes where users are tricked into clicking some buttons to enable access to their own webcams and microphones. An incident of this sort called the “webcam spying attack” happened sometime in 2006. Now this one seems more severe because it could produce destructive results.

Clickjacking was first discovered by a Stanford University computer science student. His was a confirmation of a similar experience by a nameless researcher in earlier years. The method is a combination of legitimate web programming features and social engineering. The Stanford student found out that Adobe’s Flash Player is susceptible to such attacks. He notified the company, which promptly responded by fixing the fault that would allow webcam spying.

Image: basketman / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

The Philippines and Cyber Crime

2011-11-19T21:32:00.000-05:00

The Philippines should not waste any time in implementing its cyber crime laws that would successfully deter organized crime syndicates. A top Philippine National Police (PNP) official disclosed recently that the country appears to be a favorite refuge for these cyber criminals. The groups have been known for their involvement in cyber pornography, illegal online gambling, cyber sex dens, credit card fraud, and identity theft. The official added that criminals find it easy to be one step ahead of the “weak laws and poor technical know-how of law enforcers”.

It was reported that cyber crime mafias, who are mostly foreigners, are increasingly making the Philippines their base of operations. The top official admitted that the PNP at present has no organizational and technical capability to battle cyber crimes. Syndicates use modern technology, while law enforcers lag behind in terms of training and equipment. To remedy the situation, he asked for support for urgent organizational and technical capability improvement where such is needed.

The detention of a foreign national hacker in the country uncovered the existing network of cyber crime. There are mafias working behind the scenes of illegitimate online gambling and credit card fraud operations in the country. The activities of these groups seem limitless as evidenced by the fast expansion of their circle of influence.

A 38-year old Korean national hacker was arrested by the Anti-Transnational and Cyber Crime Division of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG). His name is included in the file of those wanted by Interpol for large-scale internet fraud. His group has already hacked the servers of the Philippines’ top telecommunication companies. Further investigations exposed that the group has already invaded the accounts of some private corporations.

Although the CIDG made seven successful raids of the group’s illegal online casinos, the capability of the country to oppose cyber crime has not improved. The situation is aggravated by reports that Filipinos are being used as “e-mules” for transnational money laundering and credit card fraud operations. It seems that cyber criminals can avoid Philippine laws so effortlessly that they choose to build their safe haven there more than anywhere else.

Image: chanpipat / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Safety Tips for the Holidays

2011-11-17T12:17:00.000-05:00

The Christmas season is just around the corner and holiday shopping has already started. Retailers consider this part of the year as the best time to make profits. Identity thieves also find this season the most opportune time for them to make lots of money. Here are some tips to keep the thieves away and to see to it that they do not enjoy the holidays at your expense.

When making payments with the cashier, be alert of skimming. Open your eyes as the store clerk takes your card and swipes it through a device by the register. Be sure that that the machine is really the credit card reader and not something else. There is a device used that allows a thief to copy the information from the card’s magnetic strip and take away your information. Needless to say, purchases can then be charged against your card.

Compared with debit cards, credit cards are more secure and protected. When using a credit card, you can be safer if you use the same card for all of your holiday shopping. This will make tracking your every transaction as well as finding any suspicious activity easier. The best thing to do, of course, is to use cash because none of your personal information is associated it.

When using more than one credit card for your purchases, make sure that you regularly check each card’s activity. Check if all transactions that appear were made by you. If you find any discrepancy, do not waste a minute in contacting the card issuer so that you can file a dispute on the charge.

Thieves can also do some ATM tricks to carry out their actions. Follow the security and safety instructions that can be found posted on ATMs. Some thieves can manipulate a machine so that the card can be captured inside it. If this happens, be sure not to leave without reporting the matter to the bank or to any authorized ATM representative. The thief might just be watching, waiting for you to go, so he or she can get the card, stealing your PIN by using a small, previously hidden camera.

Look for secure websites when doing online transactions. One with the “https” in its URL address is secure. This assures you that your personal information is treated with care. Using special technology, your personal details cannot be stolen by computer hackers. It is best if you set limits to the amount of personal information that you provide online. The less personal information you upload, the less you become vulnerable to identity thieves.

You can enjoy your holiday shopping any way you want it, just always keep in mind that identity thieves are always “around the corner”. Do your best to stay safe and secure and get the best use of your money.

Parents for Internet Safety

2011-11-15T19:37:00.000-05:00

How can young people be protected online? Who should be responsible for their safety? These are some questions that parents and government are trying to find answers for. In the midst of debates about online safety for children, the fact remains that children need to be protected. Today’s internet technology gives so much freedom to children. They can have online access at home, on the street, or in the schools. This easy access exposes children to potential harm because of their eagerness to interact with the technology.

Various observations were shared with each other by concerned groups during a free discussion. A study found that 60% of 12- to 15-year-old children use the internet on their own. The prime danger for them is their exposure to pornography. Their curiosity could start with access to sites that show indecent images. They would then keep looking for more, until they finally end up on pornographic sites.

This age group of young teens is the most vulnerable, which is why they need to be protected. At the same time, these children need the internet to gain access to the vast wealth of knowledge that it offers. To solve this dilemma, there should be some sort of regulation for children’s interaction with the online community. It appears that parents are the most appropriate agents of regulation. Sophisticated technology that aims to protect children can never replace the parents’ influence on their children.

Parents only need to be more educated on how to deal with their children’s online safety. One way of doing this is through a partnership with the schools. Digital literacy can be made part of the formal curriculum, and it could also involve parents. Along with this is the need to put in resources for parental education. This could start by making parents aware that their children’s internet use involves risks. This is very important because it would be difficult for parents to regulate their children if they are not aware of the dangers.

Aside from schools, a concerted effort of other institutions is needed. There are charities, companies, and legislators, all of which could share resources and expertise. Online protection of children cannot be left to trial and error among themselves. While the internet can be our children’s vast resource of good information, parents must always be on guard to protect them.

Image: photostock / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Counter Attack Against Cyber Attack

2011-11-10T20:37:00.000-05:00

In the back of these benefits of internet technology are those corrupt individuals who use the very same technology to carry out their own plans. Currently, there is a very high risk of networks becoming victims of cyber attacks. There is spying, malware, denial-of-service, cyber war, and terrorism that hide behind these interconnected systems. This is one issue that needs to be solved not only by efforts of individual networks but by the cooperation of all.

Network security is becoming increasingly necessary, and researchers in Germany have proposed a new approach to it. They believe that to effectively reduce cyber attacks, rewards should be given to those organizations that support their own network security. Their research showed that organizations who have already applied this approach have greatly reduced the spread of malware and other problems. Internet and computer-based communications today are generally done anonymously. This opens the door for systems to become even more susceptible to cyber attacks and harassment.

The researchers explained that an international or national agreement could start a coordinated rewards system. They also recommend that funding should be given to organizations that are exceedingly exposed to cyber attacks. They added that network security on susceptible sites should be improved in order to deter the spread of malicious software. This is generally what cyber criminals apply to create bot-nets for attacking corporate networks and other desirable sites.

Only very few parties have invested in their own cyber attack protection. This has benefited them, although it has added to their cost. The whole internet community is also in some way benefited. The researchers believe that orchestrating a reward system would encourage both small and large networks to become involved. They suggest a scaled reward system that could motivate networks to make sure that their systems are protected.

Image: jscreationzs / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Is Your Network Secure?

2011-11-07T15:59:00.000-05:00

A greater part of the world’s inhabitants today are on the internet because of different reasons. There are those who understand that social networking can be a helpful tool for persons, organizations, schools, institutions, businesses, governments, etc. Along with this are the billions of devices organized via an array of wired and wireless networks. Internet users can utilize small gadgets that are hand held or they can take advantage of bigger devices that have the capability to get connected to the whole planet. Today, more than ever, it is very easy to communicate with anybody, anywhere else in the world.

In the back of these benefits of internet technology are those corrupt individuals who use the very same technology to carry out their own plans. Currently, there is a very high risk of networks becoming victims of cyber attacks. There is spying, malware, denial-of-service, cyber war, and terrorism that hide behind these interconnected systems. This is one issue that needs to be solved not only by efforts of individual networks but by the cooperation of all.

Network security is becoming increasingly necessary, and researchers in Germany have proposed a new approach to it. They believe that to effectively reduce cyber attacks, rewards should be given to those organizations that support their own network security. Their research showed that organizations who have already applied this approach have greatly reduced the spread of malware and other problems. Internet and computer-based communications today are generally done anonymously. This opens the door for systems to become even more susceptible to cyber attacks and harassment.

The researchers explained that an international or national agreement could start a coordinated rewards system. They also recommend that funding should be given to organizations that are exceedingly exposed to cyber attacks. They added that network security on susceptible sites should be improved in order to deter the spread of malicious software. This is generally what cyber criminals apply to create bot-nets for attacking corporate networks and other desirable sites.

Only very few parties have invested in their own cyber attack protection. This has benefited them, although it has added to their cost. The whole internet community is also in some way benefited. The researchers believe that orchestrating a reward system would encourage both small and large networks to become involved. They suggest a scaled reward system that could motivate networks to make sure that their systems are protected.

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Is Strip Search a Must?

2011-11-05T22:20:00.000-04:00

The U.S. Supreme Court might again look into strip searches in jails due to privacy concerns. Reports have surfaced that even those arrested on minor charges are being forced to strip and shower while jail guards watch. The reason given for implementing this policy is that there are prisoners who hide weapons or drugs on (or in) their bodies. However, there is no clarification on whether Justices need first to decide that there is really a cause to suspect such actions. In its present state, the law requires everyone to undergo a strip search before entering the general jail population.

People are asking about which should come first – privacy rights of people in jail or, the need to ensure safety by authorities. A lawyer stood firm by saying that the court should give a definition of what constitutes privacy intrusion. This is particularly true when there is no reason to believe that a prisoner is hiding anything.

A car dealer who was arrested when he failed to pay fines asked for legal assistance. He said that jail guards forced him to strip naked two times. He added that they told him to open his mouth and lift his genitals while they watched. To check if he was hiding something inside his body, he was made to bend over and cough.

Privacy advocates are questioning the rationale for the searches, which are primarily to deter smuggling. A justice official said that current studies show that most contraband that get into jails and prisons are brought in through the guards. If this is true, then there is no urgent reason why strip searches should be handled as invasively as they are now done. The question of “routine” strip searches following visits is not new. This was ruled on by the court more than 30 years ago.

Another aspect of the hearings that needs to be corrected is the process of questioning. It should focus less on how close guards can get to naked inmates, which is how the questioning is being conducted at present. Justices allegedly give more attention to this detail rather than on the specific case at hand. Also, there should be a clear difference defined between major and minor cases. Past records show that there were people being arrested for minor offenses while they were high on drugs. These cases need to be dealt with differently, as there is a need for closer searches than the usual.

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Will Self Regulation Succeed?

2011-10-31T10:36:00.000-04:00

Privacy problems have weighed down the internet for many years. In spite of the efforts to impose privacy laws, internet technology changes so rapidly that it quickly out-dates these legislations. It only takes a year or two after implementation before the privacy law is rendered “useless” by technology. There has to be a strategy that will always keep in pace with the present situation. Among other approaches, self regulation is the best solution to privacy problems.

Self regulation is the imposing on oneself some privacy related initiatives so as to avoid privacy invasion. It is restraining, even without the law, the use of collected personal information by companies or groups that gather such information. It is a deliberate action that follows a clear set of guidelines regarding how a certain company can protect privacy. This action could be joined in by website advertisers, ISPs, data brokers, social networking sites, apps providers, etc.

The U.S. started implementing self regulation programs in 1997. Since that time, this idea has been promoted by way of spreading information about it and encouraging websites to make it their obligation. However, past experiences showed that not one self-regulatory effort sustained success. Some were initiated but failed in one or more substantive ways. Others never got the opportunity to show what they had planned to offer before they disappeared. Though it is believed that self regulation can, in fact, be the answer to privacy problems, improvements in its implementation are needed. There is a strong view that consumers themselves have the greatest responsibility in defending their own privacy.

The majority of past self regulation programs, according to observation and evaluation, were poorly designed. Most of these did not saturate the market well, which means that many consumers did not really know they were there at all. There were websites that made profit their top priority and used self regulation only as a cover up.

There was one more thing that hampered the success of self regulation in the past. This was the lack of significant and independent involvement among privacy and consumer advocates in its development and oversight. The oversight of self regulation that is financed by industry could not be successful because industry would not want it to be successful. When privacy standards are profit-driven, they are bound to fail because money becomes more significant than privacy.

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Forget About Privacy

2011-10-29T11:02:00.000-04:00

Social networking has become very popular, and it encourages more users to share personal information, even to those whom they do not know. These individuals want to expand their circle of “friends”, so they literally make themselves available to the internet community as a whole. Privacy protection no longer receives as high a priority as it used to have. As more modern technology becomes available, information sharing becomes easier and more exciting.

There are some unfamiliar facts behind Facebook users. Facebook has about 800 million users, and they can be classified into three categories. There are those users who sign on at least once a day. The second group is made up of those who sign on at least once a week. The last and third group includes those members who use it less often. There is a recently conducted telephone survey by Facebook of 2,000 adult respondents. This survey tried to look into how people view privacy in contrast with social networking.

The survey results showed that the more users make use of Facebook, the less they become concerned about privacy invasion. One respondent frankly said that he is not disturbed if people know about his online preferences or habits. This user admitted that he frequently uses Facebook more that once a day. He signs on either to get updates on his friends, or to play a popular Facebook-based game.

People who go online less often are more concerned about their privacy than those who log on more frequently. This was clearly shown in the results of the aforementioned survey. Respondents were asked if they were “very concerned” about their privacy. Taking the results together, the following were the figures gathered. Those who less frequently use Facebook comprised the highest number, at 39% of the respondents. One of the interesting results is that only 25% of those who use Facebook at least once a day said that they were “very concerned”.

Privacy concerns are the “offspring” of people who use Facebook more often. As they visit the networking site more often, they tend to share more information on the web. The availability of this kind of data online attracts many data mining companies. One can safely say that the tendency of users to easily share their information will continue. This is because social networks present more easy-to-use and stimulating features. Also, the social nature of man motivates him to connect with other people, sometimes without thinking of the consequences.

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Police DNA Profiling and Privacy

2011-10-26T20:07:00.000-04:00

DNA technology has been beneficial in many fields of human society. The use of DNA in crime investigation has helped police departments for a number of years. From the unheard of to celebrated cases, identifying criminals through their DNA has made police officers’ work a lot easier. There is a recent privacy concern involving DNA profile collection. The police have cited privacy concerns about the move by officials to maintain a database of their officers’ own DNA.

Police officials have ordered the DNA testing of law enforcement personnel to rule out speculations that a police officer committed a sophisticated crime. The background of this unpopular order was the death of eight women in Louisiana in 2009. These deaths were labeled as serial killings, and the rumors spread when investigations showed the high degree of “workmanship” of the criminal. This resulted in all police officers in Louisiana agreeing to undergo testing. It finally turned out that the killer was not one of them.

To some officers, DNA collection is not something that could put their privacy at risk. They say that having a DNA file of police officers will save much time in conducting crime scene investigations as it would be easier to identify unknown genetic materials found at the scenes.

However, others feel that handing over DNA should not be done as easy as that. There are a lot of privacy concerns that should be clarified before officers give in to DNA testing. Those who are not sold on the idea say that there have to be safeguards put into place. It should be made clear to the DNA owner what would happen to it, making sure that it is treated with the utmost care.

Police unions have also issued their stand regarding this matter. The union officials have reminded their members about the possible consequences of allowing their DNA to be profiled. They said that there are yet no restrictions as to the storage of the DNA, so there is a high possibility of misuse and privacy problems.

In other parts of the world, countries like the United Kingdom and Australia have been maintaining DNA files of their officers for several years. It was the U.K. government that started such a system of keeping a database of criminal suspects way back in 1995. This same system was adopted by the U.S., which is believed to have the world’s largest DNA database of criminals today.

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Silk Web from Amazon

2011-10-24T09:41:00.000-04:00

Collecting users’ personal information by websites is an old issue. It has existed for a long time, and it started off as a normal part of one’s online activity. For example, it was usual to supply your name and email address when you visited certain websites. Social networking sites would even ask users to provide even more sensitive personal information. Users freely shared this information to many web sites, without any idea of privacy implications.

As more personal data became available, targeted advertising was “invented” by online companies. They have built a user’s profile out of this accumulated data, especially regarding users’ product preferences. Without delay, privacy advocates told users to be more selective with the information that they share. Serious consumer education was done, but it was not enough to stop privacy issues and problems from getting worse.

As part of self-regulation, many websites provided their privacy policies without hiding anything. Clear options were given to users when it came to the sharing of personal information. There are companies that honestly tell their users why this information is being collected. This, however, did not stop some companies from introducing more subtle ways of gathering data.

A technology that may be new today is that of Amazon’s Silk Web Browser. This is not exactly new because Opera has used the same technology for a number of years. The Silk Web Browser is intended to be used with Amazon’s tablet, the Kindle Fire. This greatly improves the speed of internet surfing where users can experience optimized speed which is much better than their previous browsers. On its own servers, Amazon optimizes and compresses every page that users visit. This greatly increases speed and accelerates load times.

Privacy concerns again come onto the scene because of this. Obviously, Amazon can collect and store information about users’ surfing habits. Every page that they visit goes through Amazon’s servers – not one can escape. Amazon can then keep track of the kinds of sites visited, how much time users spend on them, and what they do there.

Because of privacy issues, Amazon was asked by Congress to answer some questions that they posed. Amazon initially explained that data collected will be anonymous. If users prefer not to use the feature, they can simply turn it off at anytime. This means that users will still be the ones to choose whether or not they will share their information with Amazon. If they want surfing at faster speeds, they can share the information. If they don’t mind the slower speeds, Amazon gives them the freedom to choose not to share.

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On Keeping Private

2011-10-21T10:25:00.000-04:00

The presence of social networking has already spread through the internet. Among them are the three giants – Facebook, Twitter, and Google+. These have become well-known for their “Like”, “Follow” and “+1” buttons, respectively. Users can now read over a web page and click “Like”. This can be done with almost anything online. In short, many people do like what they read on the web. The problem is that users can be “followed” from every page that contains these sharing buttons even if they do not click them. The users then become targets of advertisements and, worse than this, they could lose a lot of privacy.

Users are being tracked without their knowledge and of course, without their consent. Information sharing technology is now so easy that codes can be embedded in almost every web page. One can observe its use by social networking companies. They do this by embedding codes with the file sharing buttons in a web page. Unknown to the user, the code works as he or she visits the page, recording his or her “presence”, and building a profile of his or her product preferences. In due time, the user becomes a target for advertisements based on the nature of pages that he or she usually opens.

Thanks should go out to Firefox and its new product extension, Priv3, that will allow your visits to be tracked by websites only when you permit them. This tool comes in handy when you are using Firefox. With this, those embedded codes will become powerless. This means that you can surf the web wherever you want without worrying about being tracked. Your presence will not be recorded unless you hit the “Like” button on Facebook or you tweet it with Twitter. Facebook or Twitter will only know that you have been on a particular page only if you hit the share buttons.

Users are guaranteed the same satisfaction even if they use Priv3. This capability will not affect one’s enjoyment of these networking sites. Priv3 is a technology that can go around many of those “blocks” in order to ensure the same high quality of enjoyment for users. Third party sites cannot track your online activities even if you keep logged on to social networking sites. It is because Priv3 prevents them from doing so unless you intentionally give permission. Priv3 comes free for everyone in order to keep their privacy.

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It's Time to be Anonymous

2011-10-20T09:53:00.000-04:00

Internet users who have experience with using a proxy server have proven its many different benefits. One of these benefits is in terms of speed. My personal experience in this area helped me to better enjoy my online experience. After encountering problems with speed in uploading my blogs, I used an anonymous proxy, and it solved the problem.

At this time, more good things can come from using anonymous proxies, specifically bypassing filters. Basically, since a great deal of the spyware and junk that is sent to your computer is blocked, it saves you from the usual problems that users encounter. Although this can be remedied by using technical expertise, it is very burdensome to encounter the same problem over and over again.

Anonymous proxies also help in protecting personal information. Once personal information is gathered by sites, it can be used for marketing purposes. You can be saved from this problem because with an anonymous proxy, websites are blocked from gathering your personal information.

Sometimes there are corporations, institutions or schools that use filters to block users from viewing certain sites. This filter can be bypassed by an anonymous proxy. In order to do this, the anonymous proxy downloads the site onto its server. The user can then download the “blocked” site from the proxy server to his browser, thus getting around the “wall”.

Slow loading websites can easily find their way with a proxy. There are instances when the problem is not in the web hosting company. There are users, especially those with some technical expertise, that change their DNS server address but still can’t load the site faster. When this happens, the real culprit is narrowed down to the internet provider itself, due to bandwidth or network related problems. Luckily, this can be solved by using a proxy server.

The use of a proxy server is not yet popular with many internet users. A lot of them think that it requires some special skills to effectively take advantage of its usefulness. There is a need for more user education, or at least for the sharing of experiences. Little by little, more people will learn about its good uses and apply a proxy server to their advantage.

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Still on Children's Online Privacy

2011-10-16T10:58:00.000-04:00

The problems regarding privacy have always been disturbing and lawmakers are looking for more ways to better protect children. The law, at present, has specified provisions that protect children when they surf online. Businesses are required to follow special rules concerning the collection and use of children’s personal information online. Still, lawmakers have a diverging stand on this issue. Those in the U.S. House Energy and Commerce are taking two sides on whether there is a need to craft special protection for kids 13 to 17 years old.

The 1998 Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) has special provisions on child protection. It contains special requirements for websites that allow children under the age of 13 to access them. These websites cannot allow access if they do not have parental permission. They must have a parent’s permission before they can collect, use or disclose a child’s personal information. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) sees the need to revise the meaning of personal information. The present state of technology should by now include Geo-location data and other identifiers, such as cookies.

When it comes to covering teenagers, there is also a divided opinion as to the extension of coverage under COPPA. In order to broaden its privacy legislation, privacy advocates are saying that Congress should include special protection for teens. There are at least two state representatives who proposed a more radical legislation. They want to bar websites from tracking all children when they surf online.

Also, the idea of a “web eraser” was brought up. This older proposition required businesses to provide a mechanism that allows teens to erase their online tracks. With this mechanism, all of the personal information a teenager would leave when they browse would be deleted as soon as they logged out of the site. This is extremely useful, especially in social networking sites, where teens give out most of their personal information.

Teenagers usually make online mistakes by providing too much personal information in the sites that they visit. They are surprised when these mistakes haunt them months, or even years later. A privacy advocate group sees this as their basis for saying that kids need more protection than they have right now.

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Users Will "Like" Facebook's Vanity Page

2011-10-15T11:16:00.000-04:00

Among the names in social networking, Facebook is considered a giant. To give users an improved experience, it continuously introduces new features in its service. Sometimes, privacy issues get in the way, but the company manages to address these issues promptly. Millions of its users are satisfied, although sometimes, it receives criticisms from others. Nonetheless, Facebook keeps on discovering new ways of enhancing social networking, and it is succeeding. Just very recently, it rolled out its newest addition of making pages more accessible to its subscribers.

Facebook calls the newest addition a “vanity” or customized URL. As the name suggests, this page can be created by the user himself. Actually, this is not very new because it has been around for quite some time. However, it previously required the user to have at least 25 “Likes” on his or her newly created page before it could be registered. This was done in order to make sure that the page meets the standards of a suitable page.

For users who do not want a unique URL that is difficult to remember, the vanity URL is a great option. This type of page was once most wanted by those who promoted a cause or a brand. With this easier-to-remember option, the user can now select a shorter and unique username.

Users noticed that there was no prior announcement made of Facebook’s lifting or removing the 25-Like limit. One YouTube user discovered the change while he was trying to register using the Username registration process. Those who have existing pages with a small number of “Likes” will surely approve of this development. At present, the registration process no longer considers how many “Likes” they do or do not have.

This is the answer for users who work with brands, charities and other organizations. They can now easily share the pages that they have created “without having to share an ugly link”. In the end, Facebook will be the one that is benefited because it will increase participation on its service.

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GPS Vehicle Tracking Systems - Two Sides of the Story

2011-10-08T10:49:00.001-04:00

For alleged violation of privacy, there is another case of an employee suing his former employer. Through the New York Civil Liberties Union, a state training manager, who was fired for time sheet violations, filed a lawsuit against the Labor Department. The fired employee, in his complaint, said that he was tracked with a GPS device that was placed in his personal car. According to a NYCLU lawyer, such use of GPS technology is an “unprecedented degree of government intrusion”.

The employee was quick to explain why he was fired from his post. He said that some employees were pressured to attend a prayer breakfast sponsored by a Governor. He was punished because he was the one who stood up for these employees. The Department of Labor belied his claims and said that the real cause was his improper filing of time sheets.

Why did the employee point out the use of the tracking device as his basis for complaint? The device was placed in his car so that his activities at work could be tracked. This came about after allegations arose that he claimed pay for hours when he was not doing his job. The period of surveillance was only supposed to cover his official working time. What happened was that the observation continued during evenings and weekends. On top of this, the employee’s vacation with his family did not escape the GPS device.

Because there were hints of abuse, an assistant attorney general explained that the employee’s alleged misbehavior at work is enough to merit tracking. The main purpose was to establish proof that the employee indeed committed a continuing misconduct. He, himself, claimed that he worked odd hours at his job. In order to find out if he was working these odd hours, there was a need to track him.

There was a ruling of a top court in New York in 2009 that before tracking a suspect, police must first get a court warrant. To get it, they must establish probable cause that without such action, the truth would be hard to come out. Now the courts are asking some questions as to the legal use of a GPS tracking device. How about if the device would only be used in the duration of an employee’s work hours?

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Is It Unconstitutional?

2011-10-04T09:11:00.000-04:00

It seems that there is an issue building up regarding teacher-student communications. In Missouri, a state law prohibits teachers from having private communications with students over the internet. This triggered a teachers’ association to file a lawsuit naming the state, the governor and the attorney-general as defendants.

A Senator from Missouri defended the new state law, saying that it does not violate free speech or any other rights. These were the grounds stated in the teachers’ complaint, filed by the Missouri State Teachers’ Association. The Senator said that the law doesn’t stop any means of communication. It only prohibits private communication between educators and students who are minors. Teachers and students are allowed to communicate over the internet only if parents, administrators and the general public can view the internet site.

With the adoption of the law, schools are required to fine tune their policies to comply with the law. Teachers, through their association, reacted negatively, and said that banning this kind of contact is unconstitutional. Trying to explain their opposition, the teachers cited the vagueness and broadness of the act. According to them, there are no clear boundaries between which conduct is permitted and which is not. They added that the law seems to curtail the exercise of the First Amendment rights, including that of free speech and association among others.

The Senator who sponsored the bill wondered why the teachers are now against it. She said that these teachers even helped with the drafting of some of the language in the act. She commented that the teachers seem to be suing over their own work. In response, a spokesperson of the teachers’ association defended the group and explained how the opposition came about. He said that the teachers did not review the final language of the social media provisions.

Actually, this prohibition is just a part of the larger bill that is intended to prevent sexual abuse by teachers on students. Such incidence is sometimes rooted in a private relationship between them that eventually goes overboard. On the teachers’ side, they contend that the majority of their private online contact with students is education-related. In general, this kind of relationship can be helpful, especially for shy students or those who have difficulty with assignments.

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It's Better to Remain Anonymous

2011-10-03T09:43:00.000-04:00

The issue of anonymity has not yet ended, especially for people who are placed under surveillance. It is possible that the scope will expand and include the anonymity of people in public places. The legality of using GPS devices in surveillance has triggered a controversy. This prompted the U.S. Supreme Court to hear arguments and look into the possibility of expanding the range of privacy.

One of the cases that used a GPS device without warrant was that of a suspected drug dealer. The police placed the device in his car and tracked his movements for a month. Collected data was used to convict him of conspiring to sell cocaine. Because there was no valid warrant, it is possible that it was a case of unreasonable search. There is the issue of whether the police action constituted a breach of the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution.

Americans might be expecting an end to their anonymity if the Court upholds the decision that such kinds of searches are legal. There is no need to say that people have enjoyed the privilege of, or rather the right to, privacy. Regardless of location, people can now be placed under surveillance as others would see fit, at any time. This is based on the premise that the fact that a person is in a public place, he is no longer “private”. Also, the use of existing tracking technology is not being done to curtail privacy, but to make surveillance more effective.

In August 2010, a U.S. Court of Appeals Judge issued a contradictory opinion. According to him, a reasonable person would not want all his public movements being watched all the time. He further said that surveillance technology has improved considerably, especially with the present GPS capability. Americans are expecting that the Court would accept the Judge’s logic so that they can still enjoy the same degree of anonymity.

For example, in the past, the police used beepers to follow a car. With GPS technology, it is much easier and convenient to track a person. Today, anyone can be placed under surveillance 24 hours a day, seven days a week, without the need to physically follow his or her movements. It can be expected that one day, a person’s privacy will most likely be measured in terms new surveillance limits.

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The Cookie Law and Privacy

2011-10-02T10:08:00.000-04:00

The implementation of a cookie law has been enforced by the European Union on its member states. After thorough study, this directive on internet privacy was signed in November 2009. This required websites to give users options before they could install cookies on any individual’s computer.

However, the specific requirement for cookie opt-out has yet to be clarified even after two years of the law’s presence. For those that implemented the changes, the confusion lies on what would really constitute an opt-out requirement. In order to clarify things, a recent meeting was held among the group members, where there was a divided opinion among members. Some said that the user’s action to visit the website is in itself an indication of their agreement with the website’s practices. On the other hand, those who are directly involved with the implementation believe that there should be a clear opt-in process.

Some are not sold to the idea of the directive because it will cause a little disruption to users. Nowadays, websites have sponsors that would automatically store cookies on a visitor’s computer. When the directive is implemented, pop-up windows would recurrently appear on the user’s screen. These windows would be asking permission to store cookies. This becomes very cumbersome for a website that has nine companies. There would be nine pop-up windows that would ask if the user would allow cookies to be stored in his or her computer.

In general, member states are doing their best to meet the requirements of the directive. The Safe Harbor framework has placed the U.S. in the position of doing self-certification. With this, U.S. companies can certify that they meet the EU rules every time they deal with EU customers only. At present, there were about 3,000 companies who were certified, but there are some that need to update their certifications.

Aside from the privacy of internet users, there is the other side of the story. Congress cannot yet see a complete picture of the directive’s impact on online advertisers. This group might get even because there seems to be control of personal freedom and not just users’ privacy. Whatever the final scenario would be still remains to be seen.

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Privacy Task Force Initiative - Anyone?

2011-09-22T17:52:00.000-04:00

Online and data privacy issues have triggered the creation of a Privacy Task Force by Connecticut’s Attorney General. This development was announced last September 15th in response to the rapidly increasing number of internet privacy concerns and data breaches. According to the announcement, the task force’s main focus is on public education regarding data protection requirements.

The Attorney General’s office has recognized the need for an initiative that will directly address these two big issues. Internet and data privacy problems have been affecting consumers and the broad public interest in general. To date, there are at least a dozen ongoing investigations regarding security breaches. Most of these cases resulted in the loss of medical records of patients, insurance records or personal information of customers. There are also those that involve the collection of unauthorized personally identifiable information.

To boost the campaign to protect the privacy of consumers, the office has also asked the help of giant tech companies. While the investigations are ongoing, Google and Facebook have also committed to take part in consumer protection. To some extent, the willingness of these companies to participate in the campaign is gaining success.

On the part of the Task Force, it will take charge of all investigations regarding consumer privacy breaches that are being conducted by the office. It will also be responsible for educating the public and the business community. It will focus on protecting sensitive personal data and informing the affected individuals of the occurrence of data breaches.

The office also hopes to serve as a resource center where individuals and businesses can go to seek assistance. Particularly, those who need assistance either for protecting their own information or that of their customers can just contact the office. It also recognizes the fact that customers are really involved in a challenging and evolving technological environment, and they need assistance to cope with it.

The Task Force is composed of four attorneys who have expertise, interest and experience in data privacy issues. Somehow, this initiative will serve as a model for others to follow. Data protection programs cannot be left alone to the public. There has to be an expert group that will lead them into an awareness about the consequences of data breaches and how they can avoid such situations.

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Have You Committed Felony Lately?

2011-09-19T12:53:00.001-04:00

Internet users may not be aware that they could be put to jail for falsifying their personal information on the internet. Facebook users, after knowing this, may have to think many times before providing any false information on their account. This may sound absurd, but there have been a number of cases where users were penalized for breach of the terms of use of the websites that they visit.

The U.S. Congress is more likely to expand the scope of laws that pertain to “cybersecurity”. The existence of the so-called Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, which was passed in 1986, seems insufficient. This law mainly deals with the provisions that pertain to computer hacking. Since its inception, the law has been periodically broadened, and it now extends far beyond hacking.

One of its provisions is that it is a criminal act for any user to exceed “authorized access”. This means that users must not go beyond the terms and conditions stipulated by the website’s owner. Once this is broken, the user faces a criminal liability, especially if breaking those terms and conditions are committed within an office environment.

This is a revelation to those who intentionally falsify their information for any reason. Social networking users, more often than not, lie about their names and ages. Once put in place, faking would constitute a crime and would be punishable by law. Many users would be facing penalties once Congress approves the consideration of such acts as felony.

There were a few cases in the past that involved ridiculous disputes that were filed by private parties. It was reported that a company owner sued a former employee for visiting Facebook and sending personal emails using the company’s facility. Another ridiculous case involved a company that prohibited competitors from visiting its site. It ended up with the company suing a competitor for breach of its “terms of use”.

Concerned groups suggest that Congress must plainly define those cases that involve crimes. Even if there is a need to take legal action on real offenders, the law has to be humane. No one would want federal courts to be swamped with cases that involved mere violation of a promise.

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Changes in Public Disclosure Laws

2011-09-17T23:27:00.000-04:00

Today’s businesses cannot just take it for granted when their customers’ email addresses are stolen or lost. Such occurrences might already carry with it legal obligation to notify their customers about the data breach. Changes are going on here and there in the privacy arena that serves as a wake-up call to businesses and CIOs.

Major changes are being implemented in the way businesses are held accountable for the safety of personal information. Public disclosure of data breaches is applied on a wider scale so quickly that it seems difficult for many businesses to cope with it. They have one question, and that is “which kind of data legally requires public disclosure?”.

It used to be that businesses and CIOs had only to deal with the problem if “personally identifiable information” was lost or stolen . This means that a company is required to disclose only if it collects information that can identify, or be traced back to a person. This is data that involves, among others, a user’s bank accounts, Social Security numbers, medical information and others. The business has the obligation to inform the owners of any data breach.

When only the names of customers are lost or stolen, the business is not required to notify the customers involved. It would not be the same if together with the stolen names are the customers’ Social Security numbers or their email addresses. With these, there is enough information that could give hackers a better chance at intruding into the privacy of the customers.

Hackers will try all means to figure out the password to an email address. When he or she succeeds, it would open them to the virtual world of the account’s owner. Many users use the same passwords in their email, banking, and social networking accounts despite continuous education. This situation alone explains why businesses should not be lenient when it comes to protecting personally identifiable information.

After the hackers gain access to users’ accounts, it is possible for customers to receive emails from one of their “contacts”. Chances are that users would treat the email as reliable because it comes from one of their associates. But when the customers enter their usernames and passwords, all of their useful information, which could also include those of their contacts, is stolen. This case shows that simple loss of email addresses can pose a great risk. It then becomes an issue of public disclosure on the part of any business community.

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Emails and Employees' Rights

2011-09-15T11:35:00.001-04:00

In their daily work schedule, employees cannot keep from using the company’s IT facilities to send and receive private emails. This is aside from the business-related ones which are considered official. These emails could stay in an employees’ inbox for an indefinite period of time, and it is understood that private emails are only for that particular employee’s own personal consumption.

The issue with this situation is when an employer needs to access an employee’s email account when the latter is unavailable or absent for any length of time. Legal implications have been associated with employers who are opening their employee’s emails. The German Higher Labor Court early this year ruled that employers have the right to access and review an employee’s work-related email correspondence. It said that the requirements of the “secrecy of telecommunications” do not hold true in these cases. The company cannot be considered a “provider of telecommunication services” although the employee was allowed to use the employer’s email services.

A case once involved a worker who was not present at work due to a long-term illness. The employer was unable to obtain the employee’s consent despite repeated attempts. The employer then opened the employee’s email account, but only those emails that were business-related were read and printed. The owner did this in the presence of two eligible witnesses. Employee’s emails that were “private” and not business-related were neither read nor printed.

As a result, the employee tried to get a court order prohibiting her employer from accessing her email account in the future without her permission. The court denied her, and further repeated that her employer was not a “provider of telecommunication services”. The circumstances do not meet the criteria to fall under such a category.

The Higher Court made it clear that the employee’s use of the company’s email system is just a “side effect” of her normal daily routine. There is no adequate basis to decide that it actually falls under the scope of the Telecommunication s Act. With this present court ruling in Germany, employers can open an employee’s email account even without permission. The limitation would be that only business-related email messages in an employee’s email inbox would be opened, read or printed.

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Cyberattacks on the Loose

2011-09-06T08:17:00.001-04:00

Last August, there was a public disclosure of the most threatening and pervasive online espionage. This disclosure, prepared by internet security experts at Silicon Valley, after years of investigation, said that the cyberattacks have been going on for at least five years. The targets were identified as some U.S. companies and government agencies. Obviously, these attacks are threats to the country’s national security and economy.

According to McAfee, there were 72 organizations targeted, but the total number could reach into the thousands, and may include companies and government agencies. It was found that the attacks were mostly aimed at obtaining sensitive information. Going deep into the nature of the attacks, the experts suspected that the perpetrator is a particular nation. At present, the experts choose not to identify the offender.

A McAfee spokesperson said that the surveillance slowly eats up both the economic and national security advantages of the U.S. He considers the activities to be very serious as they steal valuable intellectual property. Consequently, these will adversely affect jobs and the condition of the economic community. The spokesperson did not give details of the data that is being stolen because doing so might raise privacy concerns of the targeted organizations. He simply reiterated that a particular nation is behind all these attacks.

Of the targets, McAfee identified that 49 are found in the U.S. These include a solar power company, defense contractors, tech companies, news organizations, real estate companies, and a county government. Targets outside of the United States include, among others, a government agency in Taiwan and some Olympic organizations.

Another cybersecurity expert said that China and Russia are two of the most active opponents of the U.S. when it comes to cyberspace. However, a Chinese government representative earlier denied any involvement by China in any such activities. He said that China is willing to work with other countries against these kinds of attacks, and emphasized that it is also a victim. He added that China is not happy with the way some people linked the country to hacker attacks.

The toll on the U.S. economy brought about by stolen data might not be felt for years. It is estimated by experts that the country loses as much as $20 billion every year to online espionage. It is possible that the attacker is first trying to weaken the country’s competitive edge before finally dropping the full weight.

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It's Better with Anonymous Proxy

2011-09-01T15:40:00.001-04:00

Data theft and data breaches have become so common that there is a need for a more secure online connection. At present, one can only hope that data thieves can be prevented from monitoring a user’s online activities. There have been many attempts to deal with this concern, but only a few effectively gave users satisfaction.

Once a user’s IP address is known to unscrupulous people, it is easy for them to get his or her personal information. Literally, the user cannot hide anything from them - what kind of sites he or she visits, how long he or she stays there, what products he or she usually buys, etc. But if the user’s IP address is hidden from them, these annoying and actually unsafe scenarios are not possible.

One’s IP address can be effectively hidden by using Anonymous Proxy. With this online defense, a user maintains online anonymity in his or her surfing activities. No one can trace the location where he or she is surfing from so his or her online transactions can no longer be tracked. Anonymous Proxy helps a user keep his or her personal information secure. With all these, he or she does not have to worry when transacting online. These are but some of the personal reasons why one should use Anonymous Proxy.

Anonymous Proxy can give lots of security and convenience to those who are in online business. They can now carry out an anonymous study of their competitors. Being hidden, chances are that they will be able to “look” at their competitors’ strengths and weaknesses. They can also publish their web sites anonymously, making it difficult for their rivals to block them.

Travelers, who can be businessmen, can maximize the benefits of Anonymous Proxy. Using Anonymous Proxy can spell the difference when it comes to security, inasmuch as almost all of them rely on Wifi access while they travel. Access to Wifi services at airports or hotels can never be totally free from possible intrusion. With Anonymous Proxy, browsing from hotels and airports can be safe and secure. Businessmen can do financial transactions without having to worry that they are under scrutiny.

These and other benefits make Anonymous Proxy a must for those who want a more secure and safe online activity for so long.

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Better Control, Better Facebook

2011-08-30T08:43:00.001-04:00

Privacy issues have been hurled against Facebook in the past years. Users have complained about several features that take away their control over their own privacy. While the features’ purpose was to improve users’ experiences, problems have arisen, especially in the area of content sharing. In response, the company has made changes to its privacy features that hope to allow users to control their privacy. Some of these changes were successful, but others have invited even more complaints.

Just recently, Facebook announced that it is giving its millions of users more enhanced privacy control. These changes will be rolled out in the coming days, and users will be given a chance to try them when they become available. The new privacy features will generally make it easier for users to understand what people online will see about them and their posts.

With just a few clicks, users can quickly know who can see all that they post. They can also choose to block unwanted photos and those items that are tagged by others from their profile page. Facebook expects that users will have less confusion by changing such terms like “everyone” to “public”. Most users used to think that “everyone” meant everyone on the social networking site. The term actually meant all people on the internet.

Some analysts commented about Facebook’s move towards enhancing customer satisfaction. According to them, social networking buffs have long been asking for features that would allow them to clearly see what content is posted. Analysts said that Google+ was successful at avoiding Facebook’s privacy pitfalls. It gives users easier control when comes to content sharing. Facebook denied that its similar improvement was triggered by Google’s success in providing more acceptable privacy features.

According to another policy analyst, there is a brewing competition in the area of privacy. Ultimately, this trend will move towards empowering users to gain more control over information sharing. Other observers commented that policies should be clear in order to avoid backfiring. If controls are very complicated for users to understand and use, more problems can be expected. Facebook has taken the first few right steps, and now it has to take a lot more towards privacy protection.

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Up... Up... and... Supercookies!

2011-08-23T18:52:00.004-04:00

Users are conscious that every time they go online, someone is watching them. Regardless of size, companies use updated technology just to be able to keep track of users’ online behavior. Users also realize that companies have one purpose in doing this, and that is for marketing. Trackers keep an eye on which sites are visited by a user, how long the user stays on each site, and what pages he or she visits before leaving. They are also concerned with the users’ interests, as revealed in the categories of posts that users read, and by comments that they leave.

Tracking is made possible mainly with the use of HTTP cookies. These are packets of information that are used to store the user’s preferences. Cookies were originally intended to be used to improve a user’s browsing experience. Because of cookies, users do not have to enter their basic information, like user name or password, every time they visit the same site.

The strategy of using cookies to store private information has previously stirred privacy concerns. Browsers responded by providing options for users to decide whether they want cookies to be stored or not. A user can easily delete cookies when he or she finds that they are not needed anymore. Because of this, it can be assumed that users have complete control over their private data.

Times seemed to have changed, and control is slipping away from the user. A privacy researcher revealed that today, users can be tracked even when cookie storage is disabled or when the user browses in privacy mode. The new tracking technology uses “supercookies”, which cannot be deleted. It is able to “revive” cookies after they were deleted. It can also bring together a user’s browsing history across two or more different browsers.

The supercookie uses a matchless identifier known as ETag. Researchers at Stanford University and UC Berkeley discovered that some companies are already using supercookies. The researchers identified one supercookie that is able to look back at web-browsing history. They observed that it can dig deep into the sites that the user has visited; as many as 1,500 of those. They supposed that this new kind of cookie is interested in what products the user is thinking of buying. It is very much the same as the older cookies, but this one is more intimidating because of its “immortality”.

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Parents Need Not Be One-Sided

2011-08-23T18:51:00.002-04:00

It is not unusual to hear parents talk about the downside of the internet. This is especially true when they can no longer control their children, which makes it difficult to see the good side of this technology. But when children are properly guided, the internet can help in improving their performance at school. Nowadays, schools are maximizing the use of this technology to enhance learning in many ways. That is why parents are not being fair when they talk ill of the internet without considering the benefits that it can give to their children.

From a wider view, parents need to engage themselves in the internet activities of their children. There are lots of strategies that parents can try on their own in handling this issue. The most essential is for them to learn more about the internet. It might even be better if they learn about it from their children. This activity leads to bonding, particularly with teenagers who are starting to search for “freedom” from parental control. When parents are sincere enough about it, this experience is a good shot to the child’s self esteem.

This may take some time, but it will surely build trust. When the right signal comes, parents can shift the topic to talking about internet safety rules. The time may come sooner, or later, depending on the age level of the child. It is clear that parents should know when this could occur because of their experiences with other areas that need parental control. They should take extra care that the trust built between them and their children is neither broken nor compromised.

Parents should be alert to signs of too much indulgence, especially in social networking. When children are already “addicted”, it becomes difficult for them to stop. Younger children could easily get captivated by online games. This is the time for parents to encourage their children to develop self-discipline. It will require one’s consistency and authority to make it work, but after a while, children will learn how to balance online and face-to-face time.

An indispensable part of this parenting is that children will build stronger self confidence and higher self-esteem. To achieve this, parents must keep the lines of communication open between them and their children. There is no better way for parents to protect their children than by seeing how they surf online. To keep themselves updated, they need to preserve the trust that sustains their children’s openness to them.

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Don't Push Your Children Away

2011-08-20T08:26:00.000-04:00

There are parents who push their children away from the internet because they say that digital technology contains so much information that it makes it hard to control. Others reason that the internet takes up so much family time and builds an invisible wall among the family members. Still others assert that children could become exposed to online predators who pretend to be friends.

No matter how much we try to suppress or refuse it, technology is always a part of our lives, including that of the children. Information is deposited into this virtual world that holds limitless potential for good. In fact, it is more harmful to deprive children the chance of using the technology rather than guiding them on how to use it. Aside from not benefiting from it, they become dangerously curious, which usually leads to misuse.

With proper control and guidance from parents, children’s online experiences can be as rewarding as any offline activity. The internet is a threat to children’s privacy only in the absence of well-defined rules that both parents and children have agreed upon. It can also be added that many parents need to teach themselves more about the internet.

Yes, parents need to know more about the internet than just the basics of online browsing. They should also use such online stuff like email, online purchasing and, of course, social networking. Parents will have less fear and be in a better position to do what is right when they are well-informed. They can teach their children how to maintain their privacy while keeping in touch with their friends in the social network.

Parents who know how to use the internet will have access to websites that are potentially dangerous to children. There are websites that can lure children into providing some personal information about the family just so they can obtain an online freebie. In its simplest sense, the internet is a widely commercialized medium. Children do not have the maturity to appropriately handle these targeted advertising tools. They can only be safe with their parents as their first line of defense.

Not all children are on the same level of development. Parents cannot give a one-shot solution to online safety. They need to adapt internet safety rules according to the level of the child. It is not good for parents to threaten or to bribe their children. Above all, parents have no reason to deny their children the benefits of the internet simply because they are uninformed about technology.

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Should Schools Educate the Parents Too?

2011-08-17T12:02:00.000-04:00

The worsening behavioral problems of a number of children have alarmed middle and high school authorities. Some officials believe that some of these are expressions of how these children behave online. Schools are looking for help from professionals who know the anatomy of the problem. They see that it cannot be solved if the school works alone. The home must work collaboratively with the school because parents play a crucial role in correcting the problem. It is good that many schools are working with private organizations who can educate parents about safety and literacy in the digital world.

What used to be limited to online behavior among children is no longer true as realized now, by many schools. There is no longer a difference between how children behave online and their behavior with peers in the real world. For sure, harassment against other students that is done online will surely extend offline, most probably on the school campus. This adds to the list of problems of the school administration. This kind of problem could have been averted if parents lived up to their obligations. Through their parents, children should get their first education on internet literacy and safety. Sad to say, very few parents today are capable of doing this.

Parents seem to be incapable of educating their children about the internet. They leave their children alone without rules. If ever there are rules, they are both unrealistic and inconsistent. They believe that teachers are the ones who should instruct children about the internet and its dangers. The usual reason they give for believing this is their fear of the technology involved. Parents think it is enough for them to know that their children are using Facebook, but they are uninformed on how their children use it. Some of the problems that schools encounter today have their roots in this way of thinking.

Some schools took the initiative to begin a school-parents partnership. Educating the parents on internet safety and media literacy is the first step. They should know how their children’s behavior online can also manifest to the actual world. They should speak with their children and together set age-appropriate rules. If the home does not reinforce school efforts, the problem cannot be solved. Hence, there is a need for a partnership that is based on a common understanding and purpose.

Patience is needed to see results, and time is of the essence. This will be difficult for children, especially for those who already got used to not having rules set. The length of waiting for results depends on the child’s motivation and cooperation. But, the good news is that it has already started. Parents and children just need to be open with one another and supported by an appropriate school program.

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When Children Know More Than Their Parents

2011-08-15T09:55:00.000-04:00

Technology has considerably widened the communication gap between children and parents. Parents are very busy with their jobs, and children are becoming more entangled with their online adventures. Children are left alone, without limitations, to explore the digital world. It generally ends up that it is too late when parents realize that their children’s conduct is already compromised. Without proper direction and parental control, these children remain ignorant about the basics of internet safety and media literacy. It is expected that their parents are the ones to educate them on these issues. The situation, however, is reversed because many children know more than their parents about the internet.

Recognizing this reality, a private non-profit organization is now partnering with schools to provide workshops for parents. This organization would help schools educate parents about internet safety and media literacy during PTA and parent group meetings. Organization representatives would bring with them the actual gadgets like an Xbox, PS3 and Windows or Mac machines. They would demonstrate to parents how they can set up internet parental controls. The group believes that distributing manuals to parents would not help at all. Most parents are not comfortable with technology, so it would be a lot easier if they are taught the actual process by demonstration. This gives the parents first-hand experience and sets aside the fear that most of them have with gadgets.

Reports show that many middle and high schools are now challenged by issues of online safety. Among others, cyber bullying and “sexting” are the most common. Even though these are expected to occur online only, these have spread out offline. This means that its effects are being displayed by children on the school campus, and are fast becoming a “school culture”. School authorities consider this an urgent concern, so they have enlisted the help of organizations that can educate these children and their parents.

They start with meeting and educating the parents. Many parents would show that they do not care, and this is a hint that they are not aware of the dangers of abuse of the internet. More than the need to recognize how their children are using it, they should also realize the culture within. It is not enough for parents to know that there is such a thing as Facebook and that their children are using it. They also have to learn how their children connect with thousands of “friends” in a very different manner. Learning this would enable them to know the benefits and dangers. Only then can they work collectively to make the right move and bring about what needs to be changed.

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Deleting Personal Information

2011-08-09T20:38:00.001-04:00

It used to be that social network users did not waste a second when it came to uploading their personal information just to open an account. Then they would tell their friends to do the same so that their circle of friends became bigger. After that, “friends” of their “friends” replicated the process. As soon as they opened an account, they added more personal data to their profiles, and as if that was not enough, they would share all of their photos. This same process is done by millions of other users - with a wide range of ages. Huge amounts of information are uploaded and shared online 24/7.

Then, privacy concerns due to data breaches appeared out of nowhere. At first, this was not a big issue, but as more users’ privacy was violated, privacy advocates did what they deemed right. They tried to ask the help of government to update privacy laws. They also requested that internet companies review and enhance their privacy policies. Debates regarding government control and privacy violations are still going on. There are several privacy laws of which implementation is still pending. Private companies update their privacy policies, but these updates do not keep pace with the nature of privacy problems.

Just recently, users are becoming more concerned about the presence of their data on the internet. As excited as they were to upload their data before, they cannot wait to delete it now. This is because they have learned that the data can be used against them. Users discovered that there is so much information on the internet about them that marketers can use this data for different purposes; some of which users do not even know about.

The problem is that it is not so easy to delete users’ information. Ironically, additional data would be needed in order to delete the information that was previously supplied. This means that a user cannot simply request that his or her records be deleted. Companies that have the technology to do so need to be sure that they are deleting the information about the correct person.

Furthermore, deleting information on some websites does not guarantee that no more data about the person will show up elsewhere. This is because most users upload information to numerous websites. Users could avoid a lot of trouble if they use self-regulation. Whether it is with online shopping, gaming or social networking, users should always be careful when providing personal information to online companies.

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Thanks to Private Proxy

2011-08-06T02:16:00.003-04:00

I am thankful that I was given the opportunity to benefit from using Private Proxy. Although I am not well versed about its technicalities, the fact that it is available is already worth it. I have just started using a Private Proxy server, but its benefits are numerous. On the internet, I came to know at least four of its benefits that I personally enjoy right now. With Private Proxy, I threw away my worries about being blocked from accessing important websites.

I used to just leave my “footprints” anywhere before I knew about this technology. This possibly made me a target of some people who meant to cause damage, or wanted to “play” with me. With the use of Private Proxy, they can no longer identify where and who I am. I learned that other proxy servers cannot totally cover you from snooping eyes. Dishonest people can simply use an IP tracking software that can bypass a proxy server. But with Private Proxy, my computer becomes untraceable because my IP address becomes hidden from them.

With Private Proxy, I experience faster speed whenever I go online. I do not have to waste valuable time waiting for the page to load. I can maximize the use of my time getting on with my job. There was a significant increase in speed, especially when attaching large files to emails. I used to get annoyed when suddenly my connection got terminated. I put in so much effort to recover lost data, but there was no way to regain lost time. With Private Proxy to the rescue, I am assured of a fast and reliable connection.

My short experience with Private Proxy gave me the feeling of confidence and security that I wanted. Up to now I haven’t had any encounter with hacking or eavesdropping. I am sure that others can also get the same feeling of security that many users nowadays are lacking. People should learn how to guard themselves against online threats, and Private Proxy can surely give them the protection that they need.

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The Value of Private Proxy

2011-08-02T08:37:00.002-04:00

When I became a blog writer was the time I realized the value of Private Proxy. I got familiar with the internet some five or six years ago. My first activities were mostly browsing different sites without any specific reason. As a teacher, I discovered the benefits of the internet as an unlimited resource center. After some time, I used email as my major means of contact with my relatives and friends in other countries.

Some years back, social networking became the trend in online activities. Out of curiosity, I opened an account with each of the three major social networking sites. By that time, I already had an idea about privacy issues, but I was not concerned. As required, I provided some personal information to these sites. The social media thing was a different experience. It was really thrilling, connecting to everyone from virtually anywhere. I was not conscious that I was already providing too much data about me on the internet.

Sometime last year, I got the chance to do a part-time online job. I started writing eight blogs every week about internet privacy issues. I have to submit these to four identified sites, two blogs to each site. Through this job, I learned more about internet privacy issues. I came to know about online safety, identity theft, data breaches, online fraud, hacking, internet privacy, protecting personal information, and much more. But still, I did not give any importance to my own privacy.

My attitude was changed by an unusual incident. One night, I could not open any of the four sites to which I had to upload my blogs. I suspected that something was wrong, so I contacted the blog site owner. He advised me to open other sites that I frequently visit. I was able to do so with all except these four. There was no doubt that I was intentionally blocked from accessing the sites.

To solve the problem, he advised me to use Private Proxy. I thought it was complicated, but he guaranteed that I could do it easily. His instruction was to download the software, which took me a few minutes to complete. Then, I needed to follow the simple instructions that were embedded within the software interface. Sure enough, I was able to open the sites again!

I could not believe that somebody would take interest in my privacy. Why should those websites be blocked to me? What do I have that would warrant such interest? For one, I do not have an online business, credit cards, or big sums of money in bank accounts. What does a blog writer have? However, I realized that I do not have to be “somebody” to become a victim, and I started to appreciate the value of using a proxy server. From that time on, I use Private Proxy every time I go online. These and other benefits are offered by a private proxy. There will be more about the rest of the benefits next time.

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Regaining Privacy - How Difficult!

2011-08-01T09:06:00.002-04:00

With the increasing number of data breaches, more users are realizing that they, themselves, are to blame. They give too much information online without thinking about the consequences. Many users are surprised when there is so much information about them when they do a simple search. They wondered how this was possible, but then remembered that they shared that information on one website or another. Now, users want to regain their privacy, but it is not a simple thing to do.

Users have just realized that every time they are online, there are many interested third parties that watch their online behavior. These could be marketers, game developers and search engines, with each one having its own purpose. However, they have one common goal: they are trying to collect as much information as they can from each user. These companies are sure that someday they can make a lot of money from whatever information they collect.

One user tells about how amazed he was that he found so much information about himself when he just did a simple search. He never imagined that a search would reveal one site that had a collection of his information including his address, number and names of his household members, food preferences, and even a picture of his house! Yes, many users want to win back total control over their own identities. One thing that they want to do is to remove their information from the internet.

Now this “removal” thing is not as easy as sharing the information on different sites. Another user who wanted to remove her information from a particular site was asked to provide a long list of personal information. Although she wanted to regain privacy, she did not want to go through this tedious process. She asked the company if there was a faster way to grant her removal request. The company spokesperson said that detailed information is needed so that it could delete the data of the correct person.

Users are advised to find out how much information about them there is on the internet. To do this, a user must do an inventory of the information that they have shared online. For sure, many would be shocked to know that that innocent information they shared many years ago is now threatening their privacy. The lesson is that users must not give away personal information so easily. Once privacy is threatened, it is very difficult to regain control.

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Are Privacy Policies Still for Real?

2011-07-25T15:17:00.002-04:00

Internet users are asked to provide some personal information every time they sign up for a website. When they do this, they do not bother reading the privacy policies of these websites. Without their knowledge, there are different ways in which this uploaded information can be used. The users only become aware that this happens when they are affected in some way. With websites now literally relaxing their privacy policies, users might be up for some unexpected events.

It is surprising that many users do not think twice before giving up their information. Social networking companies have offers that come as freebies or added apps and services. Users who want to take advantage of these must first supply some information. Without second thought, many of them would willingly supply the data asked of them.

Some companies are careful with their privacy policies and how collected data will be treated. However, there is a move towards relaxing privacy policies. Privacy advocates say this is worrying because it is becoming all too common. With this move, users’ information will be more open to exploitation. This means that many websites are planning to use collected user data for other purposes.

It is disturbing because users’ information may be used in areas that they did not know about. Every user knows that the data they supply contains a lot of personally identifiable information. It includes date of birth, address, shopping history, location, and many other things that are freely supplied. This data can be a potential source of lucrative business. This can be used to identify individuals or groups for targeted advertising.

There are new kinds of companies that are becoming interested in using this data. When privacy policies become relaxed, these companies could possibly have access to it. Insurance companies are among those that can use this data to better know the interests of policy holders. They are interested in what clients buy, whether they smoke or not, what their favorite extreme sports are, etc. Social networks have a large amount of such information and it is readily available.

Facebook, Groupon and Linkedin admitted that they share data but are not involved in information selling. A representative said that social network users have control over the data that they share, especially photos. Facebook users, for example, can choose the appropriate privacy settings. They can opt to block those applications that they choose not to allow. Social networks say that while privacy policies may be relaxed, users are still protected. They just have to self-regulate every time they decide to share data online.

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The Balancing Quest is Still Ongoing

2011-07-24T00:50:00.002-04:00

Striking a balance between consumer privacy protection and government control is very difficult and the battle is ongoing. Some say a solution is long overdue and online consumers have been hoping that this will end soon. Both privacy advocates and legislators are working hard, but they seem to be heading in opposite directions. Will the addition of regulations lead to the assurance of internet privacy, or could it be a question of self-regulation that is just not working?

Today, technology grows so fast that collecting consumer information can be done in many ways. Data collection becomes increasingly sophisticated and such data is very useful at some times, but at other times, it is not. There is an increase in privacy breaches, which indicates abuse of collected information. Therefore, laws concerning consumer data protection must be put into place.

A government official has recently called on representatives of some government agencies to stand as witnesses. They testified about the situation regarding information collection by some private companies. The representatives admitted that collection and compilation of personal profiles by these companies has been heightened. Some do it as part of their marketing and advertising campaigns, while others do it for other purposes. A lot of concerns have been raised regarding this, many of which remain unresolved.

The government has laid down the details of each step that it is taking to promote internet privacy. One of these is the enforcement of current laws that oblige companies to improve data protection strategies. Companies have agreed to sell personal information only in cases that are considered acceptable. It was admitted by some of the witnesses that the safeguards are not enough. They said that there is a need to pass legislation for the creation of a new set of rules. These rules would drive private industry to guarantee better safety for those consumers who use the internet.

If self-regulation among users and data gathering companies is maintained, there is no need to implement additional laws. On one hand, consumers should be conscientious about the information that they share online because when users are more careful, there will be less privacy issues. On the other hand, data gathering companies should treat private information with value. Users entrust their private information to them without any hesitation and with no thought that it could be used against them. Self-regulation should work both ways so that maximum consumer protection can be achieved.

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New Suggestions from Facebook

2011-07-18T16:57:00.002-04:00

Facebook is still up at making innovations in its services despite some privacy concerns alongside with those changes. It could be remembered that the social networking giant received so much criticisms for several times. Some critics said that it has never learned its lesson. Here it is once again, changing its privacy settings and rolling out another feature without users’ knowledge.

The new service feature is called Tag Suggestions. Changes in Facebook’s privacy settings allow the feature to automatically recognize a user’s face. When an image is ready to be tagged, Tag Suggestions maps the user’s face and detects whether or not there are matching images in the same or other albums. If there are, then these images are automatically tagged, saving the user time in doing so individually.

It is clear that anybody aside from you can do the tagging. Chances are that anyone can tag you in something incriminating although they do not intend to. This is very possible to occur because the user might not individually inspect the tagged images for possible problems. How much more when someone would intentionally drag you into a compromised situation with your photos?

This feature was rolled out by the company in the later part of last year. Unlike the previous features when users were given the option to opt out beforehand, this time it is different. Facebook said users should experience how it is before they could change back the privacy settings. However, privacy advocates do not accept this as a valid reason. They say this is still Facebook’s old style of pushing new features without clear explanations as to what it is about. In addition, they also said that there seems to be a pattern of changing privacy settings first and letting users ask questions later. Facebook accepted its failure to clarify the issue among its users before the roll out started.

In an explanation, Facebook said that the feature on facial recognition was meant to address complaints of users. It added that users have been complaining that tagging photos one by one is a tedious task. Working with large photo albums, it is cumbersome to tag the same people over and over again. Authorities clarified that an evaluation will be done as to whether Facebook’s action broke some privacy rules and deserved punishment.

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Social Media Etiquette for Moms

2011-07-14T16:22:00.002-04:00

The social media has successfully hooked users of all ages, and new moms are given the rules regarding information sharing when it comes to their children. Babble.com encourages parents to follow some rules of etiquette on the internet. These rules include standards regarding how new mothers should manage the sharing of information about themselves and their children. Generally, moms have the natural tendency to post anything that they consider as their child’s happy moments or milestones.

Moms would unsuspectingly share their child’s photos and activities on the internet without any inkling that what they are doing could affect their privacy. While this could be acceptable to some degree, Babble recommends that parents should not be careless about it. It has laid down some rules for using information that risks some questions on internet etiquette and privacy.

Moms are told not to share details about their baby’s bathroom habits. There might be some peculiar incidents in these stories that moms would find interesting or “funny”. However, no amount of good storytelling can hide the fact that they are posting something ridiculous. A social networking site is not the place to post these stories. Moms need to think before they post.

Another thing that moms should avoid sharing - what they do from sign on to sign off. There are those who post their every action and tend to add a hint of self-righteousness in it. Everyday household activities are normal and should not be “sold” to the public as being unique. Moms should learn how to exude good vibes that could infect other moms who might also be in the same boat.

Child photographs are another concern. Moms are advised to have an archive of the “best of” photos of their children. It is absurd to find 20 photographs, all of which are showing a toddler crying. To every mom, a child’s photo is a work of art and deserves display, but she should learn to limit. She should choose only those really significant photos for her friends to see.

Birthing photographs are considered treasures, especially those of the first born child. However, no matter how beautiful moms think of the event, they should never post those pictures. These revealing photos would not add to man’s knowledge about childbirth. Instead of posting these kinds of pictures, moms should engage in more worthwhile social networking activities. Why should they not post positive comments about other children? They can make other moms happy and secure knowing that their children are also appreciated by others.

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Will the E-Verify System Curb Illegal Immigration?

2011-07-11T19:18:00.001-04:00

Another privacy issue has surfaced along with the U.S. government’s initiative to curb illegal immigration and employment. A proposed bill is under fire because it forces employers to have new employees go through the E-Verify system. Expectedly, privacy concerns have been aired by different privacy groups. The ACLU, EFF, and other civil liberties organizations, labor and privacy groups are against the approval of the Legal Workforce Act of 2011.

E-Verify is an employment eligibility verification system that is internet-based. Proponents say that using the system will screen all those who seek employment in the U.S. It will not be difficult for the government to find illegal immigrants. Employers will be assured that they hire only those who are legally qualified to get jobs in the U.S.

Refusal to use E-Verify will mean penalties of up to $25,000 and imprisonment of at least one year for employers. If approved, the law will oblige employers to compare their employees’ records in the DHS and SSA databases with the information that these employees supply upon hiring. Aside from this, the Social Security numbers provided by the new hires will be compared with those on record. In addition, employers will be required to take the fingerprints of employees as a pilot biometric authentication program.

Those who push for privacy rights consider this as a threat to employees’ privacy. They argue that the authentication system would generate a database that holds highly sensitive data. It would be difficult to manage and protect such a huge amount of information. Undoubtedly, this data will be open to abuse and misuse by dishonest individuals or groups. Identity theft is most probable given the size, openness and accessibility of this database. Critics have said that even intelligence and law enforcement agencies might use this database for other purposes.

The civil rights and privacy groups coalition says that the risk to individual privacy is obvious. According to them, the harm that it could cause to people outweighs its benefits. Due to the various criticisms that caught the government’s attention, there is a plan to improve the E-Verify system. It is hoped that the improvements would center on reducing, if not eliminating, the risks to individual privacy.

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Wanted: Eraser Tool for Online Mistakes

2011-07-11T08:24:00.003-04:00

More than ever, the internet encompasses the lives of many people every day. Online activities are dominated by shopping and social networking. In this way, people share some of their information with people they do not even know. As users looked back at their cyber “footprints”, they wanted to remove some that they no longer want or need. After a while, they realized that there were some “online mistakes” that they have committed. At this time, they feel the need to correct those mistakes. They want especially to remove the information that should have been kept private.

Yes, many users wished that they would have been more careful when it came to sharing information. They now need an “eraser tool” to delete that unwanted data in cyberspace. If there was a law that would allow them to do so, they would remove data that is no longer wanted or needed.

The “right to be forgotten” is a new issue that demands attention. Some countries are putting their eyes on creating an enforceable law of this kind. One possibility is giving users the right to demand deletion of any information about them online. For example, it would be the right of criminals, after serving their terms, to demand removal of their criminal histories from an internet website.

Experience shows that there are search results that return websites that have incorrect or outdated information about some people. When a relevant law is passed, the concerned “victim” can then demand that such incorrect or outdated data be removed. Obviously, at present there is no such a law that could completely tackle this issue. This means that there would be a piling up and even an epidemic of inaccurate information on the internet over an indefinite period of time. This is a fact and right now, it is becoming a problem.

Online mistakes could be amplified several times in a social networking scenario. There are cases when inaccurate information is copied and posted or used somewhere else. This adds to the complexity of the situation and makes forgetting even more difficult. There are also policy and technical challenges even in a simple case of online mistakes. On the other hand, there are cases when using another person’s information can be helpful. As long as data is not abused, using another’s data could be interpreted as freedom of expression and not a defiance of law of any kind.

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Safe Kids and Their Parents

2011-07-03T09:19:00.002-04:00

SafeKids.com is a website where parents can find resources that can calm their fears about internet safety, and to provide advice on how kids can stay safer online. Having been around for many years, SafeKids.com has been building good relationships between parents and children regarding online experiences since its creation. It has a collection of important information that parents need to know about keeping kids safe online.

Technology journalist Larry Magid created and founded SafeKids.com, which is one of the oldest internet safety sites. He has made outstanding works and contributions in internet safety, one of which is the 1994 brochure “Child Safety on the Information Highway”. His articles have helped parents maintain strong bonds with their children while maintaining their internet security.

Online safety of children has been the major concern of SafeKids.com. This problem disturbs more parents than children. Especially in these days of social networking, the site wanted to calm down the fear felt by parents. This is done by providing articles that give good advice. There is a wide variety of topics - safe search, safety tools, safety guides, social networking privacy tools, and more.

The site’s simple layout is attractive to most parents who should not be impressed with elaborate design. The straightforwardness encourages visitors to pay more attention to the content rather than just graphics. Instead of playing around the page, their attention is hooked on the different articles that are posted. Moving through the different information is made easier through the available links. Further, visitors can move from one page to another by the use of the back button on the browser.

Parents can also put a “legal” touch by entering into an agreement with their children. SafeKids.com has a Family contract template that can be downloaded. Their children can fill it out and sign it. Then parents can put this near the computer, making it a good visual reminder to children about their promises about using the internet safely.

Parents and children can easily avoid the dangers on the internet with proper rules for children and guidelines for parents. SafeKids.com has lots of related resources, and all of these come in handy. To establish a good relationship, parents just need to be open with their children about their concern over privacy and safety. Parents and guardians can use the contact information to ask any questions or report any concern. Parents and children alike can feel free to shop for internet safety materials at SafeKids.com.

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Parental Control is Childrens' First Line of Defense

2011-07-01T07:29:00.002-04:00

The issue of parents using parental control over their children’s online activity has been around for some time. There seems to be some confusion on the parents’ part about whether or not they should do so. There are those parents who would attempt to monitor their children, but would not continue because they think that they might be intruding on their children’s rights. This results in those children becoming prey to online predators.

Internet surfing by children is not the same as their keeping diaries. A diary is private property, and access to it is restricted to the owner. The internet is a totally different thing. It is accessible to hundreds of millions of people therefore, it is not private. Parents should correct their distorted view of child privacy and provide the first line of defense for their children. Clearly, children are the most vulnerable to abuse on the internet because of their emotional and intellectual immaturity.

There is an estimated 1 million pedophiles that lurk on the internet. They never stop looking for their next victim, and your child could be it. These child molesters and sexual predators are always looking for a child that is not “on guard”. Your son or daughter is not prepared to handle the situation where they might unintentionally find themselves involved with one of these people. Parents must take control to make sure that their children’s online safety is not jeopardized.

The choice whether to tell your child that you watch his or her online activity depends on how close you are to each other. Children who are used to having open communication with you will not mind if you tell them what you are doing. The older ones are more likely to show dislike over the perceived invasion of privacy, and telling them about your monitoring could prove to be a challenge on your relationship.

Children only attain the legal right to privacy when they become 18 years old. Parents, on the other hand, have the legal duty to make certain their children are safe both on and off line. Your children, through your clarification, will recognize that you are not trying to invade their privacy. What you are doing is ensuring their safety.

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Image: renjith krishnan / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Parenting and Children's Internet Privacy

2011-06-25T19:26:00.003-04:00

The internet is full of resources that children and youth are exposed to every day. There are new ways of doing things, finding friends, games, and a lot more. All these are available to them at home, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The different sites are so appealing that they become so engrossed that it results in mechanical exploration. They do not understand that the virtual world can be harmful to them just like the real world.

Parents can take an active role in maintaining the online privacy of their children. Not all parents realize that web sites collect personal information from children. Information gathering can be done in various ways. There are those that ask children to register, join a club or enter a contest, fill out a questionnaire, and others. Web sites can put them altogether to make a personal profile; enough to identify personal preferences, especially commercial products. Children then become targets of advertisements, or they end up on a customer list that is sold to third parties. This is the first step to losing their privacy.

There is no assurance that children will not be exposed to harm in the virtual world. Even the best technology-based solutions are not fail-safe because a new technology overrules the older one. The best way to guard children against privacy invasion can only be provided by parents. They must be actively involved in their children’s online activities. Parents should make efforts to spend time with their children and ask them to show their online activities.

Parents should not take for granted the privacy policy statements of the sites that their children explore. One of the important parts is what information is collected and how it is used. A good site is one that provides an option on whether the child’s information can be collected or not. There are sites that use the seal of approval from a trusted authority. This can be easily found on the first page of the privacy policy. This seal is given only to sites that agree to be audited and to give dispute resolution services.

Parents and guardians should teach children never to give out information that can identify them. There are sites that ask for family information, home address, phone number, school name, family photos, etc. Passwords must never be given to anyone, even to those that they know. They should stay away from the ones that threaten, suggest, demean, or those that make them uneasy.

If children have started using social networking, they should remember that people online may be pretending to be another person. It is possible that a 13-year old girl is actually a 30-year old man. Parents can be effective guardians of their children’s online privacy if they themselves are knowledgeable. They can start by making an extra effort to learn to navigate the internet themselves.

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Fine Tuning the FBI Rules

2011-06-19T10:10:00.003-04:00

Some changes in the rules will give F.B.I. agents more latitude to search the lives of those people who attract their attention. Once enforced, they can use these new powers to search databases or go through household trash. A watch team can also be used to look into the lives of people who behave unusually. These changes are part of the bureau’s new manual called the Domestic Investigation and Operations Guide.

With the revised rules, F.B.I. agents can act with greater degree of “freedom” to foresee any criminal or terrorist activity. Their authority is enhanced, empowering them to investigate suspicious people. However, there are some unfavorable reactions from some individuals, especially those who advocate privacy. One of them said that the decrease of restrictions on agents’ powers was rather unwise. There is a possibility that agents might use intrusive techniques on innocent people. There were abuses that occurred in the past and these can still occur. Problems involving “national security letters” that allowed agents to obtain information without a court order were once controversial.

To support the F.B.I.’s action, a spokesperson said that problems involving national security letters have previously been fixed and would not recur. There was a clarification regarding it, stating that changes in the bureau’s manual do not need any consent. Adequate studies were made concerning the risks and the benefits that such changes will bring bout. The counsel further stated that there were no changes made but only fine tuning.

The “assessment” category was one of the areas that needed fine tuning, considered as the lowest category of investigations. The new rule allows agents to scrutinize persons and organizations even for just a feeling of doubt. The old rule required that agents needed to have an inquiry before conducting a search for information about a person. The new rule does not require them to submit a report of the results of the process. An ACLU lawyer said that the new changes cannot detect those who have personal purposes to have easier access to databases.

A bureau spokesperson explained that F.B.I.’s purpose for the new changes is to simplify the process. It would be cumbersome for agents to oblige them to open formal inquiries every time they do a quick check. Agents have to present an assessment report before using the information they have gathered from the search.

There are other changes that give additional leeway to loosen the grip on the hands of agents that were tied for a long time. These changes are aimed at granting them wider latitude to perform searches. These can be done even without a firm reason to affirm that there is suspicious activity. The increase of privacy bounds is a topic that creates different reactions from critics and the public.

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Putting an End to Medical Record Breaches?

2011-06-18T06:09:00.002-04:00

Current incidents of medical record breaches are concrete proof that it is impossible to set up a perfect system of keeping this data safe. Thieves were able to steal the records of patients, staff members, contractors, and suppliers while under the custody of a record management company. Just last March 2011, nearly two million owners of personal information managed by a provider were informed that their records were missing. These are only examples of patients’ health records being compromised. These breaches against health records pose danger to the privacy of hundreds of millions of people.

To preserve their confidentiality, the patient’s medical records should be kept secure and private. These documents hold sensitive, personal information that tells much about the owner. Because of this, those who are found to commit breaches should be held liable. Just recently, a general hospital in the U.S. was fined $1 million for lapses in protecting personal information. Paper records of 192 employees of a company were left by a hospital employee on a subway train. How should these issues be handled?

One state spokesperson said that there is not enough care on the part of the health care industry. An examination was conducted by the HHS on the status of security measures at health care facilities across the U.S. Results showed that the system that houses the patient’s records is at risk. The investigations done at seven large hospitals in different states also revealed an alarming reality. Unencrypted personal data of patients was stored on computers that cannot guarantee access by authorized users only.

Some health care experts are not convinced that the enforcement of HIPAA alone can sufficiently address the problem of data breaches. A former national health coordinator of health information technology said that HIPAA is already outdated. The law is no longer applicable in the manner in which data passes through many hands.

Today, individual health care records pass through at least thirty people or organizations. To make HIPAA consistently effective, it must be updated to suit the present state of information technology. It would be if a new law would be passed - one that supports or strengthens the existing ones.

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Ensuring Privacy and Security of Health Records

2011-06-11T19:18:00.001-04:00

There is a possibility of endangering the privacy and security of people’s health records. This possibility comes along with the breaches of medical privacy. Records show that nearly 300 hospitals, doctors and insurance companies have been involved here. Proponents of shifting to electronic health care records might have second thoughts because of these lapses.

After the shift, it is expected that medical errors will be lowered, costs will be reduced, and the quality of outcomes will be improved. All efforts are being poured in to strengthen the effect of the conversion. This is done by the government in order to maximize the enforcement of existing rules about medical privacy and security.

Health care experts have shared their apprehensions regarding this issue. They are in doubt whether the enforcement of existing laws alone would be enough. Some of them are in favor of implementing stronger laws. As an example, improperly obtaining information should be considered a criminal act. On the user’s side, they are afraid that they could not get health insurance once their private information is opened for public viewing.

Clarification as to the consequences of breaches has not yet been given. Before anything else, the public should be aware of what will happen to the offenders. Only after this has been done can the public give their well-informed decision on the issue. If ever there are baseless fears and apprehensions, these will be erased at once.

Another consideration is how the safety and security of medical health records will be maintained. The Department of Health and Human Services has recently exposed a possible glitch in the system. The area of protecting patients’ records is the most vulnerable. One thing that the agency found out during its inspection is that patients’ personal information is not encrypted. It added that intruders can easily tamper with this data because this is stored on unrestricted computers.

Some government officials themselves made a suggestion if ever the plan for conversion will be implemented. The health care industry should first strive to achieve and maintain the needed level of vigilance in keeping private information safe. There are available tools that can readily enable one’s access to personal information and to connect names and addresses to other relevant data. This is dangerous. The right security system should be in place, otherwise people would just be amazed because their personal information has become public property.

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Image: sheelamohan / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

On Google's Second Attack - Who is to Blame?

2011-06-04T21:12:00.003-04:00

Google has once again suffered an attack, and this time, it is largely in its email service. Hundreds of Gmail subscribers have reported an intrusion to their accounts, stealing their passwords and monitoring their emails. The victimized accounts belong to high profile persons like some senior U.S. government officials, Chinese political activists, some Asian countries’ officials, journalists and military personnel.

Last year Google had a similar problem and pointed to China as the origin of the attack. It resulted in a rift in the relationship between the company and the alleged perpetrator. Soon after the incident, Google transferred its Chinese search engine base to Hong Kong. Compared with the first attack, this one may not be as sophisticated as the first in terms of technology used, but the victims this time were prominent people. Using phishing, the perpetrators tricked their victims to capture the email passwords of users.

There were indications that the Google attack was masterfully coordinated. The victims were not just picked at random as can be deduced from their profiles. One explanation is that someone has “entered” into one email account and used its contacts in order to victimize some other targeted users.

Google issued recommendations to its users about how they can prevent such attacks. As an added security measure, users should go through a stricter verification process. Doing so would ensure better protection. The company has developed a two-step verification process before a user can access his or her email account.

Chinese government spokespersons reacted to Google’s statement that is pointing the blame at them. According to the country’s foreign ministry, the government had always denounced any criminal activities that may compromise the internet as a useful tool. It further stood up to say that China, too, is not spared from similar cyber attacks, specifically hacking. If there is something that needs to be done, it is to put China as one of the victims and not as a suspect.

There are some circumstances pointing to Jinan, located in the eastern part of China, as the origin of the attack. One of the seven Chinese military command centers is found here. It is also the site of the Lanxiang Vocational School, which is a school with military support. The investigations on the attacks conducted last year pointed to the same school as the origin. Some observers said, however, that it is impossible to directly put the blame on China. Today’s internet technology is already borderless, meaning there are no clear boundaries between places. As such, there are several ways for people to be “present” in different locations while doing this kind of privacy invasion.

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Image: renjith krishnan / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Are You Being Watched?

2011-05-28T14:44:00.002-04:00

Whenever users go online, many feel some fear that they are being watched. This is because of their sad experiences with unwanted ads. They feel that they are making themselves vulnerable to advertising companies that they do not even know. Continuous consumer education has helped to effectively raise users’ consciousness. An increasing number of users become aware that there are tools that could protect them. All they need to know more about is how to take advantage of these tools.

Some laws and regulations were proposed and implemented for the sake of online safety. In addition, some companies admitted that they have to protect their consumers. As a result, users are now given the option whether to allow tracking of their activities. In the end, they can still continue to enjoy the benefits of being connected to the internet.

Let us take a look at the basics of how online tracking is done. Advertising networks are the ones that usually do this. Their purpose is to get a picture of which sites users visit frequently and which ads they usually respond to. Once they have enough of the data that they need, they will send customized advertisements to a particular user.

Behind these tracking activities are tracking cookies. These simple codes keep a record of every site that the user visits, especially those that they visit frequently. Advertising networks are capable of finding out the user’s preferences based on their online track. There is no wonder why advertisers, in due time, will seem to “personally know” the user.

One good thing about browsers is that they have do-not-track settings that you can use to your advantage. By using your browser’s Opt-Out page, you can get around many of the major ad networks. Many marketing networks respect users’ settings so you no longer have to worry about being watched. You have just to make sure that you visit the opt-out setting for every browser that you use.

Your browser’s private browsing settings can give you added protection. A little amount of patience in choosing your settings can help you a lot. Still, there are plug-ins that can do the same work for you, although they can work only against specific problems. Finally, using a privacy tool can augment your protection. You can choose between a freeware and a paid one. However, all of these cannot guarantee total protection.

Ample time is required for laws that mandate the implementation of do-not-track registries to acquire some muscle. Users can expect total protection only after all these are in place. While waiting for this to come about, you can protect yourself by using these abovementioned available protective tools.

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Image: Salvatore Vuono / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Parent-Child Relationship and Privacy

2011-05-27T17:42:00.005-04:00

Parents need to give their children privacy as to time and space as they grow more mature. The values of trust and responsibility are first learned by children in the home. Because of this, children need parents who can let them live in an environment that builds trust and responsibility. This can happen if children begin to experience in the home the privacy that they need.

Some parents feel uncomfortable when they observe that their child wants his or her own private time. Unless this is dealt with the right way, children will find it difficult to learn to develop trust and responsibility. Parents can creatively and effectively handle this kind of situation by talking with their child. They should make him or her speak what is on his or her mind - why the need to be alone.

Parents should not underestimate the value of knowing the reason why he or she needs some private time and space. Much more, they should be quick in telling whether their child tells the truth. Is the child growing the “normal” way, or does he or she just want to hide something? A child who needs to be alone too often might need counseling and not just privacy.

A positive support environment by parents could help a lot once they are sure that their child shows normal behavior. It is best for both parents and child to sit together and set some rules. Knocking on the door before entering one’s room is a simple privacy rule. However, this should apply to both child and parents. This also means that parents should not be scared when their teen hangs a “Do Not Disturb” sign by his or her door. Parents should take this as a sign of growing up, but they should also be observant.

Many relationship problems can be avoided if parents respect their child’s privacy. Too much intrusion can make children feel insulted. They feel that they will not do the right things when they are out of sight. Children do not have the chance to develop trust in other people, especially when they are ready go out to the bigger world. It is because the home was not an environment that built trust. As parents work for protection of their children, they should also aim to balance it with privacy.

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The Internet and TV Eating Up Family Time

2011-05-23T19:20:00.000-04:00

Families should unplug their computers and TVs if only to spend more quality time with their household members. As time spent by family members on the internet and TV increases, family time continues to decline. Results of studies on American families reveal that household members are spending less time with other household members. On the average, an internet user spends 3 hours online every day, while viewers spend an average of 1.7 hours daily watching TV.

Homes are slowly transforming into boarding houses. There seems to be an emerging culture of adults paying no attention to their partners and children, and children not being mindful of their parents and siblings. The family is considered to be the breeding ground for future leaders and responsible citizens. In the home, adults and children are expected to give and receive love and translate this to the whole of society. It is here where children learn the values of trust, support, and kindness, and how to handle anger, loss, embarrassment, etc. It is here where adults continue to grow emotionally and try to live life to the fullest.

There is no substitute for the home as an emotional cradle. Observations on many teenagers show that they are smart, but many of them lack emotional intelligence. To put it simpler, many of them do not know how to “read” other people - not even their own selves. It has been said that emotional intelligence refers to the ability of an individual to understand, read, and manage his or her own emotions. This can only be learned when an individual is given the time to live, work, and play with real people.

What happens today in many families is that members spend more and more time either with their online friends or their TV news and superheroes. A survey on internet use done way back in 2004 revealed a significant connection between spending time online and time spent with the family. For every hour spent online daily by an average user, he or she loses 23.5 minutes which could be spent with his or her family. Furthermore, the average surfer also gets less sleep; an average of 8.5 minutes per day for every hour spent online.

If online friends, games and TV programs become more important than the real people that family members live with, then families will suffer. Families should spend more time with “real” friends in their households. Gathering around the dinner table or taking an inexpensive family outing are just some simple ways of family bonding. Families become more cohesive when they are interacting face-to-face more often. By doing so, each member will come to appreciate each other’s real interests and know what they think and feel.

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How About a Gadget for Your Pet Dog?

2011-05-20T08:29:00.002-04:00

More people would choose a dog rather than any other animal for a pet. Some owners find happiness owning just one, while others say “the more the better”. Whether it’s a single dog or a pack of different breeds, their owners want the best for them. Aside from the basic needs, owners would spend more for an extra amount of loving care. After all, they say that dogs are man’s best friend. Why not pamper your dog with the following pet gadgets that are both useful and practical?

The One-of-a-Kind Inflatable Dog Shower

Of course, you always want to see your dog walking around spic and span. However, unlike cats that can clean themselves, you have to be hands-on in cleaning your pet dog. Here is one gadget that can help you do the job with ease and efficiency. It is an inflatable dog shower that is made of durable, puncture resistant PVC and nylon. It inflates in just five minutes, and then you can bathe your dog all the way to the hardest-to-reach areas. You can freely control water emission at 7 different levels. Level 1 gives you a gentle stream, while level 7 is strong enough to remove your pet’s dead skin cells. It’s high enough to prevent water from spilling, and its 52” hose allows you better handling.

An Accurate Pet Scale

Do you feel that your pet dog is too fat or too skinny? Your pet’s weight is an indicator of whether or not your pet already needs a special diet. Others feel their pet’s ribs to check weight, but of course this is not reliable. Having an instrument that will show you the weight in numbers is better. This job can be done by the Pet Scale that lets you work like a real veterinarian. Instead of taking your pet to the clinic for weighing, why not buy a Pet Scale? This always comes in handy whenever you need it for your dog’s health.

The Self-Revealing Camera

You will be surprised to know what your pet dog does when he or she is alone. However, you have no way of finding out because you are not around. This secret life of your dog can now be captured even without you actually being there. The Pet’s Eye View Camera will perfectly do the job for you. Just correctly affix this small, digital camera to your pet’s collar and it will do the job. The gadget is ready to automatically take as many as 40 photos, depending on the time period that you set. Upload the photos to a computer and enjoy viewing your dog’s secret life.

These pet gadgets can guarantee satisfaction and are just right for your budget. Allow your pet enjoy life as you do. Choose your pet gadget today.

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Spokeo - for Better Online Experience

2011-05-18T08:55:00.002-04:00

It cannot be denied that people today need to connect to the internet for different reasons. With this, they cannot escape from the demand of sharing some of their personal information online. Sites such as those for social networking or “buy and sell” allow usage only when users give a valid email address. Many users consider it a “normal” thing to share information and they forget about privacy.

There have been countless debates regarding privacy issues in the internet. Questions have been raised about some websites that gather user information from different sources. Today, some websites can tell much about a person, given only his or her name and an internet connection. They can generate other information about a person out of those that he or she shared online.

However, there are sites that have honest motives for doing this kind of job. There are those that want to help improve the online experience of users. Spokeo is an example of a website that does this. It gathers addresses, pictures of people’s homes, marital status, hobbies, and others. It then maintains a database of this information that users can access upon request.

Many other websites are into this type of business – legitimate and honest at that. To make their services available, at first they search public records, phone books, and other sources of personal information. Others find social networking sites as good sources too. Additional sources would be those sites that require users to give their email address for a certain deal.

As a service company, Spokeo is in line with creating a more efficient and user-friendly people-search engine. Its objective is to make it easy for people to locate information, especially their friends. It is committed to uphold user privacy and maintain transparency. Furthermore it assures its users that it neither gathers nor possesses private information. The backbone of its database is the collection of user information that is publicly available.

Being true to its commitment, Spokeo is gaining a reputation as an efficient and user-friendly website. Its users find it useful in locating old friends and long-lost family members, manage their online reputation, and organize their contacts’ profiles. There are two modes of subscription - users can choose between free and paid. A subscriber can get more information about a person with a paid subscription. Another thing that is good about the website is that it allows users to remove their information from the site. This generally is not offered by many other similar companies.

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Users Stand Up Against Online Fraud

2011-05-10T02:26:00.002-04:00

Users are continuously showing an increasing consciousness about online privacy. Particularly with online fraud, they are now showing concern unlike before that they have remained passive. Alongside with this development is the need to set privacy limits whenever they go surfing. They want to maintain better control of their personal information. Online retailers shall now take the right steps to give users the protection that they need.

Users showed this emerging consciousness in a recent survey about online fraud. Two entities, one a privacy research firm and the other a fraud prevention provider joined efforts in the endeavor. The survey reported that 85% of users today worry about becoming victims of online fraud. This is a significant increase, considering that a similar survey ran previously by the same entities posted an 80% result. The survey focused on fraud areas like identity theft, credit card scams, spam, phishing, and others.

Web users are now asking retailers to improve their strategies in combating online fraud. They also urged retailers to install a system that will prevent theft of user online information. They even said that the presence of trusted sites can encourage users to be identified online. For authentication purposes, they suggested the use computer serial number, ISP, computer type and make. This is safer compared to the usual personally identifiable information like telephone number and date of birth.

Online businesses have just newly opened their doors to the reality of online fraud. Past incidents have not been properly reported although many admit that they have been victims. There is a significant increase in online transactions and activities among web surfers and retailers. Along with this increase is the attack of online criminals. These occurrences might have caused users to realize their need for protection.

Additional figures from the survey results give a clear picture of how users used to handle online fraud. Nearly one half (47%) of the 607 respondents who are regular internet users admitted that they have already been victims of fraud before. Out of these victims, only 19% took the right action of reporting the crime. Although there is a growing consciousness of fraud protection, consumer education has still to be intensified. Among others, it should be education that empowers users to take the right steps to avoid online fraud.

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GPS Technology and Privacy

2011-05-06T09:04:00.003-04:00

Many users need not worry about privacy risks if they know what to do. The new GPS technology enables people to find their way through unfamiliar places. It is a tool that assists people in finding a restaurant or an ATM in town. As a tracking tool, privacy issues regarding GPS use have been raised. This technology is now being integrated in most models of phones and cameras. Users enjoy its features, from simple photo taking to sharing of information on the internet.

The concerns center on the risks involved with anybody being able to locate a user by accessing his or her cell phone data. Nowadays, phones can store data on the whereabouts of a person, specifically location. The phone owner’s location data can be easily mapped – where he or she had been for a period of time - with the aid of Google maps.

EXIF data, which means Exchangeable Image File, is used to store photos in GPS-enabled phones or cameras. This new annotation is embedded in almost all present-day cameras. By using EXIF, information such as shutter speed, F number, exposure compensation, ISO number, date and time the image was taken, and other information, can be stored. These however, are just information about characteristics of the stored data and do not pose problems on privacy. It is the capability of some cameras using EXIF to store GPS information on the photo that raises the concern.

Apple and Google have made public their opinion on the privacy issue. According to them, users should not pass on the responsibility of protecting their privacy to others. Even if the technology is there, users still have the final decision of whether or not to use it. Users can simply disable or enable GPS features in their phones. Google also made clear that identification numbers of each phone signal cannot be traced to a specific handset. Google assigns a unique signal for each handset as part of each policy.

Taking this premise, some groups of users do not buy the idea of not using GPS features. They say that GPS is such a useful technology that a user can make good use of it. Also, the latest apps are mostly location enabled. Not using this technology may put a user in a more disadvantaged situation.

What users can do is pressure phone manufacturers and lawmakers to set limits on the use of GPS data. On the other hand, the government should move faster in order to catch up with the fast-changing technology. Meanwhile, users must be responsible enough to protect one’s own privacy.

They can do this by setting reasonable limits on the sharing of data online, especially with GPS enabled photos. One should use his or her intelligent discretion regarding when to share photos on any website, especially social networking sites. This will make one in better control over his or her privacy.

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DEDs in the Police Force?

2011-05-04T05:04:00.001-04:00

Data Extraction Devices (DEDs) have been used by the Michigan State Police (MSP) for some years. At present, there is an ongoing inquiry regarding its lawful use. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) wants to know exactly how these devices are being used. These powerful devices can extract almost all information from cell phones. These could include contacts, photos, and yes, even those deleted messages.

These devices are being manufactured by CelleBrite. Verizon, Sprint, AT&T and other major carriers are some of the clients that the company has revealed. Specifically, the devices are used to transfer data when a phone is upgraded. CelleBrite also described the high capability of DEDs to extract a host of information from cell phones. When used properly, it can retrieve even deleted and hidden data, and can capture contact lists, photos and text messages.

Critics are not opposed to the nature and purpose of the devices, but by their use in law enforcement. The concerned groups are not sure whether the devices are lawfully used. The ACLU doubts that there is no privacy violation involved among some people that are searched. For some time, it has been urging the MSP to explain how the devices are being used. The ACLU also suspects that the tools are being used unlawfully just to obtain information from random people.

The Michigan State Police responded that it is not secretly mining out mobile data during traffic stops. In a statement, it explained how enforcers are going to use the DEDs. An officer cannot use the device if he or she either does not hold a search warrant or has not obtained consent from the holder of the mobile device. Furthermore, only a specialty team can use the device on criminal cases, such as crime against children.

The MSP was pushed to use DEDs because of the continuing increase in the number of crimes using cell phones. DEDs, it said, are effective investigative tools for obtaining critical information from criminals. These are the reasons given by the Michigan State Police for purchasing and using such devices. The devices were bought by the MSP in 2006.

A government official expressed his approval in setting well-defined limits as to the lawful use of the devices. However, according to him, the limits should not cover cell phones that are involved in the commission of crimes. This implies that identified criminals should not enjoy the same benefits of privacy as those of law-abiding citizens.

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How to Avoid Weight Loss Spam

2011-04-29T09:45:00.006-04:00

Do not be a victim of spam just because you want to lose weight fast. Do not join the group of users who lost money in those bogus offers. The spam trap is there, and it has been intended for you. Be smart enough not to say “yes” to the products that claim instant weight loss. Find a legitimate site offering legitimate products. Be wary of con artists who have mastered their craft and make their claims appear legitimate. Protect your privacy before they take it away from you.

Spam may be either of two types. First, there are those that are claiming that products such as pills, creams, patches, or others will guarantee weight loss even without diet or exercise. Second, those that claim to block fat absorption, calories or carbohydrates so you don’t gain weight.

The results of a New York-based research study have given additional light as to why overweight individuals are easily victimized by spam. For every five overweight people, one has been a victim of spam. Another result shows that 88% of overweight people say that they received spam. As to the opening of spam, 42% of overweight individuals say they have opened the emails, and a good 18% of people with weight problems say they bought the products offered in the mails.

Experts give an explanation to why more overweight people get spammed than other groups. According to them, these people visit more weight loss sites than others so they end up in the databases of these sites. With the hope of getting the easiest way out, they easily give in to the offers. It is easier for them to become targets of spammers than other groups. This is especially so when they provide their personal information to these websites, which then makes them become victims.

Spam will not work if users will not give the information that spammers need. Basic among all these is personal information, especially an email address that is uploaded online. Some seemingly simple posts such as “I want to lose weight” placed in social networking sites can trigger spam. Keep in mind the 42% open rate and 18% conversion rate of weight loss spam. Let us look at a “worst case” spam scenario. For example, a spammer will send email offering a bogus weight loss product to 1,000 targeted individuals. Count how many emails equals 1% of these. It is 10. If ten spam recipients finally decide to buy the “product” being offered, how much money would the spammer have? Assuming that the unit cost of the product is $50, the spammer gets $500.

Haste makes waste. Don’t get spammed! It will be a waste of money trying to lose weight instantly through bogus offers. Always hold tight to your personal information unless the site is trusted. Use the privacy settings of social networking sites to control your personal information. It would still be best to hold on to the experts’ advice on losing weight. There is no better way than increasing physical activity to burn more energy and eating fewer calories.

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Flink12 and Privacy in Social Networks

2011-04-26T16:38:00.000-04:00

There are many social networking platforms available today to share your public self. But where do you go to privately and safely share your personal, day-to-day thoughts and experiences? Flink12 was created as a safe and secure way to share your private life. It is playful, safe, extremely private and easy to use. A unique way of sharing and communicating, Flink12 allows you to share your life in a meaningful way with the people you know and care about the most.

What is a Flink? A Flink is a group of twelve cows. Flink12 allows you to create individual groups of twelve people or Flinks for your friends, family, or coworkers. These Flinks allow you to communicate in a discreet way, sharing professional information with coworkers and personal information with friends and family. These groups of twelve are ideal for sharing different information for different types of relationships.

To sign up for a free Flink12 account, you can visit www.flink12.com.

How to Stay Safe with HTTPS

2011-04-25T01:43:00.002-04:00

The continuing increase in the number of malicious tools on the internet is taking its toll on web users. The online community is now beset with various security threats like identity theft, viruses, and other things that threaten online safety. For example, one of the latest malicious tools, Firesheep, is capable of stealing passwords for email and social networking accounts.

To address this disturbing situation, the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) and Access are now campaigning for the international deployment of HTTPS through HTTPS Now. Its main objective is to improve security measures and make web surfing safer by calling on users to join them in their campaign. This includes, among other things, spreading the word about HTTPS Now and how to make full use of HTTPS security features by using it correctly.

HTTPS, or Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure, uses encryption technology to provide optimal protection. Before a user’s request is sent by the browser to the server, it is first encrypted. In return, the resulting pages are also encrypted, making the data contained therein “unreadable” by anyone while it is being sent to the user’s computer. This makes HTTPS web surfing more secure as compared to HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) alone. Even now, many websites have still not moved away from HTTP, which is unencrypted and susceptible to several kinds of threats.

The HTTPS Now campaign has three major components. These are: web surfing protection, survey of the overall status of HTTPS deployment, and helping site operators implement HTTPS. A minor component of the campaign is the sharing of updated tools that users can use to guard their web browsing.

The installation of HTTPS Everywhere by web users is the first component of the campaign. The EFF and the Tor Project created this security tool for the Firefox browser. This is capable of automatically encrypting a user’s browsing, thus changing it from HTTP to the more secure HTTPS.

Many websites are still using HTTP and are still vulnerable to malicious attacks, as admitted by the EFF and Access. This is the focus of the second component of the campaign; calling on users to give feedback on whether the sites they visit are using HTTPS or not. They believe that a relatively accurate picture on the extent of internet security and HTTPS use can be provided by user-generated information.

The third element is providing support to website operators regarding existing resources in learning how to use HTTPS correctly. These detailed resources are especially made for the deployment of the HTTPS tool. The purpose of which is to give website operators a full understanding of the value of using HTTPS.

Web users are encouraged to work with the EFF and Access, who believe that web users can give a correct picture of HTTPS and its current deployment status. Taking all of these together, they will find it easier to target those web operators who need to modernize their sites. The partnership can help reduce, if not eliminate, privacy threats and lead to safer web surfing.

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Are You Ready to Give Up Your Privacy?

2011-04-23T00:32:00.003-04:00

A new “geolocation information generator” has been launched on the internet. Its creator, Yiannis Kakavas, has given it the intriguing name of Creepy. Many privacy rights advocates have raised their fears about the possible impact of this application to individual privacy. What can this new application do and why should it stir such concern?

Creepy was created by Kakavas for Linux or Windows. The third package that is still in process is for Mac OS X. Basically, this app pinpoints a user’s location by making use of the user’s data in social networking services. It can do this by gathering bits of the user’s data that is uploaded to the network and putting together pieces of information. The software has just been launched but is already performing well.

Creepy has an integral search utility to locate any individual online. The user has only to input the Twitter or Flickr username of that individual then hit the “Geolocate Target” button. All photos or tweets that the individual has published or posted online will be downloaded by Creepy. From those materials, Creepy will pinpoint the user’s location at the time each of the materials was published.

The software then aggregates every piece of information on hand to find a meaning. After processing, the user’s different locations are presented by showing a map. Individually, these data on locations do not tell any significant information. But when aggregated as a whole, it has much to tell about the “target”. It shows his or her most frequented places or hang-outs, the vicinity around his or her house, and even his or her office. These bits of information are now enough to make him or her vulnerable to stalkers.

The program was completed by Kakavas in only three months. He was able to access and make use of publicly-available libraries like osmgpsmap, pyexif2, and tweepy. In his mind, Kakavas believes that he made available something that will make people value their privacy. He would like users to be more aware of the dangers of careless sharing of their personal information online.

He explains that small pieces of data can be put together in order to make bigger, more meaningful information. Users are often too late to realize that it would have been better if they kept that information to themselves. The common ones are address, place of work, the places they hang out most often, when they are not at home, and many others.

He added further that he created Creepy also for social engineers to have a means for information gathering. Particularly for security analysts, Creepy can be used to carry out penetration testing. The information that they gather now can be used for different purposes later.

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A Cookie for Your Privacy

2011-04-19T08:45:00.004-04:00

A cookie is text file that a browser sends to a web server when a user visits a website. This is stored on the user’s computer the first time he or she accesses the site. It is also known as a web cookie, browser cookie, or HTTP cookie. Once stored, the browser uses this file to navigate the website more easily. Some of its uses are for logins, themes, language settings, shopping cart contents and more features that use text data.

Some cookies have dates of expiry. These may be stored by the browser and deleted as the expiration date passes. Other cookies do not have expiry dates. They are automatically deleted as the browser is terminated. Cookies help a website to deliver better services, although cookies in themselves do not hold information.

Cookie files contain the name of the server, its duration, and the cookie value. The value that makes a cookie unique is a randomly generated number. This helps the server that created the cookie to remember the user when he or she comes back to the site or to navigate through pages. These cookie files are stored in the browser’s “cookie file”.

A cookie is not an executable file, meaning that it cannot replicate itself. It is different from a virus, but it can be a threat to privacy in some situations. Because a browser has a mechanism that sets and reads cookies, a cookie can be used as spyware. The most common cookie that can function like this is the “zombie cookie”. A cookie that is used as spyware can track computer activity. That is why it is up to the user if he or she will or will not accept cookies.

A cookie merely helps the website to identify the user and keeps a record of his or her information. It cannot do harm to the computer by itself because it cannot access the user’s hard drive. For example, a user does not need to input his name every time he or she visits the same site. The website may ask the user to input his or her name the first time he or she visits the site and the next time he or she visits the site, the cookie tells the server who he or she is. Automatically, as the website opens, it already contains his or her name.

Privacy issues to users are the most common threat among cookies. The cookie stores any personal information that a user provides to a website. This can make the user vulnerable to computer hacking or identity theft. This is the reason why some users would not accept cookies or would want to delete cookies stored in their computers.

There are various ways of deleting cookies, depending on the user’s browser, however, the process can generally be done in three steps for Internet Explorer.

First, on the browser, go to “Tools”.

Second, select “Internet Options” or “Options”.

Third, under the “General” tab, choose “Delete Cookies”. The rest may be a combination with other functions. The user may opt to delete all cookies or just select which ones to delete.

More information about how to delete cookies for other versions and browsers is available at http://www.aboutcookies.org/default.aspx

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Google is Set to Improve its Privacy Programs

2011-04-14T09:11:00.003-04:00

There is no other way for Google but to try its best to improve its privacy programs. After being swarmed by numerous charges, it is now stepping up its efforts to review its existing policies. The issue started after the launching of its new networking service called the Buzz in February 2010. The charges all point to Google’s violation of its own privacy policies and for deceiving users.

The new networking service is integrated with Google’s email service, the Gmail. Buzz can identify the most frequently used contacts by Gmail users. These contacts are automatically loaded by Buzz into its so-called circle of friends and then made public. Some users found the technology amazing, but many considered it an invasion of privacy. Users asserted that they would not want all their contacts to be in the “circle” and open to everyone else. They found out that some contacts might have privacy considerations like ex-spouses, doctors, or recruiters.

Google and the Federal Trade Commission worked on the issue and reached a settlement agreement. The search giant laid down its plan to immediately study whether its services contained privacy risks. It has as well promised to implement stricter privacy risk elimination standards before launching any new service. Consequently, it would develop relevant policies that would address the risks that may be found.

The company has also agreed to be subjected to an independent audit. This will oversee and validate Google’s privacy program once every two years in the next twenty years. The settlement agreement also required Google to always obtain users’ consent before transacting business with any third party using their information. Unlike what happened with Gmail, any alteration on its services should always be checked against its existing privacy policies.

The FTC reiterated that Google failed to obtain users’ consent with its Buzz service. This is a clear violation of its own privacy policies. The policies explicitly explain its commitment to seek the user’s permission if collected information would be used in a different manner. FTC Chairman Jon Liebowitz called for companies to honor what they stated in their privacy pledges.

The Buzz missteps had prompted Google to be more serious with its privacy program. It is hopeful that with the settlement, the current issue would also die down. It also apologized for not coming up to the usual standards in terms of user control and transparency. On the FTC’s side, this settlement would hopefully stir up greater importance placed on better privacy standards for Google and for the whole internet community.

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The LGBT Population Needs more than Privacy

2011-04-12T09:25:00.003-04:00

A committee report pushed to take on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) populations in health studies. This is the gist of the report prepared by a committee at the Institute of Medicine. The details said that information on these populations should be collected beforehand. This means that these data should be readily accessible in the event that these people would need health services. This would help the health professionals and related personnel to serve them better. The most essential is that they were known so that it would be easier to understand specific health conditions that affect them.

There is very little complete data on LGBT population health status and needs as of the present. Although they are provided with medical services, the problem lies in the way they are being acknowledged. Still, these groups are not seen as different from one another. Due to the scarcity of comprehensive data, the report recommended the need for health researches that focus on how to bridge this gap. Specifically, these should give emphasis to the different stages of life among the LGBT populations. These should delineate the research strategy and data collection procedure should be put in place. The main purpose is to get a fuller grasp of these groups of population.

There should be a change of course in research from being too broad to more particular. Race and ethnic minorities used to be the concentration of health researches. It is just timely to input research efforts not only on usual collection of information. There should be more importance on the understanding of diverse health conditions that are widespread among various groups, or those that affect them in an unusual way.

When comes to health needs and services, personal privacy is not an issue. However, the shame placed by society on gender and sexual minorities can make them cautious to reveal their sexual orientation. While a few would openly demonstrate what they really are, others would think many times whether to do the same. Being a minority population is another problem that researches along this field would encounter. Extra hard work has to be done in order to come up with adequate number of individuals who would comprise the sample population.

Government should push through despite these perceived problems. These should not stop its efforts to collect demographic data on LGBT individuals. It should be supportive on finding ways to provide standardized measures of sexual orientation, at the same time gender individuality. The National Institutes of Health should provide trainings on how to conduct research with LGBT populations. In the end, the team recommends that these data should be produced by electronic means with due concern on individual privacy.

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A Little Less of Privacy Means Safety

2011-04-07T16:29:00.007-04:00

The time has come for school bus drivers to let go of their personal privacy. This they have to do so that the safety of their passengers will be guaranteed. They have to reveal any mental and physical health issues prior to their employment. They also have to agree to undergo random drug testing and to list the medications they are on. These recommendations were written by Judge Bruce Fraser in the fatality inquiry report on the death of Kathelynn Occena in 2007.

The nine-year-old girl was killed and three others were hurt including her sister in a school bus accident on October 18, 2007. The vehicle driven by Louise Rogers swung over into a parked gravel truck then crashed into a power pole. All the four victims are studying at the Mountain View Academy, but were riding on the bus owned by the Third Academy at that time.

In his report, John Fraser also wrote that there was no hint that the driver did it on purpose. It cannot be explained why the bus driver drifted onto the shoulder. Later investigations revealed that Ms. Rogers had recently been hospitalized for mental health problems. She was then prescribed sleeping pills and antidepressants.

Fraser’s report also included the assessment of the design of the school bus that was involved in the accident. He wrote that the bus was designed such that the passenger section extends beyond the cab or engine section. This endangers passengers because they are exposed outside the “safe” area of the bus. This design flaw is often found in smaller buses and which has to be given consideration.

The recommendations presented by the judge received positive responses. In additon, he also wrote that bus drivers who went on leave due to mental or physical issues should be required to submit a report. This has to be issued by a health professional, stating therein whether the person is fit to resume work. This is one way of ensuring that drivers are physically and mentally prepared for the job.

There are proposals that urge bus drivers not to use hand-held devices. This includes, but not limited to, cellphones and musical devices while on duty, especially while driving. These devices affect the focus and concentration of drivers. A new legislation is being drafted banning all hand-held devices behind the wheel.

The lesson from this incident is that all schools should set stricter standards in the hiring of school bus drivers. There should be a pre-employment preparation that assesses the mental health of would-be drivers. It is very vital to determine whether these issues will affect their driving skills. At the end of all these, a little less of privacy would guarantee the safety of children.

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Violate My Privacy at Your Own Risk

2011-04-06T08:41:00.003-04:00

A 23-year-old man was accused of violating the online privacy of women. George Bronk pleaded guilty to charges including computer intrusion, false impersonation and possession of child pornography. He is about to serve a six-year sentence as promulgated by the state attorney general’s office. A probation officer recommended that he should serve four years instead.

With ample technical knowledge he was able to intrude into the Facebook accounts of some women. He then searched for nude or seminude photos and videos of his victims. After finding some of these materials, he forward the materials to the women’s contact lists.

According to the prosecutors, Bronk was "stalking the women". He changed the email passwords once he intruded their accounts. Having control over their accounts he was able to have some online exchanges with them. There were instances when he intimidated at least one woman to send him some more of similar photos. He also threatened his victims to distribute the pictures that he already had if they would not give in to his demand.

These women come from England, Washington, D.C., and 17 other states. Investigators were able to track them when they searched Bronk’s computer. They also found 172 email files containing nude and seminude photos in the same computer. The women said that their privacy rights were violated. They found out that their photos were distributed to co-workers, families, employees and friends.

Attorney Monica Lynch stood in defense to George Bronk. She gave explanation why her client was able to do such offense. She said that he was immature, unemployed and killing time as he took care of his ill parents. Having nothing else to do, he found trolling women’s Facebook pages as his way of “buying time”. He was able to look at their emails, gleaned enough personal information that he was able to answer basic internet questions to access their accounts.

The lawyer further added that Bronk was a naïve, young person who was into alcohol. He was not conscious that he was causing public embarrassment. His leisure time was spent sitting in front of his computer and doing these things. She also argued that the victims themselves should be blamed for what happened. They put themselves at risk by taking and uploading those explicit photos and videos.

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Protect Yourself From Identity Theft

2011-03-31T08:12:00.003-04:00

Identity theft has been plaguing the Internet. People are concerned about how they can protect themselves from this threat. While some technologically adept ones could by themselves find means to do so, many would still depend on experts for advice. Plain internet users are always in danger of losing their identity. This results to numerous possibilities of problems that could be avoided only if they knew how to protect themselves.

Darrell West, vice president and director of both Governance Studies and the Center for Technology Innovation in Washington, is an expert in this field. He has given advice to people about how they can protect themselves in the digital world. He has also written articles on subjects concerning political, policy and legal challenges raised by digital technology.

He has detailed some of the logical ways to maintain online protection. The best according to him is “choosing non-obvious passwords” and using different passwords for different accounts. One should not use his or her partner’s name, date of birth, hometown, and other obvious personal information. Clearly, these data are now online, contained in social networking or other public sites. Data miners could simply do some tricks and they could steal one’s identity.

As to the choice of websites, West recommends that one should read first the site’s online privacy policy. Try to discover whether or how that website will employ information. Be particular with how cookies will be used for tracking visitors and what the company does with information. Find out whether the company sells information to other vendors. One should see a very strong policy that protects consumer interests for the site to be trusted.

Consumers can also protect themselves against companies that gather information on users’ browsing history. Many sites track internet browsing history by the use of cookies. The best thing to do is not to accept cookies when prompted. Another way to do this is for the user to go into the tool history of his or her internet browser and delete cookie tracking. As much as possible, one should use the most recent version of an internet browser.

With regards to internet privacy laws, West recommends that legislators should update the rules which are no longer applicable or are outdated. Some laws were written before the advent of the internet, even before that of social media and other new digital platforms. It would be easier for law enforcement to police the digital world and guard people against identity theft with updated laws.

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More Color, Less Privacy

2011-03-29T07:59:00.002-04:00

Now you can set aside privacy and share photos with friends and even with strangers. The newest photo-sharing network Color developed by Bill Nguyen is here! After just two weeks of exposure, it promises to capture a fairly good market share. Nguyen is the former owner of a music-streaming company Lala that he sold to Apple in 2009 for around $80 million.

Color is a social networking app intended for iPhone and Android devices. It lets you share your pictures with any person within 150 feet. One would find this photo-sharing application very similar to other mobile apps like Instagram or PicPiz. The unique advantage of Color is its proximity-based sharing functionality. Observers say that it holds a far greater potential.

Two persons need only to be near each other and use the same application in order to enjoy. Color automatically records the frequency of these “friendship” events. The more frequent you hang up with a person, the higher his contact details appear on your list. The reverse happens when you hang out with him less often. Take note that it doesn’t matter whether you know these people you get close to most often. As long as they are within the 150 meter area of influence, Color will treat them as friends.

In spite of the big potential of this new app to create a new group of users, some are scared. As it has been said earlier, Color does not present any privacy settings. All photos that are uploaded are completely unrestricted, shared with all other user’s phones within 150 feet. Although the company has asked users to respect individual privacy, the danger of abuse is not impossible.

A sizeable amount of investment totaling $41 million has been inputted by Sequoia Capital, m Bain Capital and Silicon Valley Bank. This large funding from such companies, considering that the app is very new, is a sign that Color has an enormous marketing potential. Logically, advertisers would pour in and become the biggest source of revenues for the company.

The likelihood for Color to attain popularity in a short period is not remote; in fact that could be out of the question. Its potential to create an “elastic network” facilitates the user’s chances of finding more friends from strangers. Color has won the race in presenting a choice to those users who find complexity in using the different older social networking applications.

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The "Pirates" Party - Privacy and Transparency

2011-03-24T07:18:00.002-04:00

The Massachusetts Election Division has granted approval to the Massachusetts Pirate Party as a political designation. This gives the go signal for its members to finally take their place in the state.
The long-awaited time for voters to register as “Pirate” has come at last. Way back in 2006, it could be recalled that the United States Pirate Party was organized. It also took a long time for it to be officially recognized by some states.

With the party having been given its legal status, it can already start working toward its vision and mission. The party is known as one having its own set of ideals and tried to live up to these. It aims to “increase government transparency, promote personal privacy, reinforce the spread of knowledge through copyright reform, and abolish patents.

The party strives to make major reforms in the area of personal privacy. It said that government should not use of the 9/11 incident to increase its surveillance and control over citizens. The PATRIOT ACT, wiretapping, surveillance cameras are only some of the government’s ways of curtailing privacy of people. Also, in order to get more work out of their employees, corporations increase their spying activities.

The party also is trying to look at the area of government transparency. The party believes that citizens should have more control of their democratic destiny. This can be achieved if people have knowledge about what government does. Government has reduced its commitment to abiding by open meeting laws. It has also increased closed door deals that favor mostly corporations. Furthermore, it enters into deals involving public information being sold to private interests. These are injurious to democracy and privacy.

The Massachusetts Pirate Party has criticized government for not giving people the opportunity to live up to the old ideals. These ideals are those of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. With government expanding the powers of corporations, they have already overpowered the people. The party says that all efforts should be put in so that these ideals should be lived once more and be real for all.

As announced by James O’Keefe, the party’s organizer, the party is in the process of training activists. Once finished, they will work for organizing and building local chapters. The first move is killing the Combating Online Infringements and Counterfeits Act (COICA). Government should not be empowered to “take down any web domain found to host copyrighted material without permission”. Next, it will be looking at legislations that it should support and should oppose. There is so much hope that the party will find its bright future in Massachusetts.

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Making Privacy More Private

2011-03-23T02:03:00.005-04:00

Secretaries at the University of Iowa suspect that there was violation against their privacy. A supervisor attempted to use a hidden baby monitor to find out whether secretaries talked too much. Medical privacy law considers such action illegal, but supervisor Pam Snider said that she had the basis for doing so. The secretaries at the urology department presented their grievance with their union regarding privacy violation.

Supervisor Snider said that she received complaint from another worker about too much talk. She decided to use the baby monitor as her way of finding out if the claim was true. She secretly placed the gadget in the secretaries’ work area without their knowledge. On Monday morning of the following week, a worker discovered the hidden device.

Not long after the discovery, employees heard of the incident and top University of Iowa officials wasted no time to call a meeting. They felt sorry at the supervisor’s “attempted use of a hidden baby monitor to determine whether secretaries were talking too much”. However, they stated that “the device did not pick up any conversations to violate medical privacy laws”.

During the meeting, University officials announced that internal investigations are going on. Previously, they assured employees that no conversations were transmitted before the gadget was discovered. They added that the device was right away removed when it was found at the Department of Urology clinic. Furthermore, no time was wasted by officials so that corrective steps could be done.

A statement was promptly issued by UI Vice President for Medical Affairs Jean Robillard and Associate Vice President for Health Care Human Resources Jana Wessels. They wrote about how they felt sorry for the “unfortunate situation”. They acknowledged that the action by the supervisor was contrary to their organization’s values. Neither was it part of what they uphold as good supervisory practice. The almost 10,000 employees received a copy of Robillard and Wessel’s written statements. To reach out to a wider audience, the statements were also later released to The Associated Press.

Union president John Stellmach of AFSCME 12 acted as the workers’ representative and spokesperson. He said that statements issued by the management were in disagreement with reports from the employees. He firmly believed that conversations were intercepted. He also claimed that the device was not removed instantly after it was found. With the pictures as proof, it can be surmised that officials are trying to sweep the issue under the rug.

The union claimed that Snider at one time told employees that the device was not yet completely installed. Before setting up the receiver, she wanted to find out first where the chatting problem is coming from. Secretaries are firm not to withdraw their complaint. UI Vice President for Strategic Communication Tysen Kendig said that inquiry is continuing. However, he said that there is no proof yet of any infringement of the medical privacy law known as HIPAA. The union stands firm in their complaint since “any conversations overheard could have included confidential patient information”.

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Facebook Should Drop Its Plan

2011-03-17T08:43:00.003-04:00

With Facebook’s pronouncement of their plan last January, users are worried and threatened as to their online safety. The company has just made open that it plans to permit third-party developers to gain access to users’ information. It was made clear that Facebook would only limit their permission to home addresses and phone numbers of users. At first it would show that there is nothing to be bothered about “letting loose” of such information. Others would not even lift a finger over the issue.

Many groups and some individuals have raised fears, asking Facebook to discontinue its plan. Some even wrote private letters to CEO Mark Zuckerberg advising him to shelve it. The subject seems to be so critical that it has started a huge movement rejecting the plan. Even those users who know less about identity theft have also expressed their alarm. Behavioral tracking is becoming more and more widespread. Many data marketing companies have accumulated much money out of data that they have secretly gathered. However, with Facebook’s arrangement of “freely” giving out user data, these companies do not have to “hide” their covert activities. On the other side, users will be open and defenseless targets of people who could harm them.

It may be good information to recognize what could be done with a user’s phone number and home address. Anybody with ample knowledge on data mining techniques would know that these two hold more than that information. These would open to other user information such as date of birth, e-mail address, or even estimated income. An identity theft could mine practically all other data he would need for his or her hidden agenda. The thief could apply for a loan or credit card in the name of the unsuspicious Facebook user.

New technologies have enabled families and friends all over the world to be in contact. One after the other, growth of these technologies has also made it easier to share data and information. Alongside with these, people have become not careful in uploading their personal data without thinking of the consequences. Then technology that allowed third parties to secretly “steal” data over the internet became fully developed. This gave rise to a dilemma that users have to fight against, or just to live with – the problem of privacy.

So much personal information has been made available into the hands of big companies and third parties. Facebook holds tens of millions of this data. Pushing through with its plan would not only put in danger their direct clients. It would include their customers’ friends and families whose data are also “attached”. To prevent such disaster and to protect its users, Facebook should undo its plan.

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Full-Body Scan Or Pat-Down?

2011-03-15T08:37:00.003-04:00

Some airports in the U.S. are now using Automated Imaging Technology or AIT. Also called full-body scanner, it is here where passengers have to go through before boarding. In addition to the usual pat-down, the use of this device spares passengers from “body contact” with the airport security officer. Some argue that AIT is “better” compared with the pat-down, but privacy advocate groups think otherwise.

An advocacy group approached the Washington Court of Appeals judges. They object to how the technology invades the privacy of passengers. They called the use of full-body scanners as “unreasonable search” and in violation of a passenger’s civil rights. These machines are now being used as first line of defense at some airport security checkpoints.

A passenger’s naked image is shown as he or she passes through the machine. This is the main point of objection of the group. They imply that while passengers are spared from body contact, they are subjected to a more invasive technology. The EPIC considers the policy “in violation of the Fourth Amendment to the Constitution”. Aside from the foregoing, it also violates “laws protecting privacy and religious freedom”.

The government in defense of the use of this new technology responded that systems are in place to protect the privacy of passengers. It explained that passengers’ identity is never shown to the “viewers” who are generally agents at airports. Government says this makes the search reasonable and “minimally invasive”. However, the truth to this contention is yet to be ascertained.

EPIC has also advised the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to postpone the use of such technology. According to TSA, almost 98 percent of passengers go through full-body scanning without any problem. Only about 2 percent of passengers would choose pat-down instead. Atty. Marc Rotenberg of EPIC said it is likely that passengers do not know that they still have the pat-down as their option.

Even the judges themselves also expressed apprehension on the way TSA has been given the power to use the technology. One is the effect of the body scanner on individual passengers. It is possible that it is too late to discover its damaging effects on passengers. There should have been public consultation for inputs before it went into primary use. Its use should only be selective especially when the level of security threat is too low to warrant.

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How Private Should Privacy Be?

2011-03-11T08:09:00.003-05:00

There is an odd connection between missing children cases and tax returns. This was found by Washington Federal treasury officials. Out of the more than 1,700 cases they examined, more than 1/3 of the children had been declared on tax returns. They were declared by relatives that are suspects for their abduction. Many domestic cases of child abduction remain unsolved and children are yet to be found.

The partners Sen. Amy Klobuchar and missing children’s advocate Patty Wetterling knock at law enforcement groups. They said tax returns of suspected abductors hold data that might lead to the solution of the cases. They suggest that, law enforcement agencies should be permitted to gain access at the tax return data of these “suspects”. Granting this flexibility might help in locating missing children across the country.

Klobuchar argued that the state should give a leeway on the privacy of those tax return records. They contain data that could potentially lead to the solution of these cases. These should be made available. Klobuchar is a former Hennepin County attorney who describes that there is no sense in overprotecting tax information data. The state would protect privacy as it should also exhaust all possible means in trying to find out where the kids are.

Divulging tax information to law enforcers would create more problems. Of the many privacy laws, those that revolve around taxes are one of the strongest in the US. Breaking the privacy of tax information data would also invite other compelling interests. Those of health care information and other government services are good examples.

Wetterling has lost a son an 11-year old son named Jacob. He was abducted neat their St. Joseph home in 1989. He is still one of the missing children. The missing child supporter said that they don’t “care about jurisdictional boundaries”. As parents they are only interested in getting their child back. In support to Klobuchar’s bill, Wetterling said this in a statement during the congressional panel hearing.

The senator noted that IRS allows disclosure of tax information data in some situations such as overdue student loans. This is part of a list of exceptions in the tax involving privacy. She further added that missing children shouldn’t be excluded from the list. It is clear that there should be a balance between protecting privacy rights and finding missing children. This is the real case.

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Beware Of Being Unaware

2011-03-10T08:13:00.002-05:00

Yasir Afifi was dismayed when he discovered that he has been under surveillance for quite a long time. Believing that he did not do anything wrong, he filed a lawsuit against some FBI agents. Afifi found a GPS device on his car when he brought the vehicle to a mechanic. The 20-year old American-born student of Egyptian descent was surprised why he was put under spying eyes.

The mechanic was about to change oil when he found the device. Using magnets, it was securely placed between the right rear wheel and exhaust. Both of them could not identify what it was so they posted its image online. Instead of receiving responses or comments identifying the device, another sad thing happened. While he was driving two days later, agents who were wearing bullet-proof vests pulled him over. They demanded that he return the device.

Afifi was assisted by the Council on American-Islamic Relations in filing the lawsuit. He claimed that there was violation of his civil rights because the FBI agents did it without warrant. His lawyers surmised that his Middle East roots and frequent travels there might have triggered such action. He has two brothers in Egypt whom he supports. His father was a well-known Islamic-American community leader who died last year.

An FBI spokesperson decided to keep the details of the lawsuit and how the agency kept watch of Afifi. According to him, the FBI works under well-established Department of Justice and FBI guidelines. It should implement the most appropriate investigative steps or techniques as provided by law. It goes without saying that guidelines have been set to protect civil and constitutional rights.

Afifi is pursuing a course in business marketing at Mission College while at the same time working as computer salesman. He announced at a news conference that agents did not give clear answers as to the reason why he was watched. He did not deny that he makes frequent phone calls overseas. This could be the reason for such FBI action, but he insisted he did not break the law.

Privacy violation issues center on how the monitoring was conducted. Washington appeals court ruled out that the gathering of GPS data from individuals is considered a “search” hence it requires a warrant. The Obama administration in defense to FBI’s action said the court’s decision was “vague and unworkable”. Further it argued that government could no longer use GPS as a valuable tool in surveillance if the court would not reverse its ruling.

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The "Privacy Policy" Race

2011-03-04T09:17:00.004-05:00

You might have tried to read the “Privacy Policy” of a popular networking site like Facebook. In case that you were able to read the small fonts and the thousands of words, were you able to comprehend? Here’s the hard truth: Privacy policies are never easy to understand. Facebook admitted this truth and now has a “better” way of disclosing its privacy policy to its customers. This is done with the hope of making its privacy policy easier to understand.

For several years, Facebook and Google have been rivals in presenting “better” versions of privacy policies. Up to now, no winner has been declared. Particularly, these two companies want to make privacy policies easier to use. This means “easy to understand, more visual and interactive, and more relevant to users’ concerns”.

What does Facebook actually mean by “presenting something different”? Facebook has opened the result for user’s comments. Instead of the term “Privacy Policy” it used “Data Use Policy”. This shift might have been the result of the protests by privacy advocates. They said that the term “Privacy Policy” is ambiguous because this generally illustrates how and when data is shared.

The new design places Facebook at a higher level in terms of visual appeal. Instead of a litany of texts, the “Data Use Policy” is presented into several pages. This improves the page’s readability compared with the older version. However, with the sections and subsections in the page, navigation is sacrificed. A reader has to come across linked pages that make spontaneous reading difficult.

This difficulty will not be addressed by just deleting some words per page. Comprehension is another key aspect to think about. Facebook admits that in essence the “Data Use Policy” is still the “Privacy Policy”. There is not really new about individual privacy policy contents. Critics assert that privacy in Facebook should not be less than unidentified use.

Google at present allows three modes of use: unidentified, pseudonymous, and identified. Facebook allows only one - identified. It requires the user to provide correct personal information. A user could become unidentified, which is also doubtful, if he or she would turn off all Platform applications. However, this would limit his or her usage without the games, applications or Websites.

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"For Better Online Privacy"... Again?

2011-03-01T03:35:00.003-05:00

Amidst the thorny issue on online privacy, technology giants Microsoft and Facebook continue to call for stronger consumer protection. They are up to improve their support and also to clarify their stand on the never ending debate concerning this issue. This time, they have introduced new approaches to boost web privacy.

Microsoft has just endorsed the concept of its do-not-track tool to its Web browsing software. Basically, this would allow users to get around those unwanted online behavior monitoring and tracking. Using this tool, the user can stay away from those targeted advertisements. This tool would be integrated in its Internet Explorer browser, as shown in the technical paper that was presented.

Facebook also presented its draft of a new privacy policy. Having been watched for quite a time, this revelation unveiled its strategy on handling information and advertisements. These are contained under headings such as “your information and how it is used” and “how advertising works”.

Online tracking technologies are becoming more and more intrusive. At the same time, tech companies continue to grapple with online privacy concerns. There are continuing attempts at simplifying privacy policies. Also, there are numerous proposals to improve online privacy submitted to the Federal Trade Commission. The disparity seems to put the tech in a situation which demands them to choose between consumers and advertisers.

Microsoft has prepared an online anti-tracking tool which would be included in the upcoming Internet Explorer 9. This do-not-track feature was revealed by a Microsoft spokeswoman. She further said that the company hopes to gain broad industry support for this new privacy tool. This is part of a suite of privacy tools developed by Microsoft. This would allow users to create their own lists of companies that they would not block from tracking them.

Following Microsoft’s move is Facebook Incorporated. According to its privacy and product counsel Edward Palmieri, the company has a new draft of start-up privacy policy. He said Facebook would always be true to its promise to its consumers. This would not exclude consumers from experiencing Facebook the way it is designed, even up to its privacy policies.

Facebook’s customers can expect for a better privacy policy which addresses both users’ and regulators’ concerns about privacy. The company is trying to consolidate its privacy settings into a control panel. This will make it easier for users to adjust the settings according to how their information would be shared.

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The Cloud of Doubt Behind Google

2011-02-24T09:28:00.003-05:00

One of Google’s newest technologies has just been introduced. It is called the 2-factor authentication process. During log in, the user is asked to provide his or her cell or landline number. This number is used as a “key” so that the user can proceed. A one-time authentication code is sent using the number. There are, however, doubts as to the real purpose of requiring the number. This has not yet been answered by the company.

A user who tries to log in is presented with an authentication requirement. The authentication “key” is sent through the number that the user would provide. Unless a number is given, there is no other way for the user to proceed further and log in. It is because of this that doubts about Google’s real purpose have surfaced.

Some users would mindlessly give out their phone numbers. They do not realize the value of this private information. Google’s 2-factor authentication that requires phone numbers is not an exception. Phone numbers, whether cellular of landline, are the user’s private “property. Google’s 2-factor verification is not an exemption. Collecting such vital data from users just for authentication is not good enough explanation. The collection of numbers provided by millions of users hold lots of information which could be abused. What about the storage life of these numbers? Would these be deleted right after verification? Would it not be stored for potential use in the future?

The 2-factor authentication process was launched because according to Google, one’s accounts have been observed for “abnormal activity”. The user can no longer go on to the next step once this page is presented. There is no other option but to provide the number asked for, otherwise the account can no longer be accessed. This is not in reality a choice because one cannot avoid the process. Google might just really want to “grab” the user’s number.

The present status of data protection laws cannot oblige any firm to delete consumer’s data in their list. Only incorrect data could be deleted; all others could stay on endlessly in the web. It goes on to say that Google’s purpose of “protecting” its customers is actually vague and suspicious. There must be an assurance that those uploaded numbers are deleted right away after the authentication procedure. Unless privacy is guaranteed, the 2-factor tool would only be seen as Google’s easy way of “capturing” phone numbers for unknown purposes.

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Search Me... If You Can

2011-02-24T08:28:00.003-05:00

The informed consent law has been into the news just recently. The way it is being implemented now has pushed some groups to suggest for better ways. The Colorado Progressive Coalition for example expressed its call for improved performance. One proposal it has laid down was to educate both law enforcers and civilians on the new law. Informing the police alone and not the civilians would not guarantee the full force of the law.

According to the law, a search can only be conducted after the consent of the subject. If he or she refuses, then no search could be done. To avoid from committing privacy violation, the law enforcer should complete the required process. He or she should first clearly explain to the subject his or her rights under the law. Once the subject refuses, the officer could not go on with the intended search.

The bill known as HB 1201 was passed last year. Under the 4th Amendment, this law was passed to protect individuals against unreasonable searches. Search under this law is considered unreasonable if there is no informed consent. The many incidents of police brutality prompted lawmakers to protect both law enforcers and civilians. It is hoped that this would instill in both the police’s and citizens’ respect of the law.

The law has two vital aspects of implementation that have to be improved. This surfaced in the roundtable event hosted by the Colorado Progressive Coalition. One aspect is the development and implementation of training programs for law enforcers. The other is raising the level of public or civilian awareness and their constitutional rights. Having been well-informed, it is expected to close the gap between the police and the people. The result would be lesser privacy violation by law enforcers. There would also be less cases of assault against persons in authority.

There are a number of ways of training programs available for police officers. The one being used at present is through training bulletins sent via emails to police officers. However, the group suggests of a better way that would really inculcate “a culture that respects the law”. These other media that would facilitate deeper understanding and positive reception of the law should be included. One that would ensure appropriate implementation of the law is video webcast training.

As a complement to police awareness, public knowledge is also important. Know-your-rights classes are already available through ACLU. Its function is to teach those who are willing to learn the new Colorado law as well as their rights as civilians. Citizens who are interested in promoting the informed consent law would be given know-your-rights cards.

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The Aftermath of 9/11, Today...

2011-02-18T06:46:00.003-05:00

Until now, the terror and panic caused by the 9/11 attacks still haunt the authorities. Since the devastating experience, policies and laws have been passed in order to counter terrorist activities. Government seemed to have pushed these policies so hard that it has put individual privacy aside. By and large, ordinary people are subjected to undue surveillance. They end up either as suspects of terrorism or victims of privacy violation. The laws that were passed to protect them are the same laws that curtail their freedom.

A closer look at some of these policies would reveal how individual privacy is invaded. A number of peaceful political organizations in the U.S. are being monitored. Their activities are tracked because they are considered as “terrorist groups”. These are people who only wanted political reforms, but end up in the list of terrorists. The only reason for doing such extreme action is because the groups gather together. Simply put, there is no longer such kind of freedom that they used to call self-expression.

Pity also those who advocate care for the environment and those union activists who end up in terrorism-related databases. In California, pro-environment groups are being watched for the same reason. Unionism used to be encouraged because it helps people to wield a stronger force that would push for reforms. It is different now because they too are branded as terrorists. Ordinary civilians who may not even have a hint about terrorism are being place under surveillance.

At present, there are law enforcers who secretly monitor and photograph people at public meetings. There is no reasonable basis for such actions, but are being done in order to prevent any untoward plans. From now on, anybody can be monitored and photographed anytime, anywhere! This is clearly invasion of privacy.

Authorities are overreacting to the situation. There is so much apprehension that only one side of the situation is given attention. Many questions have been raised regarding surveillance of ordinary citizens. The manner it is being done is becoming more intense. This would eventually strip off from people their privacy. Further, people who would lose faith in the authorities might finally choose terrorism as a better option because of prejudice against them.

A revisit of the set privacy laws and policies would greatly improve the situation. What should be done in order to strike a balance between national security and privacy? What should be done so that citizens would feel more secure and happier? What should be done so the government can guard its constituents from terrorism?

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On Protecting Personal Information

2011-02-16T08:41:00.005-05:00

A statement about the theft of some valuable hospital data was issued by the Health and Hospital Corporation (HHC) last February 11, 2011. Nearly 1.7 million electronic files were stolen on December 23, 2010. These are owned by patients, hospital staff, employees of vendors, contractors and others. This large bulk of data were filed at Jacobi Medical Center and North Central Bronx Hospital starting the year 1991 to present. In order to pre-empt future problems with those who might be affected, efforts to notify them are under way.

According to sources, these data might still remain hidden somewhere. These cannot just be used readily because of their nature. These data would need specialized technical expertise and data mining tools to be accessed. However, HHC wants to move a step ahead. It has started with its advocacy on protecting individuals. One is by offering free credit monitoring and fraud resolution for one year. For accessible assistance of information, it has also opened a toll-free phone information hotline.

HHC President Alan D. Aviles said that the theft was the result of negligence. It was GRM Information Management Service that was contracted to take care of the data. It specializes in the secure transport and storage of sensitive data. The incident is now the responsibility of the said company. According to some details, the van that was used to transport the data was left unattended and unlocked. The driver was allegedly said to be on his way to pick up other data from another customer. HHC also initiated measures to provide assistance and services to the affected individuals.

Two of the most valuable data that were stolen were protected health information (PHI) and personal information. These data belong to hospital staff, vendors, and contractors. These could include names, addresses, Social Security numbers, patients’ medical histories and occupational/employee health information.

HHC wrote notification letters in 17 languages. These letters are to be sent to those groups that were affected. The letter also explained how the recipient can avail of protective services that HHC offers. With the objective of reaching those affected as soon as possible, the letters are to be sent within two weeks. Federal regulation has a set of guidelines that each party involved in the “error” should comply with. One of which is the number of days allowed so that action could be taken on a particular case.

HHC has terminated the contract with GRM to prevent another similar incident to occur. It has held the company liable to answer the cost of notifying the individuals. In the lawsuit filed against GRM, HHC also held it responsible for other damages related to the loss of data. The data are still “at large”, and there is no sign yet that it will soon be recovered.

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Address It Right

2011-02-11T02:39:00.003-05:00

Did you wish that you did not publish your home address online? Or was there an instance when out of nothing you have given out your home address? This happens especially with Facebook or Twitter users. Now it is time to clean up your profile information and trim it down only to the most essentials. This might be a rule to follow: keep private data to yourself only, or at least be careful with data sharing next time.

Users cannot be blamed when they share their home address that easily. With friends, what is there in a home address that would cause trouble? Well, maybe not with friends. But if the whole of the internet community could access this information, maybe you are up to some trouble. It is privacy that comes into the picture, and what comes next is unexpected.

Facebook was discovered that it shows its users’ home address to developers. In a post written by Jeff Bowen, he outlined how Facebook would make these data available in the development platform. In addition, users’ mobile phone numbers are available too.

Rogue app developers can make use of these data for their own purpose. With just a little amount of manipulation, rogue app developers can use these data to spread their malicious business. Two of the most common of these are spam and cold-calling. So you see how simple it is, but the results could be annoying.

There is a need to be more extra careful. When being required to supply your home address, do not just give in. Find out some more. Is it legitimate? Is it valid? Only then should you decide if you are going to share your vital information.

Cluley proposes one solution to this problem. There should be stricter policies on Facebook’s access terms. The following could be done. Before giving access to data, the identity of the user should be established. If they are valid, then that is the only time when they can access those. Another modification would be to require developers to ask users’ approval before using their data.

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The Remaking Of The PATRIOT Act

2011-02-10T07:19:00.003-05:00

Several groups of critics have staged campaign against the extension of the PATRIOT Act. Scheduled in February this year, the voting would be the deciding factor whether the bill would continue to exist. Two-thirds of the House members should vote YES so that the H.R. 514 could run for another period. This move is seen as fast tracking the process in order to gain positive results.

Critics are questioning the manner in which the bill is being pushed. It appears that there is no significant difference between the old and new bills. Before the law should merit extension, there should be changes that would strengthen the provisions. As is, there are no oversight and accountability measures that are incorporated in the bill.

Debates were done and proposals were presented last year. Among the areas that were debated on were on checks and balances. It is said that the new proposed version is full of these provisions. However, the debates went on for so long that it did not meet the deadline. The first extension was approved in February last year. There is another proposal to extend it until February of this year. There was a promise to resolve the issues before granting another extension.

The apprehension with the impending extension is that no debates are possible. Given until December 8, 2011 to extend, there is no genuine reform that could be expected. The expected amendments would not be carried out because no one is given the opportunity to present changes. The result would be the same PATRIOT as it was a year ago.

It can be presumed that there is something about the bill that raised such reaction. For one, the law allows the government to place anybody under surveillance. Secret court orders can be given under Section 215. With this, access to private data could be granted. These include internet, phone and business records.

Under this law, foreign intelligence wiretaps could be allowed. Anybody, even those without connection to any foreign power or terrorist group, could be tapped. Whenever government “feels” there is a need to do so, any phone number, email account or other communications facility can be accessed.

Those were the provisions that critics say should not be included in the renewal. In order for it to be meaningful, genuine reforms should be done. Weak points should be eliminated, and more checks and balances should be included. This could be done if debates are allowed. This is the only way to ensure that civil liberties are protected.

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Dogs: Sniffing Away Privacy In Schools?

2011-02-04T06:46:00.005-05:00

Drug-sniffing dogs to conduct random drug sweep in schools? Yes! However, not all parents are happy with this practice. Consequently, a couple brought their complaint to court. When the lower ruled out that it was legal, they elevated the case to the Supreme Court.

On the grounds that such practice is infringing on parents’ rights, Harold and Marianne Burbank filed a lawsuit against a high school. It stemmed from the incidence when their daughter was “illegally searched”. They said schools should uphold parents’ rights to guide their children’s upbringing. But even the high court did not favor them. It said the lower court’s ruling should stand – that the practice is legal. This unanimous decision for the 2009 case would be published in the Connecticut Law Journal this January.

Some details of the ruling indicated the right of schools to protect its students. The duty to eliminate drugs in the campus is one of those. It also added that privacy in schools should not be equated with privacy elsewhere. Furthermore, the drug-sniffing sweep as conducted was not a search as contained in the law.

Giving less weight to the Burbanks’ case was the fact that their daughter already graduated. This means she is no longer in the said school. The court used this fact to say that the couple can no longer challenge the school policies. They could only do so if they are still affected, but this time they are not. The Burbanks asked the court to either disallow the random sweep or inform parents before conducting it.

The parents also questioned the manner the random sweep was conducted. According to them, the practice had some violation of students’ rights. Lockers and cars of students were checked using drug-sniffing dogs. Some students were pulled from their rooms to watch officers as they conducted the activity. While this was being done, students were kept in classrooms. The whole school was locked down. This, according to the parents, was illegal restraint.

It seems that there is a need to revisit the policies on school drug testing policies. With such allegations as to privacy rights violation, should the courts think again? However, schools are places of developing character. School authorities have the responsibility of maintaining a drug-free environment. Above all else, this should be supported by all stakeholders.

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Lights... Camera... Privacy!

2011-02-03T07:03:00.005-05:00

Have you ever lived a day with a spy camera to capture your every move? Yes! Surveillance cameras are soon to be installed in your neighborhood. Does it sound intimidating? Of course this is for good reason. With criminals trying to get every chance at their victims, something unique has to be done.

Mayor Gabriel J. Campana of Williamsport City, Pennsylvania is up against the previously approved resolution by City Council specifying the surveillance areas. He said he will do what he can so that the city can be more aggressive against crime. City officials are busy working for a wider area of coverage other than parks and other public utilities. With the resolution, the cameras shall be installed in places such as Memorial, Elm, Brandon, Youngs Woods, Newberry and Shaw Place. These areas were identified by police. Other areas are expected to be included if agreements could be reached.

The Mayor hopes that cameras would also be installed in those places that are considered high crime areas. The budget could be used well if these facilities are spread over a larger area. Diverging opinions were aired for and against the idea. Some contend that by increasing the area of coverage, effectiveness is diminished. This is because the same number of cameras will be distributed over a wide area. Concentrating over a smaller area would mean thicker coverage.

Campana assured his constituents that he would continue to work for additional budget for the cameras. At present, the federal budget comes from a U.S. Department of Budget grant amounting to $450,000. This is part of the Department’s COPS Technology program. The project is now ready for bidding. Once the lowest responsible bidder that meet the technology specifications would qualify, it would start rolling.

Police Chief Gregory Foresman said the installation of these cameras would be the same as police visibility. Maybe the only difference would be these machines could capture moments on film. A bonus would be these machines could “see” 360 degrees at once. According to specifications, these cameras should have the capability to pan, zoom, and tilt.

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Privacy Laws In The Digital Age

2011-01-28T03:32:00.004-05:00

Privacy issues are becoming more of a public interest these days. There are heated debates over the issue like it was never before. For more than twenty years, privacy laws have protected citizens. But times have changed, they need to be revised. Recent developments in information technology have enabled people to be more at home with it. Consequently, some companies have discovered how they can make profit out of user information.

The development of user-friendly online environment has attracted users to share information more easily. However, this information can also be used by those who know how to make money out of it. Tracking online behavior has enabled some companies to gain profit, but for the detriment of owners of data.

It ought to be that privacy laws grow as fast as internet technology develops. But this did not happen because privacy laws became stagnant. In today’s sophisticated online technology, these laws would prove to be outdated. Even when companies would want to uphold privacy, they could not do so. This is because there are many provisions that are no longer applicable. Hence, access to these data can be done by someone even without permission from the owner.

Facebook and Twitter are networking sites that rely so much on data sharing. The volume of user information that they hold is their responsibility. As part of privacy agreement, they cannot just divulge any user’s data. But the existing laws could not guarantee this protection. In fact, the government can look into these data very easily. It is here where the need to uphold national security becomes in conflict with protecting individual privacy.

The call to revise privacy laws was done not by one company alone. Even competing companies have joined forces to push for urgent reforms. Government spokespersons have also taken their stand to start such reforms immediately. The year 2011 has started, and so must this change be implemented. It is expected that this would mark the rebirth of privacy laws. This time, these laws are already updated and relevant. Full coverage of individual privacy is expected, while secured sharing of information is also guaranteed.

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Privacy Laws Are Obsolete? What Then?

2011-01-28T02:42:00.004-05:00

In the Internet world, the year 2011 begins with a big bang! There is a heated debate over the Electronics Communications Privacy Act (ECPA) of 1986 and its provisions. Apparently, there is a need to balance the focus of law implementation on national security and individual privacy. Much has been said by several groups about it, being old and outdated. Critics propose a more updated version of privacy laws which would guarantee individual privacy. Twitter, together with other companies that collect personal data called for an immediate reform the law. This move was done to give emphasis on the company’s concern for enhanced privacy protection.

Twitter has expressed dismay over government’s action to insist on letting it submit its user data to authorities. This prompted the company to air its call for revision of privacy laws. It said the applicability of existing laws is very limited, giving rise to controversies and conflicts. It added further that the situation in 1986 is much different from what is here today.

On the US government side, some officials also gave the same stand on the issue. They said that reforms need to be made and implemented soon. Fine tuning of pertinent privacy protection legislations should be a priority. It had to be made sure that the revamp is complete and thorough. The details of the proposed changes have not been laid yet. But even so, there is no doubt that appropriate action has to be made immediately. As a whole, all actions should be focused at solving whatever problems are there in order to maintain privacy of individuals.

There is one argument that points to the inadequacy of the present privacy laws. With the present setup, it would be easier to access the email accounts from server database than to access similar files stacked in the cabinet. Concerned companies expect of stricter laws that would put forward the confidentiality of such data.

The issue seems so urgent that AT&T, Microsoft and Google have set aside competition to make way for the revision call. Normally, these giants would always find means to outdo one another, but not at this time. By this, the government should accept the challenge and do whatever it could for good.

The objective is to strike a balance between national security and individual privacy. The government cannot choose between the two. Both are its responsibilities, neither should be set aside. Giving too much weight on national security would deprive citizens their privacy rights. This leads us to the conclusion that unless privacy laws need to be repealed. This is the best way to meet both objectives for the best interest of all.

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Too Much Laws Or Too Little Privacy?

2011-01-21T09:12:00.006-05:00

One thing that many internet users neglect to give due attention to is personal information that they share online. For whatever reasons, it seems that information sharing has become very ordinary and spontaneous. People do not think of any harmful consequence that could come along with such data sharing. Too much personal information have been voluntarily uploaded that privacy laws have to be enhanced. This is because many companies are eyeing on these data to be used for their own profit.

Social networking is one venue where people could openly give out their personal information. Facebook for example has about 500 million users worldwide. This number of users have at least their basic personal information open to practically anyone else online. All these data are in the possession of the networking company. These same data are what the government trying to protect in line with privacy laws.

As mentioned earlier, many internet users have become very careless in giving out information. With technology on the go, the government wants to put additional control over data selling. Many government officials place their support for the proposed enhancement of privacy rights protection.

On the other hand, Facebook also has taken the challenge to reposition its strategies in the US. It has recognized the stand of the government leaning towards a stricter implementation of privacy laws. Because of this, the company has taken a step ahead of the rest of its counterparts like Twitter, Zynga and LinkedIn.

Lobbying has become the most suitable strategy. Facebook has strategized to hire additional employees who are experts at public policies. Undoubtedly, it is up to looking for some compromise between the government’s initiative and the company’s objectives. To recall, government specifically wants to beef-up legislations to protect online users. These include among others users’ identities, personal info, and online habits. In addition, policies will also be enacted regarding the tracking, collection and sale of any of this shared information.

There is an apparent indication that the government would introduce “do not track” legislation. Senator Richard Blumenthal opts for policies that would require sites to obtain specific permission to track and sell data. The same stand is taken by Rep. Edward Markey, but focuses more on protecting online behavior and data collecting and profiling.

The brighter side of the issue is that both Facebook and government have the same outlook when comes to privacy protection. Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg agrees that people should be assured of their privacy. Likewise, people have to be convinced that they have full control over the data that they submit. These are the same objectives of the proposed legislation enhancements by the government.

More or less, there is a possibility that new regulatory actions would be implemented soon. This would be good news not only to Facebook but to other companies as well. It is because if ever, these new policies would benefit both the users and companies. On one hand, users could continue to enjoy the benefits of technology. On the other, companies could make use of personal data but still upholding the privacy of millions of their users.

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