For many times, criticisms were hurled at government’s alleged inaction to protect internet privacy. This time, Facebook cites privacy law so as not to disclose a subscriber’s posts, thus protecting his privacy.
The name Killa Mobb is unheard of, but attained instant popularity just very recently. Way back in Halloween of 2008, Mobb together with co-members of a street gang, attacked a San Francisco man This happened at a gas station near Arden Fair mall. Mobb and six other gang members were convicted on June 25 of last year.
A new-trial motion was filed by Mobb’s lawyer Mike Wise. The defendants this time were Mobb and four other members. It was during this time that Facebook got involved.
Juror Arturo Ramirez has a Facebook account. It is here where he posted his thoughts about the just concluded Mobb trial. The giant social networking company refused to turn over the postings to the defense lawyers’ team that included Wise. Purposely, Wise and company were trying to find out if Ramirez was fair in his decision.
Despite two subpoenas issued by Wise, Facebook lawyers did not lift a finger to produce Ramirez’s postings. Wise even went to the extent of attaching to each subpoena orders signed by Judge Michael P. Kenney of the Sacramento Superior Court.
Due to inaction, Kenney ordered the company to show cause in order not to be charged for contempt of court. In response, Facebook lawyers acted with a motion to quash. However, it still asserted that it cannot turn over the postings to anybody. Under the Stored Communication Act, only a governmental entity with a search warrant or a court order could be given such documents.
On Ramirez’s side, he said his postings included nothing that would affect the merits of the case. Finally he expressed his willingness to turn over the said postings.
On one hand, this is an example of how privacy laws can protect the privacy of a person. In this case it is Juror Ramirez. On the other, Wise sees the law as interference to Mobb’s constitutional rights. He insisted that those postings might contain some evidence that would help his client’s case. Whether favorable to a person or otherwise, privacy laws are critical to his freedom.
Friday, January 7, 2011
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Warrantless Domestic Wiretapping Violates Privacy
Warrantless domestic wiretapping in the U.S. was publicly revealed in 2005. Needless to say, millions of Americans suspected that their private communications through phones and e-mails were illegally monitored. This resulted into filing of lawsuits against telecommunications companies by about forty groups and individuals.
In 2008, amendments to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance (FISA) Act of 1978 were passed. In principle, it attempted to give balance between two important considerations. These were privacy rights and the government’s effort to protect citizens against terrorism.
Still haunted by the 9/11 experience, government needed to strengthen its laws and foil any plans of another attack. There was pressure on the government to shield the whole country by all means and in any way possible.
Privacy issues got into the picture because of at least two effects of these amendments:
First, it granted immunity to telecommunications companies against lawsuits. According to critics, this would further aggravate abuses of power and illegal activities against privacy. Actually, even before the September 11 attack, they contended that such activities had been going on.
Second, it allowed government to conduct warrantless surveillance. Again, criticisms were directed to further violations of privacy.
For up to one week or 160 hours, any suspected individual could be put under surveillance. This was an increase from the former 48 hours only. The only provision required was that FISA should be notified at the time the surveillance begins.
On a much larger scale, it appeared that government was given more leeway to conduct mass untargeted surveillance. Anyone could be wiretapped just with the simple reason of not losing important intelligence. Imagine how the privacy of millions of Americans would be invaded. Overseas communications by Americans would not be adequately protected. Even without court approval, government could tap foreigner’s calls. It is clear that the likelihood of invading private conversations is possible.
As more and more laws and protocols are passed to thwart terrorism plans, privacy is even more compromised. Mere allegation of intent even without the presence of fact could put one under surveillance. Come to think of better ways of fighting terrorism without so much violation of privacy.
In 2008, amendments to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance (FISA) Act of 1978 were passed. In principle, it attempted to give balance between two important considerations. These were privacy rights and the government’s effort to protect citizens against terrorism.
Still haunted by the 9/11 experience, government needed to strengthen its laws and foil any plans of another attack. There was pressure on the government to shield the whole country by all means and in any way possible.
Privacy issues got into the picture because of at least two effects of these amendments:
First, it granted immunity to telecommunications companies against lawsuits. According to critics, this would further aggravate abuses of power and illegal activities against privacy. Actually, even before the September 11 attack, they contended that such activities had been going on.
Second, it allowed government to conduct warrantless surveillance. Again, criticisms were directed to further violations of privacy.
For up to one week or 160 hours, any suspected individual could be put under surveillance. This was an increase from the former 48 hours only. The only provision required was that FISA should be notified at the time the surveillance begins.
On a much larger scale, it appeared that government was given more leeway to conduct mass untargeted surveillance. Anyone could be wiretapped just with the simple reason of not losing important intelligence. Imagine how the privacy of millions of Americans would be invaded. Overseas communications by Americans would not be adequately protected. Even without court approval, government could tap foreigner’s calls. It is clear that the likelihood of invading private conversations is possible.
As more and more laws and protocols are passed to thwart terrorism plans, privacy is even more compromised. Mere allegation of intent even without the presence of fact could put one under surveillance. Come to think of better ways of fighting terrorism without so much violation of privacy.
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Monday, November 8, 2010
Protecting Your IP Address to Protect Your Privacy
If you want to protect your Internet privacy you want to be familiar with what an IP address is. It is a series of numbers assigned to you by your Internet Service Provider every time you connect online.
There are certain questions that come up when thinking about an IP address"
Q. Can I be traced because of my IP address?
A. Your IP address reveals merely the locality and name of your Internet service provider. Your ISP itself may own records of your laptop using their system at such and such a time, however an ISP will as a rule not disclose this information without a search warrant / court order.
Q. How long does an ISP store logs of customer IP addresses?
A. No one knows, but it might be somewhere from months to a few years. This is needed to check bandwidth usage.
There are certain questions that come up when thinking about an IP address"
Q. Can I be traced because of my IP address?
A. Your IP address reveals merely the locality and name of your Internet service provider. Your ISP itself may own records of your laptop using their system at such and such a time, however an ISP will as a rule not disclose this information without a search warrant / court order.
Q. How long does an ISP store logs of customer IP addresses?
A. No one knows, but it might be somewhere from months to a few years. This is needed to check bandwidth usage.
Friday, November 5, 2010
Surf Anonymous, the Safe Way to Browse the Internet
By: Martin Greif
Do you think your personal and sensitive information is safe on “secure” sites? Do you think anonymous proxies are only for people with something to hide? Think again. There are several reasons a normal, everyday person may need an anonymous proxy for perfectly legitimate reasons. Anonymous surfing is entirely possible and, at times, entirely necessary.
One reason to use an anonymous proxy is a simple desire for privacy. Search engines, such as Google, track every search query. Some people, even if doing nothing wrong, are uncomfortable with being perpetually watched by a third party they have never met. The major search engines not only track people's searches, but also store this information for up to eighteen months. It's easy to see how any person would be disturbed by this infringement to their privacy.
Another reason to use an anonymous proxy is to avoid targeted ads. Certain advertising companies track a person's movements throughout their internet sessions so they can use pop-ups to advertise on that person's computer screen. Other companies track the information and then sell it to the highest bidder so they can use similar methods of advertisement--or do whatever they want with the information. This can mean that anyone, criminal or honest, government or corporation, may be able to track you.
Some people use anonymous proxies because they have been unfairly banned from a website or chat room. Sometimes moderators or webmasters at a favorite site arbitrarily block someone for purely personal reasons. Although this is a violation of a person's fundamental right to move freely about the Internet, there is little one can do to get unblocked beyond appealing to the person responsible for the blocking. Using an anonymous proxy not only allows people to visit sites from which they have been blocked, it effectively keeps them from being blocked again.
Sometimes people use an anonymous proxy or anonymous surfing practices to find information about competitors or family members without being traced. Unfortunately surfers can be traced through their IP address by any website they visit. Using an anonymous proxy effectively thwarts this. Because anonymous proxies use different IP addresses, and none of them traceable to the user, people can browse while secure in the knowledge that they are completely anonymous.
People with websites also benefit from anonymous proxies because they can post positive comments about their websites in popular forums without being discovered as the website owner. This kind of word-of-mouth advertising is both the rarest and the most effective. If you aren't using this deceptive, but entirely legal, method to bring traffic to your website, you are at a distinct disadvantage because other websites out there are using this technique.
Anonymous proxies can be used for anonymous reporting in cases where people fear reprisal. Although most people believe the government is on their side, there are too many cases of corruption for this to be realistic. An anonymous proxy makes sure whistleblowers and reporters are entirely anonymous and thus, entirely safe. In other countries, anonymous servers help oppressed citizens notify the world of injustices in their community without fear or imprisonment and death.
Some people feel that using a proxy for internet surfing is unnecessary because the most current version of Internet Explorer has a privacy mode. Although this will keep people who have access to the computer from tracking these users, it will not keep the visited websites from tracking the user. Even in privacy mode, there is no privacy. The only way to achieve true privacy is to use an anonymous proxy.
Are you still convinced that surfing the web is safe and anonymous without an anonymous proxy? Even as you read this, there are people out there who can track you. If you are comfortable with that reality, you truly have no need for an anonymous proxy. If you think this violation of your basic right to privacy is disturbing, now is the time to take action. Sign up for an anonymous proxy and start anonymous surfing today!
About the Author
President and founder of Privacy Partners, LLC. Privacy Partners is a privately held company headquartered in Tampa, Florida. Founded in 2003, the company creates and markets privacy software for consumers. The company and its products have won numerous technology awards. Click here for more information about Internet Privacy or Anonymous Surfing
Do you think your personal and sensitive information is safe on “secure” sites? Do you think anonymous proxies are only for people with something to hide? Think again. There are several reasons a normal, everyday person may need an anonymous proxy for perfectly legitimate reasons. Anonymous surfing is entirely possible and, at times, entirely necessary.
One reason to use an anonymous proxy is a simple desire for privacy. Search engines, such as Google, track every search query. Some people, even if doing nothing wrong, are uncomfortable with being perpetually watched by a third party they have never met. The major search engines not only track people's searches, but also store this information for up to eighteen months. It's easy to see how any person would be disturbed by this infringement to their privacy.
Another reason to use an anonymous proxy is to avoid targeted ads. Certain advertising companies track a person's movements throughout their internet sessions so they can use pop-ups to advertise on that person's computer screen. Other companies track the information and then sell it to the highest bidder so they can use similar methods of advertisement--or do whatever they want with the information. This can mean that anyone, criminal or honest, government or corporation, may be able to track you.
Some people use anonymous proxies because they have been unfairly banned from a website or chat room. Sometimes moderators or webmasters at a favorite site arbitrarily block someone for purely personal reasons. Although this is a violation of a person's fundamental right to move freely about the Internet, there is little one can do to get unblocked beyond appealing to the person responsible for the blocking. Using an anonymous proxy not only allows people to visit sites from which they have been blocked, it effectively keeps them from being blocked again.
Sometimes people use an anonymous proxy or anonymous surfing practices to find information about competitors or family members without being traced. Unfortunately surfers can be traced through their IP address by any website they visit. Using an anonymous proxy effectively thwarts this. Because anonymous proxies use different IP addresses, and none of them traceable to the user, people can browse while secure in the knowledge that they are completely anonymous.
People with websites also benefit from anonymous proxies because they can post positive comments about their websites in popular forums without being discovered as the website owner. This kind of word-of-mouth advertising is both the rarest and the most effective. If you aren't using this deceptive, but entirely legal, method to bring traffic to your website, you are at a distinct disadvantage because other websites out there are using this technique.
Anonymous proxies can be used for anonymous reporting in cases where people fear reprisal. Although most people believe the government is on their side, there are too many cases of corruption for this to be realistic. An anonymous proxy makes sure whistleblowers and reporters are entirely anonymous and thus, entirely safe. In other countries, anonymous servers help oppressed citizens notify the world of injustices in their community without fear or imprisonment and death.
Some people feel that using a proxy for internet surfing is unnecessary because the most current version of Internet Explorer has a privacy mode. Although this will keep people who have access to the computer from tracking these users, it will not keep the visited websites from tracking the user. Even in privacy mode, there is no privacy. The only way to achieve true privacy is to use an anonymous proxy.
Are you still convinced that surfing the web is safe and anonymous without an anonymous proxy? Even as you read this, there are people out there who can track you. If you are comfortable with that reality, you truly have no need for an anonymous proxy. If you think this violation of your basic right to privacy is disturbing, now is the time to take action. Sign up for an anonymous proxy and start anonymous surfing today!
About the Author
President and founder of Privacy Partners, LLC. Privacy Partners is a privately held company headquartered in Tampa, Florida. Founded in 2003, the company creates and markets privacy software for consumers. The company and its products have won numerous technology awards. Click here for more information about Internet Privacy or Anonymous Surfing
(ArticlesBase SC #586538)
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/ - Surf Anonymous, the Safe Way to Browse the Internet
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Private Proxy Software Adds 10 New Servers with Static IP Addresses
Private Proxy Software Adds 10 New Servers with Static IP Addresses
This is our latest press release about Private Proxy. We added the static IP addresses for customers who need to have consistency when visiting the same sites repeatedly. This is especially useful for banking sites. When customers use randomly rotating IP addresses to access their bank information, it might appear as a hacking attempt.
Private Proxy still offers the randomly rotating IP addresses too. They are useful for surfing the web anonymously and leaving a random trail.
For more information about the new release, please read the press release.
This is our latest press release about Private Proxy. We added the static IP addresses for customers who need to have consistency when visiting the same sites repeatedly. This is especially useful for banking sites. When customers use randomly rotating IP addresses to access their bank information, it might appear as a hacking attempt.
Private Proxy still offers the randomly rotating IP addresses too. They are useful for surfing the web anonymously and leaving a random trail.
For more information about the new release, please read the press release.
Saturday, December 12, 2009
The US Military and Proxies
Right now, the servicemen and servicewomen of the US Military are overseas fighting for your freedom. They chose to serve in the military knowing full well that someday they might be put in harm's way. These dedicated men and women put country above their own safety. Now in far away countries, they defend us on the front lines. Over the years, these front lines have changed. Yes, the danger is still there, but so are options to relieve their boredom. Enter the Internet. Just like us, they have access to the world wide web.
So what would a soldier want to access on the Internet? Believe it or not, one of the things they do is watch TV online. They can catch their favorite programs or watch hockey. Most of the major networks put their some of their newest episodes online. For others, they can access media sites that aggregate content. Another outlet for media is the online newspapers like the New York Times. Or maybe they want to read their home town newspaper online. Today most, if not all papers, have an interactive version. So between TV, sports, and newspapers, they can catch up on the current US media and news.
There are also several social networking websites out there that they can use to keep in touch with friends and family
. Sure e-mail works to an extent, but if you have ever used any form of social networking, you know exactly how much simpler it is. You can type a message on your homepage, and suddenly all of your friends and family will be able to see it. Soldiers are very pressed for time, and sometimes there just isn't an opportunity to respond to every single person. This makes social networking extremely important. There is a problem however, a huge problem. Sometimes soldiers cannot get to the websites that they need. Why exactly? Well let's talk about it.
The purpose of companies streaming their television shows onto the internet is so that people will see them, and eventually decide to buy them on DVD. People outside the country however will not be able to buy these because they are simply unavailable. Companies decided that they were actually losing money because such people couldn't get a hold of their products! They didn't seem to consider all of the people IN the United States that were buying. After all, what could it hurt if a few foreigners watched an episode of The Office, or even Stargate Universe? Well you wouldn't think that it could hurt at all, but the production companies didn't quite see it that way. For this reason they started to block IP addresses outside of the United States. The same went for several social networking websites because they suffered from the same advertisement problem. This however did not stop the military personnel from viewing their favorite websites. They instead turned to proxies.
For those who don't know, a proxy is a server that one can connect to. This server will then connect you to the internet via it's own connection. What does this accomplish? It provides you with a new IP address which is based in the United States. You are not visiting websites via your own connection, but instead you are using the ISP that the proxy subscribes to. What you're dealing with there is surfing the internet using a computer across the ocean. The moral aspect is up to you, but if you get a proxy with decent encryption, the ISP you use overseas will never know the difference. This is also a great way to protect your privacy. By using a proxy you will be able to hide your identity while catching up on your favorite shows. The one thing you don't want to do in a war zone is broadcast who you are and what you are doing. With that in mind, start shopping for a good proxy today. Once you arrange a good one, you will be able to sit back, relax, and enjoy your favorite shows.
So what would a soldier want to access on the Internet? Believe it or not, one of the things they do is watch TV online. They can catch their favorite programs or watch hockey. Most of the major networks put their some of their newest episodes online. For others, they can access media sites that aggregate content. Another outlet for media is the online newspapers like the New York Times. Or maybe they want to read their home town newspaper online. Today most, if not all papers, have an interactive version. So between TV, sports, and newspapers, they can catch up on the current US media and news.
There are also several social networking websites out there that they can use to keep in touch with friends and family
. Sure e-mail works to an extent, but if you have ever used any form of social networking, you know exactly how much simpler it is. You can type a message on your homepage, and suddenly all of your friends and family will be able to see it. Soldiers are very pressed for time, and sometimes there just isn't an opportunity to respond to every single person. This makes social networking extremely important. There is a problem however, a huge problem. Sometimes soldiers cannot get to the websites that they need. Why exactly? Well let's talk about it.The purpose of companies streaming their television shows onto the internet is so that people will see them, and eventually decide to buy them on DVD. People outside the country however will not be able to buy these because they are simply unavailable. Companies decided that they were actually losing money because such people couldn't get a hold of their products! They didn't seem to consider all of the people IN the United States that were buying. After all, what could it hurt if a few foreigners watched an episode of The Office, or even Stargate Universe? Well you wouldn't think that it could hurt at all, but the production companies didn't quite see it that way. For this reason they started to block IP addresses outside of the United States. The same went for several social networking websites because they suffered from the same advertisement problem. This however did not stop the military personnel from viewing their favorite websites. They instead turned to proxies.
For those who don't know, a proxy is a server that one can connect to. This server will then connect you to the internet via it's own connection. What does this accomplish? It provides you with a new IP address which is based in the United States. You are not visiting websites via your own connection, but instead you are using the ISP that the proxy subscribes to. What you're dealing with there is surfing the internet using a computer across the ocean. The moral aspect is up to you, but if you get a proxy with decent encryption, the ISP you use overseas will never know the difference. This is also a great way to protect your privacy. By using a proxy you will be able to hide your identity while catching up on your favorite shows. The one thing you don't want to do in a war zone is broadcast who you are and what you are doing. With that in mind, start shopping for a good proxy today. Once you arrange a good one, you will be able to sit back, relax, and enjoy your favorite shows.
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