The Thin Border Between Privacy and Security
Digital rights and privacy advocates are urging a court of appeals to require law enforcement agents at the U.S. border to obtain warrants when they want to search someone’s digital device.
Digital rights and privacy advocates are urging a court of appeals to require law enforcement agents at the U.S. border to obtain warrants when they want to search someone’s digital device.
Anyone who owns a mobile phone likely understands at this point that their device’s location can be tracked in real time in any number of different ways. Carriers, advertisers, Google, Apple, and other companies all have a highly accurate picture of where a device is at any given time. That’s part of the devil’s bargain we’ve all made in order to have space phones in our pockets.
Congress kicked consumer privacy right in the teeth this week with the vote to allow broadband Internet providers to sell customers’ data without consent. The decision rolls back a key rule implemented just a few months ago by the FCC and sends a clear signal that in Washington, now more than ever, money talks.
The robots are coming for our jobs, little by little, and now our appliances are coming for our private data, too.
Data Privacy Day is here, bringing an annual reminder to take measures to protect our digital privacy. To promote user privacy we’ve rounded up 15 mobile apps that use encryption to secure users’ digital communications and activities – and at no cost to boot.
Advances in consumer technology have made digital surveillance easier than ever for governments and criminals alike. But fear not - as surveillance capabilities have expanded so have the range of encryption systems available to users.
There’s a silent battle going on for consumers’ browsing habits, shopping preferences, location data, and other sensitive information. Marketers and technology providers have teamed up to implement advanced tracking systems that can follow users from device to device and around the web, and the vast majority of people have no idea it’s happening.
The web was designed as an open platform, a way for people and machines to communicate with each other regardless of borders or other barriers. The network’s architects meant for it to remain that way, but over time it has gradually become more segmented, by nations as well as corporations, and that’s to the detriment of users everywhere.
Donating old technology is a great practice - rather than disposing of devices simply because you don't need them, donating lets those devices go to those who will still benefit from their use. However, it's important to securely wipe devices before donating to ensure that your personal data stays private.
A case against Raleigh-based WakeMed is just the latest showing healthcare firms violating patient privacy as they pursue unpaid bills.