Stephen Vladeck, MotherBoard; The Supreme Court Phone Location Case Will Decide the Future of Privacy
"Later this year, the Supreme Court will decide if police can track a person’s cell phone location without a warrant. It's the most important privacy case in a generation.
For all of the attention paid to former FBI Director Jim Comey's highly anticipated testimony before the Senate intelligence committee last Thursday, the most important constitutional law development from last week took place across the street (and three days earlier), when the Supreme Court agreed to hear argument in Carpenter v. United States later this year—though exactly when, we're not sure.
Carpenter raises a specific question about whether Americans have an expectation of privacy in historical "cell-site location information" ("CSLI")."
Sunday, June 18, 2017
Facial recognition could speed up airport security, but at what risk to privacy?; CBS News, June 16, 2017
CBS News; Facial recognition could speed up airport security, but at what risk to privacy?
"Your face may soon be the only thing you need to board a flight. Some airlines are already testing facial recognition technology with the federal government.
The idea is to ditch boarding passes and increase the certainty of a passenger's identity...
"Your face may soon be the only thing you need to board a flight. Some airlines are already testing facial recognition technology with the federal government.
The idea is to ditch boarding passes and increase the certainty of a passenger's identity...
"Implementation of the use of biometrics need to be scrutinized very closely," said Jeramie Scott of the Electronic Privacy Information Center, who worries about the use of personal identifiers that cannot change.
"Increasingly, as we consolidate biometric data into big databases and we use it more and more, those databases will become targets, and the risk of data breach increases greatly," Scott explained. "
Russia Renewed Unused Trump Trademarks in 2016; New York Times, June 18, 2017
Mike McIntire, New York Times; Russia Renewed Unused Trump Trademarks in 2016
"Beyond the questions about Russian government approvals, the trademark renewals cast doubt on Mr. Trump’s oft-stated insistence that he has no business interests in Russia. Mr. Trump has made the claims in response to investigations of possible collusion between his associates and Russia during and after the election.
In January, he wrote on Twitter, “I HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH RUSSIA — NO DEALS, NO LOANS, NO NOTHING!” He told NBC News in May that he has “no investments in Russia, none whatsoever.” And on Thursday, he expressed frustration on Twitter over scrutiny of his “non-dealings” in Russia.
Although Mr. Trump has not managed to develop hotels in Russia despite attempts over the years, and has disclosed no active business ventures there, his intellectual property holdings are a valuable commercial interest. The extension of trademarks such as “Trump International Hotel and Tower” protects his brand in that country and preserves conditions for potential business deals.
"Beyond the questions about Russian government approvals, the trademark renewals cast doubt on Mr. Trump’s oft-stated insistence that he has no business interests in Russia. Mr. Trump has made the claims in response to investigations of possible collusion between his associates and Russia during and after the election.
In January, he wrote on Twitter, “I HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH RUSSIA — NO DEALS, NO LOANS, NO NOTHING!” He told NBC News in May that he has “no investments in Russia, none whatsoever.” And on Thursday, he expressed frustration on Twitter over scrutiny of his “non-dealings” in Russia.
Although Mr. Trump has not managed to develop hotels in Russia despite attempts over the years, and has disclosed no active business ventures there, his intellectual property holdings are a valuable commercial interest. The extension of trademarks such as “Trump International Hotel and Tower” protects his brand in that country and preserves conditions for potential business deals.
Saturday, June 17, 2017
Privacy Concerns Over DNA Tests That Help Discover Your Roots; NBC5.com, June 16, 2017
Wayne Carter, NBC5.com; Privacy Concerns Over DNA Tests That Help Discover Your Roots
"For [Larry] Guernsey his curiosity twisted to suspicion once he read the fine print. To proceed, he'd have to give ancestry a "perpetual, royalty-free worldwide transferable license" to use his DNA.
"That entire phrase: 'perpetual royalty-free worldwide transferable,' it sounds like they have left it open to do anything they want with it," Guernsey said.
He was concerned the "transferable license" could put his family's DNA in the hands of an insurance company that could later deny coverage.
"That's not a crazy worry," said Stanford University law professor Hank Greely.
Greely teaches and writes books about the intersection of bio-tech and the law."
"For [Larry] Guernsey his curiosity twisted to suspicion once he read the fine print. To proceed, he'd have to give ancestry a "perpetual, royalty-free worldwide transferable license" to use his DNA.
"That entire phrase: 'perpetual royalty-free worldwide transferable,' it sounds like they have left it open to do anything they want with it," Guernsey said.
He was concerned the "transferable license" could put his family's DNA in the hands of an insurance company that could later deny coverage.
"That's not a crazy worry," said Stanford University law professor Hank Greely.
Greely teaches and writes books about the intersection of bio-tech and the law."
Privacy vs. Security: Council debates merits of library video surveillance system; Planet Princeton, June 15, 2017
Andrew Goldstein, Planet Princeton; Privacy vs. Security: Council debates merits of library video surveillance system
"Crumiller asked whether library patrons have a reasonable expectation of privacy. Councilwoman Heather Howard said they do not when in public spaces, and that the security cameras have been useful when items are stolen at the library.
Butler wanted to know who has access to the surveillance recordings once they are made. She said the library is known as a place that seeks to protect personal freedom and it keeps private what people view online there. “They’ve been a staunch supporter of access to all sorts of materials people want to limit on public computers,” she said, adding that she wants more legal research done about the issue.
Councilman Lance Liverman said surveillance in the library has been standard for a long time, and has been for other public buildings. The money would go to upgrading the cameras already on site, not installing a new system, he said.
“The more I think about it the more I think the opposite (about privacy),” Liverman said. “My kids go to the library all the time. I’m worried about safety. We live in a different country today than years ago. With child abductions and whatever else may be out three I’d rather have the safety of knowing my daughter is there.”"
"Crumiller asked whether library patrons have a reasonable expectation of privacy. Councilwoman Heather Howard said they do not when in public spaces, and that the security cameras have been useful when items are stolen at the library.
Butler wanted to know who has access to the surveillance recordings once they are made. She said the library is known as a place that seeks to protect personal freedom and it keeps private what people view online there. “They’ve been a staunch supporter of access to all sorts of materials people want to limit on public computers,” she said, adding that she wants more legal research done about the issue.
Councilman Lance Liverman said surveillance in the library has been standard for a long time, and has been for other public buildings. The money would go to upgrading the cameras already on site, not installing a new system, he said.
“The more I think about it the more I think the opposite (about privacy),” Liverman said. “My kids go to the library all the time. I’m worried about safety. We live in a different country today than years ago. With child abductions and whatever else may be out three I’d rather have the safety of knowing my daughter is there.”"
'This is violence against Donald Trump': rightwingers interrupt Julius Caesar play; Guardian, June 17, 2017
Calla Wahlquist and Lois Beckett, Guardian; 'This is violence against Donald Trump': rightwingers interrupt Julius Caesar play
"A rightwing protester has been charged with trespassing after interrupting a New York production of Julius Caesar during the assassination scene and shouting: “This is violence against Donald Trump.”
"A rightwing protester has been charged with trespassing after interrupting a New York production of Julius Caesar during the assassination scene and shouting: “This is violence against Donald Trump.”
The protester, who later identified herself as Laura Loomer, interrupted the Shakespeare in the Park production on Friday night and shouted “this is political violence against the right” while audience members booed and told her to get off the stage.
The incident was filmed by Jack Posobiec, a rightwing provocateur best known for helping to spread the Pizzagate conspiracy theory. He stood up as Loomer was escorted off stage by security guards and yelled at the crowd: “You are all Goebbels. You are all Nazis like Joseph Goebbels … You are inciting terrorists. The blood of Steve Scalise is on your hands.”...
In a statement issued after the play, director Oskar Eustis said: “Free speech for all, but let’s not stop the show.”
“The staff removed the protesters peacefully and the show resumed with the line ‘Liberty! Freedom!’,” he told the New York Times. “The audience rose to their feet to thank the actors, and we joyfully continued. Free speech for all, but let’s not stop the show.”"
Trigger Warnings and Intellectual Freedom; The Office for Intellectual Freedom of the American Library Association, Intellectual Freedom Blog, June 13, 2017
Patricia Peters, The Office for Intellectual Freedom of the American Library Association, Intellectual Freedom Blog;
Trigger Warnings and Intellectual Freedom
"Trigger warnings, initially designed to give advance notice of content potentially detrimental to those who have suffered trauma, have made their way into everyday situations and become code for “stuff that may be offensive or upsetting.” The controversy that continues to surround the use of trigger warnings in educational settings, whether K-12 or university, seems to boil down to whether one uses a narrow definition of the term or a broad definition."
Michelle Carter Didn’t Kill With a Text; New York Times, June 16, 2017
Robby Soave, New York Times; Michelle Carter Didn’t Kill With a Text
"Can malicious speech constitute violence? No. But Friday’s shocking court decision — which found Michelle Carter guilty of sending lethal text messages — is bound to confuse the issue."
"Can malicious speech constitute violence? No. But Friday’s shocking court decision — which found Michelle Carter guilty of sending lethal text messages — is bound to confuse the issue."
Thursday, June 15, 2017
Ethics And Artificial Intelligence With IBM Watson's Rob High; Forbes, June 13, 2017
Blake Morgan, Forbes; Ethics And Artificial Intelligence With IBM Watson's Rob High
"Artificial intelligence seems to be popping up everywhere, and it has the potential to change nearly everything we know about data and the customer experience. However, it also brings up new issues regarding ethics and privacy.
One of the keys to keeping AI ethical is for it to be transparent, says Rob High, vice president and chief technology officer of IBM Watson...
The future of technology is rooted in artificial intelligence. In order to stay ethical, transparency, proof, and trustworthiness need to be at the root of everything AI does for companies and customers. By staying honest and remembering the goals of AI, the technology can play a huge role in how we live and work."
"Artificial intelligence seems to be popping up everywhere, and it has the potential to change nearly everything we know about data and the customer experience. However, it also brings up new issues regarding ethics and privacy.
One of the keys to keeping AI ethical is for it to be transparent, says Rob High, vice president and chief technology officer of IBM Watson...
The future of technology is rooted in artificial intelligence. In order to stay ethical, transparency, proof, and trustworthiness need to be at the root of everything AI does for companies and customers. By staying honest and remembering the goals of AI, the technology can play a huge role in how we live and work."
Wednesday, June 14, 2017
How DC’s Flintstones Became The Most Important Comic Of The Year; Comic Book Resources, June 13, 2017
Chris Neill Comic Book Resources; How DC’s Flintstones Became The Most Important Comic Of The Year
"In twelve issues, writer Mark Russell and artist Steve Pugh have created a series that is both one of the sharpest social satires to come out in recent years, and one of the most moving explorations of the human condition that you’ll ever read. That’s right, one of the best comics of 2016 and 2017 was about the modern Stone Age family...
...[T]hat’s the overarching message of Russell and Pugh’s Flintstones: it’s easier to destroy than create, but you get nothing from destruction. The world can be a scary and lonely place, and it’s easy to judge others purely based on their beliefs or appearance – Russell and Pugh don’t back down when tackling how ugly humanity and so-called civilized life can be. People will straight up refuse to understand another’s way of life because it’s inconvenient to them. When discussing the newly created concept of marriage, one of Bedrock’s news anchors describes it as being “An immoral threat to our way of life… because it wasn’t around when I was kid!” But Russell and Pugh also remind us that we all have the capacity for kindness. It’s easy to destroy, but more worthwhile and valuable to understand."
"In twelve issues, writer Mark Russell and artist Steve Pugh have created a series that is both one of the sharpest social satires to come out in recent years, and one of the most moving explorations of the human condition that you’ll ever read. That’s right, one of the best comics of 2016 and 2017 was about the modern Stone Age family...
...[T]hat’s the overarching message of Russell and Pugh’s Flintstones: it’s easier to destroy than create, but you get nothing from destruction. The world can be a scary and lonely place, and it’s easy to judge others purely based on their beliefs or appearance – Russell and Pugh don’t back down when tackling how ugly humanity and so-called civilized life can be. People will straight up refuse to understand another’s way of life because it’s inconvenient to them. When discussing the newly created concept of marriage, one of Bedrock’s news anchors describes it as being “An immoral threat to our way of life… because it wasn’t around when I was kid!” But Russell and Pugh also remind us that we all have the capacity for kindness. It’s easy to destroy, but more worthwhile and valuable to understand."
The big problem for Uber now: Attracting talent; Washington Post, June 14, 2017
Elizabeth Dwoskin and Todd C. Frankel, Washington Post; The big problem for Uber now: Attracting talent
[Kip Currier: Uber's ongoing travails provide an illustrative case study for the critical importance of organizational culture and core values. For an upstart start-up company betting the corporate house on developing paradigm-shifting self-driving technology, there's an ironic sense that the leadership and Board were asleep at the steering wheel (or revved up on too many Red Bulls!) for a very long time. Whether Uber can now shift out of "off-roading" bro-culture mode, institute tangible "cultural guardrails", and make lasting transformational change is anyone's guess.]
"Last year, software engineer Elizabeth Ford got what many young engineers in Silicon Valley once considered the dream job pitch: Would she be interested in working at Uber?
Ford was blunt with the Uber recruiter, telling her the company was immoral and asking not to be contacted again. “As an engineer in the Bay Area, I feel we’ve pretty much turned on Uber,” Ford, 27, who works at restaurant start-up Eatsa, said.
On Tuesday, Uber said it would be taking 47 wide-reaching steps to address a recent string of controversies about its anything-goes, cutthroat corporate culture, including allegations of sexual harassment and inappropriate behavior — accusations that have made Ford and many other tech workers, particularly women, skeptical of joining the company.
Ford said Tuesday’s actions did not change her views.
“The company still has so much toxicity,” Ford said by e-mail Tuesday evening. “They would need to change everything about their culture and how they operate to make me want to work there."
[Kip Currier: Uber's ongoing travails provide an illustrative case study for the critical importance of organizational culture and core values. For an upstart start-up company betting the corporate house on developing paradigm-shifting self-driving technology, there's an ironic sense that the leadership and Board were asleep at the steering wheel (or revved up on too many Red Bulls!) for a very long time. Whether Uber can now shift out of "off-roading" bro-culture mode, institute tangible "cultural guardrails", and make lasting transformational change is anyone's guess.]
"Last year, software engineer Elizabeth Ford got what many young engineers in Silicon Valley once considered the dream job pitch: Would she be interested in working at Uber?
Ford was blunt with the Uber recruiter, telling her the company was immoral and asking not to be contacted again. “As an engineer in the Bay Area, I feel we’ve pretty much turned on Uber,” Ford, 27, who works at restaurant start-up Eatsa, said.
On Tuesday, Uber said it would be taking 47 wide-reaching steps to address a recent string of controversies about its anything-goes, cutthroat corporate culture, including allegations of sexual harassment and inappropriate behavior — accusations that have made Ford and many other tech workers, particularly women, skeptical of joining the company.
Ford said Tuesday’s actions did not change her views.
“The company still has so much toxicity,” Ford said by e-mail Tuesday evening. “They would need to change everything about their culture and how they operate to make me want to work there."
Should I speak up when I see something offensive or false on social media?; Guardian, June 14, 2017
Emma Brockes, Guardian;
Should I speak up when I see something offensive or false on social media?
"Q: When someone posts something offensive or factually wrong on my social media feed, how obliged am I to wade in and correct them?
A: There are words and aphorisms to describe doing nothing in the circumstance to which you refer. “Bystander syndrome” is one, the phenomenon of witnessing an attack, verbal or physical, and standing passively by. When I was at college, spotty men wielding clipboards would loiter outside the dining room on the day of student elections, informing their uninterested peers that “apathy led to the rise of Hitler”. These days, we are more likely to reach for a line sometimes attributed to the philosopher Edmund Burke: “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.”...
Then there is the moral argument: that if you happen upon, say, a racist opinion, you have an obligation to counter it. I find this one trickier. Whereas in a social setting, you are personally implicated when someone says something obnoxious, on social media, no one is addressing you personally. From a practical point of view, ignoring low-rent opinions from users without many followers seems more sensible than berating them and bringing them to wider attention.
But of course, where’s the fun in that? Correcting people has become recreational. There have been times, over the last few years, when I have had to sit on my hands not to post on Facebook when one of my relatives shared a piece from the Express about Brexit, every single line of which was wrong. Perhaps I should have told them. But I stopped myself because I knew that my intention was not to enlighten or to open debate, but to shame them for being idiots. I wanted them to feel bad.
In any case, finding out how people arrive at their opinions can be a better way to counter them than telling them to shut up. There is no obligation to wade in on social media because there is no obligation to be on social media in the first place. But if you do, bear in mind there is more than one way to do it. And then ask yourself why you want to in the first place."
"Modern Privacy Issues"; GoComics, June 14, 2017
Frank and Ernest By Thaves, GoComics; "Modern Privacy Issues"
National Geographic Traveler Used My Photo for a Cover and Never Paid Me; PetaPixel, June 12, 2017
Mustafa Turgut, PetaPixel; National Geographic Traveler Used My Photo for a Cover and Never Paid Me
"After a couple of months of receiving no payment, I emailed them again asking them when they would be paying for the use of my photo on their cover.
They never responded to my email, and they have not responded to any contact attempt since then.
Frustrated, I began emailing the global National Geographic headquarters with my story. Although I have tried contacting headquarters over and over, I have yet to receive a single response.
I then began posting on National Geographic social media pages in 2013, but all of my posts were deleted shortly after I wrote them."
"After a couple of months of receiving no payment, I emailed them again asking them when they would be paying for the use of my photo on their cover.
They never responded to my email, and they have not responded to any contact attempt since then.
Frustrated, I began emailing the global National Geographic headquarters with my story. Although I have tried contacting headquarters over and over, I have yet to receive a single response.
I then began posting on National Geographic social media pages in 2013, but all of my posts were deleted shortly after I wrote them."
Flag on Water Stations Changed Due to Copyright Infringement; KRGV.com, May 25, 2017
KRGV.com; Flag on Water Stations Changed Due to Copyright Infringement
"[T]he American Red Cross sent the non-profit group a cease and desist letter warning the group is infringing on copyright laws."
"[T]he American Red Cross sent the non-profit group a cease and desist letter warning the group is infringing on copyright laws."
Trump Adds More Trademarks in China; New York Times, June 13, 2017
Sui-Lee wee, New York Times; Trump Adds More Trademarks in China
"President Trump is poised to add six new trademarks to his expanding portfolio in China, in sectors including veterinary services and construction, potentially renewing concerns about his possible conflicts of interest.
The latest trademarks expand Mr. Trump’s business interests in China, the world’s second-largest economy and a country he frequently blamed during the election campaign for the decline in American industrial jobs. Since taking office, he has softened that rhetoric.
He has nevertheless continued to receive approval in China for new trademarks. The country’s trademark office gave the president preliminary approval for six trademarks on June 6, according to the agency’s website.
Under Chinese law, a trademark with preliminary approval is formally registered after three months if the agency receives no objections."
"President Trump is poised to add six new trademarks to his expanding portfolio in China, in sectors including veterinary services and construction, potentially renewing concerns about his possible conflicts of interest.
The latest trademarks expand Mr. Trump’s business interests in China, the world’s second-largest economy and a country he frequently blamed during the election campaign for the decline in American industrial jobs. Since taking office, he has softened that rhetoric.
He has nevertheless continued to receive approval in China for new trademarks. The country’s trademark office gave the president preliminary approval for six trademarks on June 6, according to the agency’s website.
Under Chinese law, a trademark with preliminary approval is formally registered after three months if the agency receives no objections."
Tuesday, June 13, 2017
When a Computer Program Keeps You in Jail; New York Times, June 13, 2017
Rebecca Wexler, New York Times; When a Computer Program Keeps You in Jail
"The criminal justice system is becoming automated. At every stage — from policing and investigations to bail, evidence, sentencing and parole — computer systems play a role. Artificial intelligence deploys cops on the beat. Audio sensors generate gunshot alerts. Forensic analysts use probabilistic software programs to evaluate fingerprints, faces and DNA. Risk-assessment instruments help to determine who is incarcerated and for how long.
Technological advancement is, in theory, a welcome development. But in practice, aspects of automation are making the justice system less fair for criminal defendants.
The root of the problem is that automated criminal justice technologies are largely privately owned and sold for profit. The developers tend to view their technologies as trade secrets. As a result, they often refuse to disclose details about how their tools work, even to criminal defendants and their attorneys, even under a protective order, even in the controlled context of a criminal proceeding or parole hearing."
"The criminal justice system is becoming automated. At every stage — from policing and investigations to bail, evidence, sentencing and parole — computer systems play a role. Artificial intelligence deploys cops on the beat. Audio sensors generate gunshot alerts. Forensic analysts use probabilistic software programs to evaluate fingerprints, faces and DNA. Risk-assessment instruments help to determine who is incarcerated and for how long.
Technological advancement is, in theory, a welcome development. But in practice, aspects of automation are making the justice system less fair for criminal defendants.
The root of the problem is that automated criminal justice technologies are largely privately owned and sold for profit. The developers tend to view their technologies as trade secrets. As a result, they often refuse to disclose details about how their tools work, even to criminal defendants and their attorneys, even under a protective order, even in the controlled context of a criminal proceeding or parole hearing."
Chimpanzees are not ‘persons,’ appeals court says; Washington Post, June 10, 2017
Karin Brulliard, Washington Post; Chimpanzees are not ‘persons,’ appeals court says
"Chimpanzees are not legal persons who have a right to be free, a New York state appeals said in a ruling Thursday that denied a request to move two captive apes to a sanctuary.
The unanimous decision was another setback for the Nonhuman Rights Project, a group that for several years has sought to persuade New York courts to grant writs of habeas corpus to chimpanzees. A court that agreed would be allowing the animals to challenge the legality of their “detention” — like human prisoners can do — and would also be acknowledging that the apes are not things but rather are legal persons entitled to bodily liberty...
The Nonhuman Rights Project said in a statement that it was reviewing the decision, but it made clear that it would continue in its quest.
“For 2,000 years, all nonhuman animals have been legal things who lack the capacity for any legal rights. This is not going to change without a struggle,” Wise said. “Public opinion has begun to tilt in our favor since we started filing these lawsuits, likely as a result of them.”"
"Chimpanzees are not legal persons who have a right to be free, a New York state appeals said in a ruling Thursday that denied a request to move two captive apes to a sanctuary.
The unanimous decision was another setback for the Nonhuman Rights Project, a group that for several years has sought to persuade New York courts to grant writs of habeas corpus to chimpanzees. A court that agreed would be allowing the animals to challenge the legality of their “detention” — like human prisoners can do — and would also be acknowledging that the apes are not things but rather are legal persons entitled to bodily liberty...
The Nonhuman Rights Project said in a statement that it was reviewing the decision, but it made clear that it would continue in its quest.
“For 2,000 years, all nonhuman animals have been legal things who lack the capacity for any legal rights. This is not going to change without a struggle,” Wise said. “Public opinion has begun to tilt in our favor since we started filing these lawsuits, likely as a result of them.”"
Experts Think Through Ethical, Legal, Social Challenges Of The Rise Of Robots; Intellectual Property Watch, June 13, 2017
Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch; Experts Think Through Ethical, Legal, Social Challenges Of The Rise Of Robots
"Who thought that the laws of robotics described by famous science fiction author Isaac Asimov would one day resonate with real life issues on robots? Last week’s summit on artificial intelligence sought to imagine a world increasingly manned by machines and robots, even self-taught ones, and explore the legal, ethical, economic, and social consequences of this new world. And some panellists underlined a need to establish frameworks to manage this new species."
"Who thought that the laws of robotics described by famous science fiction author Isaac Asimov would one day resonate with real life issues on robots? Last week’s summit on artificial intelligence sought to imagine a world increasingly manned by machines and robots, even self-taught ones, and explore the legal, ethical, economic, and social consequences of this new world. And some panellists underlined a need to establish frameworks to manage this new species."
Monday, June 12, 2017
Making Google the Censor; New York Times, June 12, 2017
Daphne Keller, New York Times; Making Google the Censor
"Prime Minister Theresa May’s political fortunes may be waning in Britain, but her push to make internet companies police their users’ speech is alive and well. In the aftermath of the recent London attacks, Ms. May called platforms like Google and Facebook breeding grounds for terrorism. She has demanded that they build tools to identify and remove extremist content. Leaders of the Group of 7 countries recently suggested the same thing. Germany wants to fine platforms up to 50 million euros if they don’t quickly take down illegal content. And a European Union draft law would make YouTube and other video hosts responsible for ensuring that users never share violent speech.
The fears and frustrations behind these proposals are understandable. But making private companies curtail user expression in important public forums — which is what platforms like Twitter and Facebook have become — is dangerous. The proposed laws would harm free expression and information access for journalists, political dissidents and ordinary users. Policy makers should be candid about these consequences and not pretend that Silicon Valley has silver-bullet technology that can purge the internet of extremist content without taking down important legal speech with it."
"Prime Minister Theresa May’s political fortunes may be waning in Britain, but her push to make internet companies police their users’ speech is alive and well. In the aftermath of the recent London attacks, Ms. May called platforms like Google and Facebook breeding grounds for terrorism. She has demanded that they build tools to identify and remove extremist content. Leaders of the Group of 7 countries recently suggested the same thing. Germany wants to fine platforms up to 50 million euros if they don’t quickly take down illegal content. And a European Union draft law would make YouTube and other video hosts responsible for ensuring that users never share violent speech.
The fears and frustrations behind these proposals are understandable. But making private companies curtail user expression in important public forums — which is what platforms like Twitter and Facebook have become — is dangerous. The proposed laws would harm free expression and information access for journalists, political dissidents and ordinary users. Policy makers should be candid about these consequences and not pretend that Silicon Valley has silver-bullet technology that can purge the internet of extremist content without taking down important legal speech with it."
Public deserves open access; Daily Press, June 10, 2017
Marisa Porto, Daily Press; Public deserves open access
"American writer Walter Lippman once wrote, "The best servants of the people, like the best valets, must whisper unpleasant truths in the master's ear."
His quote describes perfectly the mission of a newspaper and its staff.
That mission remains at the heart of why Americans should be concerned about the state of the Freedom of Information Act around this nation.
This year alone, journalists from my news organization have filed dozens of FOIA requests. The topics they asked about ranged from bus accidents to crime statistics to how millions of dollars of taxpayer money was spent on a private business venture at our local airport. The last request sparked a statewide investigation, prompted a change in state law and has caused the firing of the airport director and the resignation of one top city official — so far...
Playwright Arthur Miller once said, "A good newspaper, I suppose, is a nation talking to itself."
Let's keep the conversation going."
"American writer Walter Lippman once wrote, "The best servants of the people, like the best valets, must whisper unpleasant truths in the master's ear."
His quote describes perfectly the mission of a newspaper and its staff.
That mission remains at the heart of why Americans should be concerned about the state of the Freedom of Information Act around this nation.
This year alone, journalists from my news organization have filed dozens of FOIA requests. The topics they asked about ranged from bus accidents to crime statistics to how millions of dollars of taxpayer money was spent on a private business venture at our local airport. The last request sparked a statewide investigation, prompted a change in state law and has caused the firing of the airport director and the resignation of one top city official — so far...
Playwright Arthur Miller once said, "A good newspaper, I suppose, is a nation talking to itself."
Let's keep the conversation going."
Sunday, June 11, 2017
The Department of Knowing All About You; Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, June 11, 2017
James Bamford, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette; The Department of Knowing All About You
"For decades, from the first World Trade Center bombing to 9/11 to the recent Syrian poison gas attack, U.S. intelligence agencies have consistently been caught off guard, despite hundreds of billions of dollars spent on spies, eavesdroppers and satellites. IARPA’s answer is “anticipatory intelligence,” predicting the crime or event before it happens.
Like a scene from “Minority Report,” the 2002 film in which criminals are caught and punished by “precrime” police before they can commit their deeds, IARPA hopes to find terrorists, hackers and even protesters before they act. The group is devising robotic machines that can find virtually everything about everyone and issue automatic “precrime” alerts.
That’s the idea behind the agency’s Open Source Indicators (OSI) program: Build powerful automated computers, armed with artificial intelligence, specialized algorithms and machine learning, capable of cataloging the lives of everyone everywhere, 24/7. Tapping real-time into tens of thousands of different data streams — every Facebook post, tweet and YouTube video; every tollbooth tag number; every GPS download, web search and news feed; every street camera video; every restaurant reservation on Open Table — largely eliminates surprise from the intelligence equation. To IARPA, the bigger the data, the fewer and smaller the surprises."
"For decades, from the first World Trade Center bombing to 9/11 to the recent Syrian poison gas attack, U.S. intelligence agencies have consistently been caught off guard, despite hundreds of billions of dollars spent on spies, eavesdroppers and satellites. IARPA’s answer is “anticipatory intelligence,” predicting the crime or event before it happens.
Like a scene from “Minority Report,” the 2002 film in which criminals are caught and punished by “precrime” police before they can commit their deeds, IARPA hopes to find terrorists, hackers and even protesters before they act. The group is devising robotic machines that can find virtually everything about everyone and issue automatic “precrime” alerts.
That’s the idea behind the agency’s Open Source Indicators (OSI) program: Build powerful automated computers, armed with artificial intelligence, specialized algorithms and machine learning, capable of cataloging the lives of everyone everywhere, 24/7. Tapping real-time into tens of thousands of different data streams — every Facebook post, tweet and YouTube video; every tollbooth tag number; every GPS download, web search and news feed; every street camera video; every restaurant reservation on Open Table — largely eliminates surprise from the intelligence equation. To IARPA, the bigger the data, the fewer and smaller the surprises."
Attorney General Says Young People Don't Care As Much About Privacy As Previous Generations; BuzzFeedNews, June 10, 2017
Mark Di Stefano, BuzzFeedNews; Attorney General Says Young People Don't Care As Much About Privacy As Previous Generations
"In the wake of last week's recent terror attacks in London and Melbourne, the federal government has called for online companies to give security agencies freer access to platforms like WhatsApp and iMessage.
On Sunday, [Australia's] attorney-general George Brandis acknowledged on Sky News that civil libertarians had expressed serious concern about the government's recent moves to access encrypted messages.
But he said the public's attitudes towards privacy were changing, pointing to the so-called "Facebook generation".
"I think also community attitudes, particularly among younger people towards the concept of privacy are changing," Brandis said.
"In the Facebook generation when people put more and more of their own personal data out there, I think there is an entirely different attitude to privacy among young people then there was than perhaps a generation or two ago."
He suggested the the majority of people in Australia didn't prioritise privacy over giving security agencies more "tools" to fight terrorism.
"Let the civil liberties point of view be heard, let legitimate privacy concerns always be had regard to, but I think where the community is at at the moment is to prioritise their concern about giving law enforcement and intelligence agencies the tools they need to thwart terrorism.""
"In the wake of last week's recent terror attacks in London and Melbourne, the federal government has called for online companies to give security agencies freer access to platforms like WhatsApp and iMessage.
On Sunday, [Australia's] attorney-general George Brandis acknowledged on Sky News that civil libertarians had expressed serious concern about the government's recent moves to access encrypted messages.
But he said the public's attitudes towards privacy were changing, pointing to the so-called "Facebook generation".
"I think also community attitudes, particularly among younger people towards the concept of privacy are changing," Brandis said.
"In the Facebook generation when people put more and more of their own personal data out there, I think there is an entirely different attitude to privacy among young people then there was than perhaps a generation or two ago."
He suggested the the majority of people in Australia didn't prioritise privacy over giving security agencies more "tools" to fight terrorism.
"Let the civil liberties point of view be heard, let legitimate privacy concerns always be had regard to, but I think where the community is at at the moment is to prioritise their concern about giving law enforcement and intelligence agencies the tools they need to thwart terrorism.""
Dozens of recent clinical trials may contain wrong or falsified data, claims study; Guardian, June 5, 2017
Stephen Buranyi and Hannah Devlin, Guardian; Dozens of recent clinical trials may contain wrong or falsified data, claims study
"The analysis was carried out by John Carlisle, a consultant anaesthetist at Torbay Hospital, who previously used similar statistical tools to expose one of the most egregious cases of scientific fraud on record, involving a Japanese anaesthesiologist who was found to have fabricated data in many of his 183 retracted scientific papers.
In the latest study, Carlisle reviewed data from 5,087 clinical trials published during the past 15 years in two prestigious medical journals, Jama and the New England Journal of Medicine, and six anaesthesia journals. In total, 90 published trials had underlying statistical patterns that were unlikely to appear by chance in a credible dataset, the review concluded.
“This raises serious questions about data in some studies,” said Carlisle. “Innocent or not, the rate of error is worrying as we determine how to treat patients based upon this evidence,” he added.
Dr Andrew Klein, the editor-in-chief of Anaesthesia, which has published the new analysis, called for the studies identified as potentially flawed to be reviewed urgently.
“It’s very scary that we may be treating patients based on false evidence.” he said. “It may be the case that certain treatments may need to be withdrawn from use.”"
"The analysis was carried out by John Carlisle, a consultant anaesthetist at Torbay Hospital, who previously used similar statistical tools to expose one of the most egregious cases of scientific fraud on record, involving a Japanese anaesthesiologist who was found to have fabricated data in many of his 183 retracted scientific papers.
In the latest study, Carlisle reviewed data from 5,087 clinical trials published during the past 15 years in two prestigious medical journals, Jama and the New England Journal of Medicine, and six anaesthesia journals. In total, 90 published trials had underlying statistical patterns that were unlikely to appear by chance in a credible dataset, the review concluded.
“This raises serious questions about data in some studies,” said Carlisle. “Innocent or not, the rate of error is worrying as we determine how to treat patients based upon this evidence,” he added.
Dr Andrew Klein, the editor-in-chief of Anaesthesia, which has published the new analysis, called for the studies identified as potentially flawed to be reviewed urgently.
“It’s very scary that we may be treating patients based on false evidence.” he said. “It may be the case that certain treatments may need to be withdrawn from use.”"
Got Cancer Questions? This Little-Known Hotline Is Here To Help; NPR, June 9, 2017
Courtney Columbus, NPR; Got Cancer Questions? This Little-Known Hotline Is Here To Help
"If you were worried you had cancer, who would you call for information? Chances are a federally-funded cancer helpline isn't the first place that pops into your mind.
But for 40 years, a helpline funded primarily by the National Cancer Institute has been answering people's questions about cancer.
It's a source of information for people who have been called back for a follow-up after routine screenings and are worried they might have cancer. And it can also help cancer patients get information about participating in clinical trials and help them figure out questions to ask their doctors.
The Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle runs the Contact Center, which is funded mostly by the National Cancer Institute with some support from the Veteran's Administration. Last month, the NCI awarded Fred Hutch a $24 million, three-year contract to continue operating the helpline.
"There will be about 1.7 million Americans diagnosed with cancer this year. For many of them, access to good information can be the difference between life and death," says Peter Garrett, a spokesperson for the National Cancer Institute.""
"If you were worried you had cancer, who would you call for information? Chances are a federally-funded cancer helpline isn't the first place that pops into your mind.
But for 40 years, a helpline funded primarily by the National Cancer Institute has been answering people's questions about cancer.
It's a source of information for people who have been called back for a follow-up after routine screenings and are worried they might have cancer. And it can also help cancer patients get information about participating in clinical trials and help them figure out questions to ask their doctors.
The Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle runs the Contact Center, which is funded mostly by the National Cancer Institute with some support from the Veteran's Administration. Last month, the NCI awarded Fred Hutch a $24 million, three-year contract to continue operating the helpline.
"There will be about 1.7 million Americans diagnosed with cancer this year. For many of them, access to good information can be the difference between life and death," says Peter Garrett, a spokesperson for the National Cancer Institute.""
Saturday, June 10, 2017
The Ethical Honor System; U.S. News & World Report, June 9, 2017
Joseph P. Williams, U.S. News & World Report;
""If people assumed a duck hunting trip would be enough to swing [my] vote," Scalia wrote in a searing, 21-page memo, "the nation is in deeper trouble than I had imagined.''
Jeffrey Toobin, a former federal prosecutor and longtime legal analyst for CNN and The New Yorker, concurs. In an essay shortly after Scalia's death, Toobin wrote that he was unperturbed by the ethical questions swirling around Scalia's final vacation, and believes the justices are doing fine by policing themselves.
"If a friend of Scalia wanted to host the Justice for a hunting trip, that also seems unproblematic to me," wrote Toobin. "Justices are allowed to have friends, and they're allowed to enjoy the hospitality of those friends."
[Rep. Louise] Slaughter, the New York congresswoman, strongly objects.
In April, she introduced to the House – again – the Supreme Court Ethics Act, a bill designed to bring accountability to the high court. She's been pushing the issue since 2013, and the bill has repeatedly stalled, but Slaughter believes the matter is too important to drop.
While lower-court federal judges are bound by a strict ethics code, which requires more thorough reporting, "the Supreme Court is the only one that doesn't have any kind of code to go by," Slaughter said in the NBC interview. "We want the same code of ethics for the Supreme Court that we require for all federal judges. Just as simple as that.""
The Ethical Honor System
""If people assumed a duck hunting trip would be enough to swing [my] vote," Scalia wrote in a searing, 21-page memo, "the nation is in deeper trouble than I had imagined.''
Jeffrey Toobin, a former federal prosecutor and longtime legal analyst for CNN and The New Yorker, concurs. In an essay shortly after Scalia's death, Toobin wrote that he was unperturbed by the ethical questions swirling around Scalia's final vacation, and believes the justices are doing fine by policing themselves.
"If a friend of Scalia wanted to host the Justice for a hunting trip, that also seems unproblematic to me," wrote Toobin. "Justices are allowed to have friends, and they're allowed to enjoy the hospitality of those friends."
[Rep. Louise] Slaughter, the New York congresswoman, strongly objects.
In April, she introduced to the House – again – the Supreme Court Ethics Act, a bill designed to bring accountability to the high court. She's been pushing the issue since 2013, and the bill has repeatedly stalled, but Slaughter believes the matter is too important to drop.
While lower-court federal judges are bound by a strict ethics code, which requires more thorough reporting, "the Supreme Court is the only one that doesn't have any kind of code to go by," Slaughter said in the NBC interview. "We want the same code of ethics for the Supreme Court that we require for all federal judges. Just as simple as that.""
Digital Behavior: Exploring The Ethics Of Our Cyber Lives; New Hampshire Public Radio, June 9, 2017
New Hampshire Public Radio; Digital Behavior: Exploring The Ethics Of Our Cyber Lives
"We can now live-stream events through programs like Facebook Live and YouTube, turning us all into potential quasi-celebrities. But what are the ethical implications of sharing our personal lives or even criminal acts online? How has the role of bystander changed in the digital era, and how should social media companies deal with objectionable material?
GUESTS:
- Nora Draper - Communications professor at UNH and a member of the Prevention Innovations Research Center at UNH, where she works on the role of bystanders online and in social media.
- Haney Farid - Professor of computer science and digital forensics at Dartmouth College. He has worked on various technologies that identify and remove offensive images, video, and audio from the Internet and social media platforms.
- Leah Plunkett - Associate professor of legal skills at the UNH School of Law and fellow at Harvard's Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society, where she studies the digital lives of young people."
Friday, June 9, 2017
Yoga Teachers Need a Code of Ethics; New York Times, June 7, 2017
Sarah Herrington, New York Times; Yoga Teachers Need a Code of Ethics
"According to the 2016 Yoga in America survey co-sponsored by Yoga Journal and Yoga Alliance — the largest nonprofit in the United States representing the yoga community and providing teacher-training requirements — there are 36.7 million yoga practitioners nationwide, 72 percent of them women. Though Yoga Alliance has published a bullet-point code of conduct, few know it exists until they are explicitly looking, and by then it may be too late."
"According to the 2016 Yoga in America survey co-sponsored by Yoga Journal and Yoga Alliance — the largest nonprofit in the United States representing the yoga community and providing teacher-training requirements — there are 36.7 million yoga practitioners nationwide, 72 percent of them women. Though Yoga Alliance has published a bullet-point code of conduct, few know it exists until they are explicitly looking, and by then it may be too late."
Leakers Are Liars. Sometimes That's OK.; Bloomberg, June 9, 2017
Stephen L. Carter, Bloomberg; Leakers Are Liars. Sometimes That's OK.
"One important lesson from former FBI Director James Comey’s congressional testimony on Thursday is that leaking needs an ethical structure. Other human activities have ethical structures. Leaking should too...
"One important lesson from former FBI Director James Comey’s congressional testimony on Thursday is that leaking needs an ethical structure. Other human activities have ethical structures. Leaking should too...
I have been discussing here what is ethical, not what is legal. I take it for granted that many leakers may be breaking the law, and some few may even be prosecuted. 8 That is a separate issue, one that I have addressed elsewhere. But ethics matter too. In some ways they matter more, for they guide us in the shadowy spaces where few are likely to discover what we have done.
In a time when government keeps far too many secrets, leaks are often the only way we find out about what public servants are doing. But the leaker’s motives and timing matter. What Comey said in his testimony was reasonable. Now that Muller [sic] is busily investigating, perhaps it’s time the flood of leaks slowed to a trickle."
Ethics? Hah!; Letter to the Editor, The Pueblo Chieftain, June 9, 2017
Tom Carpenter, Letter to the Editor, The Pueblo Chieftain; Ethics? Hah!
"When President Trump waived the ethics rules for his White House staff, I had to reexamine my own thoughts on what I think ethics are.
In my past as a business person, I served on an ethics committee and a professional standards committee. As a Republican, I chaired a political action committee for the Greater Pueblo Chamber of Commerce (before Rod Slyhoff was director). And again as a businessman, I was the Southern Colorado coordinator for the Better Business Bureau. Could my understanding of ethics be so wrong?
To clear up any confusion on my part, I sought an answer from Merriam Webster, to wit: "The discipline dealing with what is good and bad and with moral duty and obligation".
Nope, it is just what I thought it was. Evidently, we don't need no stinkin' ethics in the White House.
Tom Carpenter
"When President Trump waived the ethics rules for his White House staff, I had to reexamine my own thoughts on what I think ethics are.
In my past as a business person, I served on an ethics committee and a professional standards committee. As a Republican, I chaired a political action committee for the Greater Pueblo Chamber of Commerce (before Rod Slyhoff was director). And again as a businessman, I was the Southern Colorado coordinator for the Better Business Bureau. Could my understanding of ethics be so wrong?
To clear up any confusion on my part, I sought an answer from Merriam Webster, to wit: "The discipline dealing with what is good and bad and with moral duty and obligation".
Nope, it is just what I thought it was. Evidently, we don't need no stinkin' ethics in the White House.
Tom Carpenter
Pueblo"
Comey’s testimony changed everything — and not in Trump’s favor; Washington Post, June 9, 2017
Jennifer Rubin, Washington Post; Comey’s testimony changed everything — and not in Trump’s favor
"Before Comey, Republicans and Democrats had many bones to pick with Comey. After Comey, both sides avoid questioning his integrity. Republicans carped about his refusal to rebuke the president in the Oval Office (for a group that has never seriously confronted Trump on much of anything, this is rich). They made hay out of — gasp!– a leak of unclassified materials after Comey was fired. Not once, however, did any senator say he disbelieved Comey’s account or try to shake his recollection. Aspects of Comey’s factual account can be supported now by others, which will further bolster his own credibility and diminish Trump’s. Comey may be prickly, overly concerned with his own reputation and even a little schoolmarmish, but few will argue that he is a liar."
"Before Comey, Republicans and Democrats had many bones to pick with Comey. After Comey, both sides avoid questioning his integrity. Republicans carped about his refusal to rebuke the president in the Oval Office (for a group that has never seriously confronted Trump on much of anything, this is rich). They made hay out of — gasp!– a leak of unclassified materials after Comey was fired. Not once, however, did any senator say he disbelieved Comey’s account or try to shake his recollection. Aspects of Comey’s factual account can be supported now by others, which will further bolster his own credibility and diminish Trump’s. Comey may be prickly, overly concerned with his own reputation and even a little schoolmarmish, but few will argue that he is a liar."
Your Cellphone Privacy Rights May Depend on This Supreme Court Case; Mother Jones, June 9, 2017
Samantha Michaels, Mother Jones; Your Cellphone Privacy Rights May Depend on This Supreme Court Case
"There’s a good chance that while you’re reading this, your cellphone is either in your pocket or within arm’s reach. That phone helps produce tons of identifying data about you—and where you are located. The future privacy of that information may depend on a landmark case that the Supreme Court agreed on Monday to hear. Carpenter v. United States asks whether the government can get records from phone companies showing the location of customers without first obtaining a warrant. It centers on a man in Michigan named Timothy Carpenter who was convicted of six robberies after his phone company turned over his location data to authorities.
Carpenter’s case could have broad ramifications for people across the country. “It’s not an exaggeration to say that the future of surveillance law hinges on how the Supreme Court rules in this case,” Orin Kerr, a professor at the George Washington University Law School, wrote in the Washington Post. Here are some more reasons why you should be following this one:"
"There’s a good chance that while you’re reading this, your cellphone is either in your pocket or within arm’s reach. That phone helps produce tons of identifying data about you—and where you are located. The future privacy of that information may depend on a landmark case that the Supreme Court agreed on Monday to hear. Carpenter v. United States asks whether the government can get records from phone companies showing the location of customers without first obtaining a warrant. It centers on a man in Michigan named Timothy Carpenter who was convicted of six robberies after his phone company turned over his location data to authorities.
Carpenter’s case could have broad ramifications for people across the country. “It’s not an exaggeration to say that the future of surveillance law hinges on how the Supreme Court rules in this case,” Orin Kerr, a professor at the George Washington University Law School, wrote in the Washington Post. Here are some more reasons why you should be following this one:"
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