Math 1111: Cryptography

They haven't tweeted since May, and have only tweeted a handful of times this year. Can you find someone who provides more frequent resources?

How effective has mass surveillance been in preventing terrorism?

We need to really pay attention to how many different apps and resources we have connected to big sites like facebook, and google. Heck, Apple as a whole essentially has our entire lives on record. Don't link everything to facebook or google, and maybe consider diversifying your technology.

Companies don't require a warrant to conduct data searches of their customers. The safest way to ensure that your data remains private while using services from a company is to use client based end to end encryption.

Schools have a responsibility to protect your information, but it can be vulnerable to release or data breaches. Be careful when giving out personal information and try to educate yourself on your rights as a student so that you can best protect yourself.

Even when college students use computer or electronic devices that belong to the school, any websites they visit, links they download, and videos they watch can offer behavioral information and data that is directly tied to that student's profile, and thus them too. It's important to be aware of this fact, and realize that whatever privacy you think that Mac in the back of the library offers you is in reality nonexistent. That Mac is uploading your data to the Cloud every minute you use it, and it's important to track and understand that your online information is being sent, without your consent, to other entities. So, be careful with what you search up next time.

It is possible to have security, but not privacy, so although you believe your data may be secure, your privacy can be being invaded. You wouldn't know by who, so the best thing to do for now until privacy is better regulated is to be mindful of what you are doing on the internet.

Try to avoid opening emails from senders you don't 100% trust and know. Also, routinely check your PC using some kind of antivirus or data scrubbing software to ensure your system hasn't accrued keyloggers or malware that might give bad actors sensitive personal information.

What alternatives to mass surveillance have been proposed, and by whom?

It is important to consider whether Snowden is our enemy or our friend. Disobeying the rule of law and throwing turmoil into our system is harmful, but many still view him as a friend of the people.

To any future college students: Be careful of what you type on the internet or reveal about yourself in an online forum. Despite the shocking revelations of the size and scope of the government's surveillance programs revealed by Edward Snowden, the majority of Americans don't understand the kind of information the government has on them, have taken few steps to protect their online data, and believe that such programs don't go far enough in tackling terrorism. Ironically, these same Americans also overwhelmingly believe that consumers have lost protection of their data to companies who have used their clients' privacy as a commodity. I would advise you to be careful of what you post online, and follow a few steps, such as passwords, encryption, and clearing your cookies, to help protect at least some of your data online and allow you to remain private. These programs continue to this day, and it's important that you protect what little privacy remains.

What are the mechanisms behind surveillance? How precisely are people surveilled in the US?