Group items tagged

Living under permanent surveillance and what that means for our freedom

"57.10 Acceptable Use; Safety-Critical Systems. Your use of the Lumberyard Materials must comply with the AWS Acceptable Use Policy. The Lumberyard Materials are not intended for use with life-critical or safety-critical systems, such as use in operation of medical equipment, automated transportation systems, autonomous vehicles, aircraft or air traffic control, nuclear facilities, manned spacecraft, or military use in connection with live combat. However, this restriction will not apply in the event of the occurrence (certified by the United States Centers for Disease Control or successor body) of a widespread viral infection transmitted via bites or contact with bodily fluids that causes human corpses to reanimate and seek to consume living human flesh, blood, brain or nerve tissue and is likely to result in the fall of organized civilization."

Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey interviewed Edward Snowden today, and the big topic was technology. During the Q&A (which was broadcast live from the Pardon Snowden Periscope account) Snowden discussed the data that many online companies continue to collect about their users, creating a "quantified world" - and more opportunities for government surveillance.

"Uber is now tracking your location even after you leave the car. A location-tracking feature that the ride-sharing company proposed last year has gone live, despite fierce opposition from privacy advocates."

"Dropbox is "proposing to copy the keys to your house, move in and live with you.""

"We live in the social mobile era, where we all collect and share vast amounts of data about ourselves and others. "

"Back in 1999, Sony released a robotic dog called Aibo, a canine companion that didn't crap everywhere and only ate electricity. It sold pretty well - 150,000 units, despite the $2,000 price tag. Some owners became remarkably attached, which makes it even more sad that Sony has stopped repairing Aibo. Slowly but surely, they're all dying. The New York Times has recorded the plight of current-day Aibo owners in a completely heartbreaking video. They interviewed a series of owners, whose Aibos are a central part of their lives, but are slowly having to come to the fact that their dogs have a life expectancy. "

The New York Times has recorded the plight of current-day Aibo owners in a completely heartbreaking video. They interviewed a series of owners, whose Aibos are a central part of their lives, but are slowly having to come to the fact that their dogs have a life expectancy.

Lancaster University researchers say their 'Living Room of the Future' is not just a peek at what could await us as the Internet of Things (IoT) revolution gathers pace.

"Through the design, development and implementation of the Living Room of the Future (LRoTF), we build upon existing work to progress two strands of research. The first explores how media broadcasters may utilise Object-Based Media (OBM) to provide more immersive experiences. Created in conjunction with the BBC R&D the LRofTF utilizes OBM to dynamically customise television content according to audiences' personal, contextual and derived data. OBM works by breaking media into smaller parts or 'objects', describing how they relate to each other semantically, and then reassembling them into personalized programmes. In addition to this media-delivery aspect, the LRoTF explores data protection issues that arise from OBM's use of data by integrating with the privacy-enhancing Databox system. "

"This discussion paper explores the rapidly evolving landscape of how we behave and interact online, and how businesses respond. The internet has transformed how we live, work and relate to one another. We can make 'friends' around the world without ever saying 'hello', compare products from dozens of shops without leaving the house, or plan a date with a stranger without breaking a sweat. Overall it has proven a powerful force for good; delivering significant benefits to the economy and to consumers in the form of greater choice, personalisation, and incredible convenience."

Social media apps, designed to be addictive, are playing an increasingly large role in the lives of young people (or 'Gen Z').