Contents contributed and discussions participated by dr tech - Digit_al Society

UK's Halifax bank tests heartbeat sensor to unlock online banking services - 0 views

mashable.com/...eartbeat-sensor-online-banking

halifax sensor banking ITGS privacy security biometric

shared by dr tech on 15 Mar 15 -

Cached

dr tech on 15 Mar 15

"Halifax's system, which is currently at the proof-of-concept stage, uses a piece of wearable technology known as the Nymi band; it monitors and stores a user's heartbeat via an electrocardiogram (ECG). Users must wear the Nymi on one wrist, and touch its top sensor with the opposite hand for it to work. The Nymi pairs with a smartphone via Bluetooth, using a companion app for Windows, Mac, iOS and Android. Removal of the wristband invalidates biometric authentication."

<div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">"Halifax's system, which is currently at the proof-of-concept stage, uses a piece of wearable technology known as the Nymi band; it monitors and stores a user's heartbeat via an electrocardiogram (ECG). Users must wear the Nymi on one wrist, and touch its top sensor with the opposite hand for it to work. The Nymi pairs with a smartphone via Bluetooth, using a companion app for Windows, Mac, iOS and Android. Removal of the wristband invalidates biometric authentication."</div>

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Wendy M Grossman on the heavy-handed tactics picture agencies use when pursuing payment... - 0 views

www.theguardian.com/...internet-photography

ITGS technology intellectualproperty

shared by dr tech on 12 Mar 15 - No Cached

dr tech on 12 Mar 15

"But one church in Lichfield, Staffordshire, faced a different fundraising problem: to pay a £6,000 bill demanded for photographs used on its website. The case came to the attention of Gavin Drake, the communications director for the diocese's 600 churches. In creating the church's website, a volunteer had included a couple of images sourced from Getty, a large picture agency, without paying for them. A couple of months later, Getty sent the church a demand for £6,000."

<div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">"But one church in Lichfield, Staffordshire, faced a different fundraising problem: to pay a £6,000 bill demanded for photographs used on its website. The case came to the attention of Gavin Drake, the communications director for the diocese's 600 churches. In creating the church's website, a volunteer had included a couple of images sourced from Getty, a large picture agency, without paying for them. A couple of months later, Getty sent the church a demand for £6,000."</div>

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Rutgers' online course tracks your knuckles, face, browser history - Boing Boing - 0 views

boingboing.net/...gers-online-course-tracks.html

online course tracks privacy anonymity ITGS authenticity

shared by dr tech on 10 Mar 15 - No Cached

dr tech on 10 Mar 15

"Rutgers University's new program also uses a "behavior observation tool," which monitors student browser activity throughout an active session. While this feature is intended to prevent students from using the Internet to cheat on exams, the power that this grants instructors is extremely invasive. If a student accidentally leaves a personal or embarrassing website in their browser during an online course, a ProctorTrack instructor might stumble upon their activity."

<div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">"Rutgers University's new program also uses a "behavior observation tool," which monitors student browser activity throughout an active session. While this feature is intended to prevent students from using the Internet to cheat on exams, the power that this grants instructors is extremely invasive. If a student accidentally leaves a personal or embarrassing website in their browser during an online course, a ProctorTrack instructor might stumble upon their activity."</div>

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Turkish Ministry Recommends Banning Super-Violent Minecraft | Techdirt - 0 views

www.techdirt.com/...-super-violent-minecraft.shtml

ITGS turkish ministry minecraft politics and government peopleandmachines control

shared by dr tech on 10 Mar 15 - No Cached

dr tech on 10 Mar 15

"But the Turkish government has a plan to keep its youngsters from witnessing too much violence: it is calling to ban Minecraft. "

<div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">"But the Turkish government has a plan to keep its youngsters from witnessing too much violence: it is calling to ban Minecraft. "</div>

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The History of Biometric Security, and How It's Being Used Today - 0 views

www.makeuseof.com/...y-and-how-its-being-used-today

ITGS biometric security privacy

shared by dr tech on 04 Mar 15 -

Cached

Weasel-riding-woodpecker picture prompts weighty Twitter debate | Environment | The Gua... - 0 views

www.theguardian.com/...o-soar-to-top-of-online-charts

ITGS authenticity photoshop Graphics manipulation

shared by dr tech on 04 Mar 15 - No Cached

dr tech on 04 Mar 15

""I have no reason to doubt it - he was just in the right place at the right time, and it was a once-in-a-lifetime photo." But others questioned its veracity, including American evolutionary biologist Dan Graur. He said: "This is a fake photo if I ever saw one. The uniform blurred background is pure Photoshop."

<div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">""I have no reason to doubt it - he was just in the right place at the right time, and it was a once-in-a-lifetime photo." But others questioned its veracity, including American evolutionary biologist Dan Graur. He said: "This is a fake photo if I ever saw one. The uniform blurred background is pure Photoshop."</div>

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Mass Wikipedia Edit To Make The Internet Less Sexist - 0 views

magazine.good.is/...aking-the-internet-less-sexist

ITGS anonymity authenticity wikipedia peopleandmachines

shared by dr tech on 02 Mar 15 -

Cached

dr tech on 02 Mar 15

""This project also came on the heels of a very public debate about structural sexism in Wikipedia. [This] began when writer Amanda Filipacchi wrote a New York Times op-ed on a problematic editorial practice being implemented by a number of Wikipedia editors: women were being removed from the 'American Novelists' category and moved into a subcategory for 'American Women Novelists.'" Filipacchi's piece set the internet on fire, sparking a mass call for reform."

<div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">""This project also came on the heels of a very public debate about structural sexism in Wikipedia. [This] began when writer Amanda Filipacchi wrote a New York Times op-ed on a problematic editorial practice being implemented by a number of Wikipedia editors: women were being removed from the 'American Novelists' category and moved into a subcategory for 'American Women Novelists.'" Filipacchi's piece set the internet on fire, sparking a mass call for reform."</div>

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Should Britain introduce electronic voting? | Technology | The Guardian - 0 views

www.theguardian.com/...in-introduce-electronic-voting

ITGS britain voting evoting security anonymity policiesandstandards

shared by dr tech on 27 Feb 15 - No Cached

dr tech on 27 Feb 15

""In the 2020 general election, secure online voting should be an option for all voters," said the report. In response, the Electoral Commission's chair, Jenny Watson, said: "We will consider carefully the balance between maintaining the security of the system, whilst making it as accessible as possible for voters as part of this.""

<div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">""In the 2020 general election, secure online voting should be an option for all voters," said the report. In response, the Electoral Commission's chair, Jenny Watson, said: "We will consider carefully the balance between maintaining the security of the system, whilst making it as accessible as possible for voters as part of this.""</div>

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What Happens When Robots Can Do All the Jobs? - 0 views

www.makeuseof.com/...happens-robots-can-jobs

ITGS peopleandmachines ai robots employment

shared by dr tech on 24 Feb 15 -

Cached

dr tech on 24 Feb 15

"What do you think? Will robotic super-intelligence lead us towards salvation or poverty?"

<div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">"What do you think? Will robotic super-intelligence lead us towards salvation or poverty?"</div>

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Google says it acknowledges some people want 'right to be forgotten' | Technology | The... - 0 views

www.theguardian.com/...ple-want-right-to-be-forgotten

google ITGS privacy anonymity

shared by dr tech on 20 Feb 15 -

Cached

dr tech on 20 Feb 15

""Many predicted at the outset that Google would simply agree to most requests for removal to save time and money," said Barron. "That hasn't happened - 60% of removal requests have been rejected. Every single request is considered by our teams and there is no automation. If their judgment is challenged by the publisher we will reconsider and, if a mistake has been made, we will reinstate." "

<div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">""Many predicted at the outset that Google would simply agree to most requests for removal to save time and money," said Barron. "That hasn't happened - 60% of removal requests have been rejected. Every single request is considered by our teams and there is no automation. If their judgment is challenged by the publisher we will reconsider and, if a mistake has been made, we will reinstate." "</div>

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What is HTTP/2 and is it going to speed up the web? | Technology | The Guardian - 0 views

www.theguardian.com/...up-web-browsing-desktop-mobile

ITGS hardware protocols HTTP reliability

shared by dr tech on 19 Feb 15 - No Cached

dr tech on 19 Feb 15

"HTTP/2 is a more modern protocol that essentially speeds web browsing up using new ways of transporting data between the browser and server across the internet. It is backwards compatible with HTTP1.1 and uses most of the same technologies, but it is more efficient and allows servers to respond with more content than was originally requested, removing the need for the user's computer to continually send requests for more information until a website is fully loaded."

<div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">"HTTP/2 is a more modern protocol that essentially speeds web browsing up using new ways of transporting data between the browser and server across the internet. It is backwards compatible with HTTP1.1 and uses most of the same technologies, but it is more efficient and allows servers to respond with more content than was originally requested, removing the need for the user's computer to continually send requests for more information until a website is fully loaded."</div>

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Why your Facebook friends could scupper a student loan | Education | The Guardian - 0 views

www.theguardian.com/...-student-loan-finance-earnings

ITGS facebook friends anonymity privacy peopleandmachines

shared by dr tech on 09 Feb 15 - No Cached

dr tech on 09 Feb 15

"Graduated top of your class in Ghana and managed to land a place on an MBA at Oxford? Then you're heading for a salary high enough to make repaying your student loan a cinch - especially if half your Facebook followers are from McKinsey. At least, this is the kind of calculation being made by private funders stepping into the increasingly complex and competitive student loans market."

<div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">"Graduated top of your class in Ghana and managed to land a place on an MBA at Oxford? Then you're heading for a salary high enough to make repaying your student loan a cinch - especially if half your Facebook followers are from McKinsey. At least, this is the kind of calculation being made by private funders stepping into the increasingly complex and competitive student loans market."</div>

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Anyone who makes you choose between privacy and security wants you to have neither - Bo... - 0 views

boingboing.net/...e-who-makes-you-choose-be.html

ITGS anonymity privacy politics and government surveillance

shared by dr tech on 07 Feb 15 - No Cached

dr tech on 07 Feb 15

"It's clear that surveillance affects a broad group of people, with real painful consequences for their lives. We've seen journalists being monitored, lawyers having their client confidentiality broken, victims of police misconduct being spied on and environmental campaigns infiltrated. These people are not criminals, and yet when we have a system of mass surveillance, they become targets for increasingly intrusive powers. "

<div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">"It's clear that surveillance affects a broad group of people, with real painful consequences for their lives. We've seen journalists being monitored, lawyers having their client confidentiality broken, victims of police misconduct being spied on and environmental campaigns infiltrated. These people are not criminals, and yet when we have a system of mass surveillance, they become targets for increasingly intrusive powers. "</div>

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UK voters, you're about to get bombarded with targeted ads - 0 views

mashable.com/...political-ads-social-uk

ITGS voters targeted politics and government privacy anonymity

shared by dr tech on 07 Feb 15 -

Cached

dr tech on 07 Feb 15

"With news that the 15 million Twitter users in the UK can now be targeted at individual postcode levels, the micro-blogging platform is selling its advertising opportunities as ultra-geographically precise, and therefore ultra-cost effective. "The key benefit of geo-targeting is that it enables advertisers, or in this case political parties, the ability to reach users in specific regions, metropolitan areas and now postcodes," Twitter said in a blog post. "

<div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">"With news that the 15 million Twitter users in the UK can now be targeted at individual postcode levels, the micro-blogging platform is selling its advertising opportunities as ultra-geographically precise, and therefore ultra-cost effective. "The key benefit of geo-targeting is that it enables advertisers, or in this case political parties, the ability to reach users in specific regions, metropolitan areas and now postcodes," Twitter said in a blog post. "</div>

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Facebook to prompt all UK users to register to vote in general election | Technology | ... - 0 views

www.theguardian.com/...to-vote-in-uk-general-election

ITGS facebook prompt election politics and government equalityofaccess

shared by dr tech on 05 Feb 15 - No Cached

dr tech on 05 Feb 15

"Facebook is to prompt every adult user in the UK to register to vote ahead of the general election in May, in the company's first intervention into British electoral politics."

<div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">"Facebook is to prompt every adult user in the UK to register to vote ahead of the general election in May, in the company's first intervention into British electoral politics."</div>

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Are driverless cars the future of Uber? | Technology | The Guardian - 0 views

www.theguardian.com/...erless-cars-the-future-of-uber

ITGS cars future ai self-drive

shared by dr tech on 04 Feb 15 - No Cached

dr tech on 04 Feb 15

"While a full move to driverless cars would be Uber's dream scenario, letting it cut the cost of a ride to little more than fuel plus wear and tear, it could very well be a nightmare for car manufacturers. Self-driving cars could prove the death-knell for private car ownership, with services like Uber offering a cheap substitution while avoiding the wastefulness of leaving an asset worth thousands of pounds sit unused on the side of the road."

<div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">"While a full move to driverless cars would be Uber's dream scenario, letting it cut the cost of a ride to little more than fuel plus wear and tear, it could very well be a nightmare for car manufacturers. Self-driving cars could prove the death-knell for private car ownership, with services like Uber offering a cheap substitution while avoiding the wastefulness of leaving an asset worth thousands of pounds sit unused on the side of the road."</div>

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Japanese bank introduces robot workers to deal with customers in branches | World news ... - 0 views

www.theguardian.com/...eal-with-customers-in-branches

japanese bank robot ai ITGS peopleandmachines

shared by dr tech on 04 Feb 15 - No Cached

dr tech on 04 Feb 15

"The 120-centimetre-tall android already works as a shop assistant at SoftBank mobile phone outlets in Tokyo - a move its chief executive, Masayoshi Son, described as a "baby step on our dream to make a robot that can understand a person's feelings, and then autonomously take action"."

<div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">"The 120-centimetre-tall android already works as a shop assistant at SoftBank mobile phone outlets in Tokyo - a move its chief executive, Masayoshi Son, described as a "baby step on our dream to make a robot that can understand a person's feelings, and then autonomously take action"."</div>

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Bill Gates is another smart guy who is terrified of artificial intelligence - 0 views

mashable.com/...ficial-intelligence-reddit-ama

bill gates ITGS ai

shared by dr tech on 28 Jan 15 - No Cached

dr tech on 28 Jan 15

""I am in the camp that is concerned about super intelligence," Gates wrote. "First, the machines will do a lot of jobs for us and not be super intelligent. That should be positive if we manage it well. A few decades after that though, the intelligence is strong enough to be a concern. I agree with Elon Musk and some others on this and don't understand why some people are not concerned.

<div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">""I am in the camp that is concerned about super intelligence," Gates wrote. "First, the machines will do a lot of jobs for us and not be super intelligent. That should be positive if we manage it well. A few decades after that though, the intelligence is strong enough to be a concern. I agree with Elon Musk and some others on this and don't understand why some people are not concerned. </div>

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Mass surveillance is fundamental threat to human rights, says European report | World n... - 0 views

www.theguardian.com/...at-human-rights-council-europe

european surveillance mass human rights ITGS anonymity privacy politics and government

shared by dr tech on 26 Jan 15 - No Cached

dr tech on 26 Jan 15

"Europe's top rights body has said mass surveillance practices are a fundamental threat to human rights and violate the right to privacy enshrined in European law."

<div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">"Europe's top rights body has said mass surveillance practices are a fundamental threat to human rights and violate the right to privacy enshrined in European law."</div>

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If You Upload Your Mind to a Computer-Are You Still You? | Singularity HUB - 0 views

singularityhub.com/...o-a-computer-are-you-still-you

ITGS ai singularity

shared by dr tech on 26 Jan 15 - No Cached

dr tech on 26 Jan 15

"One of the most mind-bending far future predictions you'll hear from some futurists is this: Eventually, the technology will exist to copy your brain (every bit of data that makes you, you) onto a computer. Technical details and exact predictions aside (the concept is still firmly science fiction) mind uploading makes for a fascinating and disturbing thought experiment. If you had the power to upload yourself, would you?"

<div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">"One of the most mind-bending far future predictions you'll hear from some futurists is this: Eventually, the technology will exist to copy your brain (every bit of data that makes you, you) onto a computer. Technical details and exact predictions aside (the concept is still firmly science fiction) mind uploading makes for a fascinating and disturbing thought experiment. If you had the power to upload yourself, would you?"</div>

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