The Internet has no signs of slowing down. In fact, by 2020, the Internet is expected to contribute over 1.3 trillion dollars a year. Don’t you think hackers are going to want a piece of that?
According to sobering research by Hewlett-Packard, there are 250 different security flaws and vulnerabilities for just the top ten most popular products the Internet can be used with. These include webcams, televisions, multiple device controllers, even home alarm systems. Such devices often run of generic versions of Linux, and manufacturers often don’t put the same effort to secure such items as they would a desktop, laptop, tablet, or smartphone. Hewlett Packard VP Mike?Armistead believes companies are in such a rush to get these products to the store shelves they’re taking little time to protect against even the most elementary attacks.
The scary thing is, one hack on one device can lead to a wildfire of hacks on other devices and? other systems. Look at the infamous Target breach back in December 2013. Plus, it’s difficult to imagine something like a remote controller being hacked. But think about how connected most things are today. Even your garage opener is probably connected to your home security system, which is probably connected to a computer related device. For many, Internet, cable TV and phone service fall under one bill. One way of combating a cyber attack is raising awareness, like I’m trying to do right here. Of course, you can do common sense things to lessen your chances of attack, like changing passwords and be careful who you give your information to. I think we should put pressure on manufacturers to do a better job building safety nets for their products. What else can be done to prevent a hackers’ playground?
Russia is enforcing new rules on Internet bloggers. As of today, August 1, all blogs having at least 3,000 readers a day will face stricter government scrutiny, such as ban of explicit language, this seems like Russian Censorship to me.
This new code nicknamed Bill on Bloggers was signed by Russian president Putin in May 2014. Any blogger with 3,000+ visitors a day must register with Russian government watchdog Roskomnadzor. They’ll be under the same restrictions as mainstream journalist. Restrictions include, but don’t limited to, refraining from slander or hate speech. They have to use their own name, no aliases. Any blogger caught breaking these rules will be blocked on Russian territory. Rule breakers are subject to fines equaling $850. I’ve read cases where fines can reach up to $15,000.
This sounds like common sense on paper. One can argue this is similar to the same regulations the Federal Communications Commission has on US media. But Russian Internet companies are already protesting, some are even cooking the numbers to make sure their blogs have a maximum 2,500 readers a day just to avoid the Bill on Bloggers. I can sympathize with these bloggers. They say you can’t use obscene language. Yes, I know about the seven words you can’t say on TV. But what if someone criticizes Putin at all? Is that obscene. Keep in mind Putin was a KGB officer, so in his mind and in his administrators’ minds, criticism is probably offensive. Even in this country, bloggers aren’t subjected to such scrutiny. If they were, then probably a fourth of the blogs we read would be taken down by the government. But this is Russia. Why am I talking about it here in the USA? Do you really think this can’t happen here? So I ask you: is Bill on Bloggers a common sense law or is it a gateway to censorship?
OK Cupid’s CEO Christian Rudder admitted to such psychological mind games. He admits this site has removed text from people’s profiles, removed photos, and told people they were compatible matches, when in reality, they were poor matches. These experiments reveled when profiles while removed, people had more in depth conversations. When profile pictures are left, conversations are far less. The reason OK Cupid told people they were 90% compatible when they were really 30% compatible was in hopes they could get together and OK Cupid would get the credit.
Christian Rudder makes no apologies. He defends these practices, pretty much claiming he’s just doing what other websites do all the time. He says, “…if you use the Internet, you’re the subject of hundreds of experiments on any given time, on every site.” Remember when our parents used to tell us, “If everybody else jumped off a bridge…?” You know the rest. So I don’t accept this as an excuse to manipulate, lie and deceive the public. But is he right? This and the Facebook controversy makes me wonder how many more social media sites are using deceptive tactics to play with people’s minds. I’m not saying it’s right. I think this whole operation is morally and ethically wrong. If I went around blatantly lying to people like OK Cupid did, I’d be either fired, arrested, or in some situations, even worse. Who is going to be the next website we hear of do this?
In Europe, Google has implemented a ‘right to be forgotten’ service. What is that?
Google will delete countless links from it’s search engine. In May 2014, the European Union’s top court granted Europeans the right to request Google and other search engines remove information about them. So that when someone types their name up, that information will not exist. In the two months that followed, so far, Google has received 91,000 request throughout the continent, removing over 328,000 websites and URLs. Not all requests have been acted upon, but they will be. Microsoft has been watching this ruling close. Some European leaders are calling for even stricter privacy rights laws. But not all embrace the right to be forgotten. One UK group called Society of Editors believes this will lead to censorship and even kill freedom of speech throughout Europe.
Why do I even bring this up? First off, someone in Europe may read this. Second off, the right to be forgotten could be a trend throughout the world. Privacy rights vs. technology has been a hot button issue here in the United States and other nations for years. So the condition is just ripe for this ruling to come to other continents. Will right to be forgotten be embraced in the US? Maybe. I can think of many who would sign up for it. My only concern would be if a criminal or predator sign up for it and ask for his records to be removed from search engine sites. Then you’d have no way to conduct criminal background checks. Other than that, I would have no problem with right to be forgotten. If this came to the US, would you sign up for it?
Sources are saying Google is setting up over $500 million for expansion. Executives don’t deny the ambition. These investments include building fleets of delivery trucks, and a network to pack and deliver goods to shoppers. Many speculate Google wants a piece of the $600 billion a year grocery business. They’re also doing extensive research to study and even influence online shoppers. Look at Google Wallet and Google Checkout and compare that to Amazon. Amazon has it’s own warehouses; Google sends it’s orders to nearby retail stores. In New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles, there’s a Google website where shoppers can from grocery stores and other retailers. These retailers include grocery chain Whole Foods and mega-store Costco.
I like how Google is setting this up compared to Amazon. Amazon seems to be competing with these companies. Google is working with competitors and developing alliances. But you thought I didn’t like mergers, right? This isn’t a merger. This is cooperation between companies to get produce and services to shoppers. Amazon’s system skips this part and goes right from the client to the consumer. I prefer Google’s way because you have a better idea where your food or good is coming from and it builds relationship between companies. If Amazon and Google went head to head in the shopping realm, who would you choose?
What’s the biggest threat to the Internet of the next 20 years? According to Pew’s Internet and American Life Project, it’s not criminal hackers. It’s not sextortion. It’s not cyber bullies. According to this study, it’s governments and major corporations.
This project includes top technological leaders, workers and teachers. There’s a great concern in this community about government surveillance, censorship, and corporate greed. There’s a concern these aspects could cripple or evil kill freedom on the Internet. And it doesn’t even have to be dictators, like what you saw in Iran back in 2009, or Turkey’s attempt to block online freedom to protect it’s prime minister from scandal. And here in the US, we’ve had controversies from the NSA revelations to net neutrality. Some say the biggest threat is social media, with their major banks of user information.
When it comes to social media, I think it’s a wonderful tool, when used for the right reasons. When you start discriminating against people for jobs, education and housing just because of their social media posts, that can be a threat and lead to trouble. The Internet has been a great tool for good over the past 20 years. But when high ranking people and institutions use it for spying or close it up to competitors, that can be a threat. Our nation was founded on free market enterprise. Shouldn’t everyone be given that chance? So yes, I see their concern. But I think criminal hackers and other less desirable elements pose just as big as a threat. Remember Target last December?
