Thursday, February 15, 2007

Free Speech group EFF needs videographer in Syracuse (CraigsList) Date: 2007-02-15, 9:12PM EST we are looking for someone who has a good-quality Mini-DV camera and can produce good lighting (natural is fine) and sound (onboard is fine, it just has to be very clear) for a brief videotaped statement. this is to support an online free speech case. details here: http://www.10zenmonkeys.com/2006/11/01/eff-crook-dmca-lawsuit/ the subject to be shot is in/around Syracuse. we may be able to pay expenses for travel by car. if you respond to this note, EFF lawyers will contact you with more info. this video will be distributed widely across the webernets and we can offer a prominent production credit, as well as the warm, fuzzy feeling that you've helped EFF's ongoing defense of digital free speech. please respond with with your availability over the next week or so. 10:26:39 PM  PermaLink   / trackback []

Tapping Brains for Future Crimes. Tapping Brains for Future Crimes. A breakthrough in computer-assisted mind reading brings us closer to predicting criminality. Should the justice system adapt? Commentary by Jennifer Granick. [Wired News: Security Blanket] 9:06:25 PM  PermaLink   / trackback []

KMVT - Real ID Sparks Controversy in Idaho Idaho may become the latest state to oppose a federal law requiring a national driver's license, on concern over its cost and intrusiveness on personal privacy. At least 17 states including neighboring Washington and Utah have passed or are considering legislation asking Congress to dump the "Real I-D" project. The Idaho House Transportation Committee will debate a resolution opposing it Wednesday. Supporters in the federal Department of Homeland Security say Real I-D is needed to prevent terrorists such as those behind the September 11th attacks and illegal immigrants from getting fake I-D cards. But the conservative Cato Institute and the American Civil Liberties Union, groups normally on opposite sides, have formed an unusual alliance to call on Idaho lawmakers to send Congress a message: That Real I-D should to be reconsidered. Governor Otter co-sponsored Real I-D in 2005 while he was a U-S representative from Idaho, but a spokesman in Boise says the Republican chief executive now has concerns about its cost. 9:04:21 PM  PermaLink   / trackback []

RFID Implementations Require Industry Specific Expertise, Survey Reveals. RFID Implementations Require Industry Specific Expertise, Survey Reveals. Results should help manufacturers identify how to justify new RFID projects in terms of business objectives, technologies, and more. [GT: Security and Privacy] 8:59:30 PM  PermaLink   / trackback []

E-Commerce News: Privacy: Web Privacy Group Certifies Safe Ad, Tracking Programs TRUSTe, an organization that aims to safeguard the privacy of Web surfers, is providing certification to advertising or behavior-tracking software programs that it deems safe to download. "The Trusted Download Program represents another important step toward making downloadable software more transparent," said Ari Schwartz, deputy director of Center for Democracy and Technology. 8:57:16 PM  PermaLink   / trackback []

Proposed legislation called a threat to Internet users' privacy European governments are preparing legislation to require companies to keep detailed data about people's Internet and phone use that goes beyond what the countries will be required to do under a European Union directive. In Germany, a proposal from the Ministry of Justice would essentially prohibit using fake information to create an e-mail account, making the standard Internet practice of creating pseudonymous accounts illegal. A draft law in the Netherlands would likewise go further than the EU requires, in this case by mandating phone companies to save records of exactly where someone is during an entire mobile phone conversation. Even now, Internet service providers in Europe divulge customer information -- which they normally keep on hand for about three months, for billing purposes -- to police officials with legally valid orders on a "routine" basis, a privacy expert said. The data concern how the communication was sent and by whom but not its content. But law enforcement officials argued at the time of the 2004 terrorist bombings in Spain and Britain that they needed more, better and longer data storage from companies handling Europe's communications networks. The Spanish National Court on Thursday is to begin the trial of 29 suspects in the Madrid train bombings of March 11, 2004, which killed 191 people and injured more than 1,800. EU countries have until 2009 to put the Data Retention Directive into law, so the proposals out now are early interpretations. But some people involved in the issue are concerned about a swing in the privacy pendulum in Europe, which has long been a defender of individuals' privacy rights. Under the proposals in Germany, consumers theoretically could not create fictitious e-mail accounts, for example, to disguise themselves in online auctions. Nor could they use a made-up account to use for receiving commercial junk mail. While e-mail aliases would not be banned, they would have to be traceable to the actual account holder. 8:54:26 PM  PermaLink   / trackback []

California Petition Would Require Audio-Visual Record of Contacts Between Police and Public. California Petition Would Require Audio-Visual Record of Contacts Between Police and Public. Requires that a copy of the recording be provided to affected citizens who are arrested and charged with a crime. [GT: Security and Privacy] 8:51:17 PM  PermaLink   / trackback []

ID Theft: Where you live makes a difference, study finds. ID Theft: Where you live makes a difference, study finds. New York, California, Nevada and Arizona are among the riskiest U.S. states for ID theft, while Wyoming, Vermont, Montana and North Dakota are among the safest, according to a study by ID Analytics Inc. [Computerworld Privacy News] 8:47:49 PM  PermaLink   / trackback []

Second Maryland hospital in a week discloses breach. Second Maryland hospital in a week discloses breach. St. Mary's Hospital in Leonardtown, Md., has become the second hospital in the state in the last week to disclose a potential compromise of patients' personal data. [Computerworld Privacy News] 8:44:34 PM  PermaLink   / trackback []

Illinois Bill Would Ban Social Networking Sites. Illinois Bill Would Ban Social Networking Sites. AlexDV writes  "Library blogger Michael Stephens is reporting that an Illinois state senator, Matt Murphy (R-27, Palatine), has filed a bill that 'Creates the Social Networking Web site Prohibition Act. Provides that each public library must prohibit access to social networking Web sites on all computers made available to the public in the library. Provides that each public school must prohibit access to social networking Web sites on all computers made available to students in the school.' Here is the bill's full text." ---  This local effort harks back to an attempt last May to get federal legislation banning school and library use of social networking sites (Wikipedia summary here). The DOPA bill passed the House but died in the Senate. [Slashdot: Your Rights Online] 5:46:01 PM  PermaLink   / trackback []

Patients, doctors staying away from implantable RFID chips | CNET News.com VeriChip, which has created a system for putting RFID chips into humans for medical-record tracking, held an initial public offering on Friday, and the company's stock has been struggling ever since. The stock is currently trading at around $6.15. The company released 3.1 million shares in the IPO for $6.50 a share. Part of the problem is likely the lackluster sales for the company's most famous product. Only 222 medical patients in total have opted to get RFID chips from VeriChip implanted as of the end of 2006, according to documents filed by the company with the Securities and Exchange Commission as part of its initial public offering. It's a modest number, the company says, and revenue for these systems is far below projections. "To date, we have only generated approximately $0.1 million in revenue ($100,000) from sales of the microchip inserter kits, significantly less than we had projected at the beginning of 2006. We may never achieve market acceptance or more than nominal or modest sales of this system," the company stated. The slow sales will likely hearten the many critics of the company. When the company first began touting the technology nearly three years ago, it was criticized by civil libertarians, who saw the chips as a gateway to privacy erosion, and by religious consumers some of whom said that implantable chips were the mark of the beast. In its SEC filing, the company stated that many patients are probably unwilling to get chipped, the company said, and doctors have likely been reluctant to discuss the procedure with clients. Privacy issues and bad publicity have also been factors. Virtually all the company's revenues come from two Canadian companies it acquired in 2005. These companies, EXI Wireless and Instantel, specialize in infant tracking and "wander" detection systems in rest homes. In these systems, RFID tags alert nurses and medical professionals if an infant or other patient is passing through the exits or into unauthorized areas. In these systems, however, the RFID chip is contained in a wristband. 5:43:38 PM  PermaLink   / trackback []

VeriChip Implants 222 People With RFID. VeriChip Implants 222 People With RFID.   cnet-declan writes  "Anyone remember VeriChip, a company that came up with the idea of implanting chips in humans for tracking them? They've been behind ideas like RFID tagging immigrant and guest workers at the border, and they've persuaded a former Bush Health Secretary to get himself chipped. In this CNET News.com article, we offer an update on how successful the idea has been. It turns out that, according to IPO documents, 222 people have been implanted, with sales revenue of $100,000." [Slashdot: Your Rights Online] 5:41:22 PM  PermaLink   / trackback []

Sen. Ted Stevens Introduces "Son of DOPA". Sen. Ted Stevens Introduces "Son of DOPA". DJCacophony writes  "Ted 'series of tubes' Stevens has introduced a bill, going by the interim name S.49, that aims to block access to interactive websites from schools and libraries. The wording of the bill is vague enough to apply to Wikipedia, MySpace (and other social networking sites), and potentially even to blogs. The bill is apparently so similar to the failed Deleting Online Predators Act of last year that it has been termed 'Son of DOPA' by some." ---  Stevens introduced S.49, the text of which is not yet available, on the opening day of the legislative session. [Slashdot: Your Rights Online] 5:35:21 PM  PermaLink   / trackback []

Hitachi's Tiny RFID Chips. Hitachi's Tiny RFID Chips. paltemalte writes  "Hitachi has just come out with a new crop of RFID tags, measuring only 1/20 of a millimeter square. That's 1/8 the size (in linear dimension) of Hitachi's currently shipping mu-chips, which are 0.4 mm square. The new chip's width is slightly smaller than a human hair. These chips could put an end to shoplifting forever, but they could also be used by a governments or other entities to 'dust' crowds or areas, easily tagging anyone present without their knowledge or consent. Will someone come up with a surefire way of neutralizing chips that may be on your body or in your clothing?" ---  Hard to pin down a source on this. The article cites another blog, which points to an article in Japanese. [Slashdot: Your Rights Online] 5:32:21 PM  PermaLink   / trackback []

Film Insurers Recognize Fair Use. Film Insurers Recognize Fair Use. Copyright law has long caused headaches for documentary filmmakers. Fair use allows for the use of brief excerpts of copyrighted material, but that doesn't stop some copyright holders from threatening lawsuits and demanding exorbitant licensing fees. Unless they clear every snippet, filmmakers are generally unable to get "errors and omissions" insurance, and, without that, it's basically impossible to get a film distributed and released in the theaters or TV. To help clarify the principle of fair use, a group of five national filmmakers organizations put together a Statement of Best Practices in Fair Use in 2006. The Statement provides guidance for lawyers, broadcasters and insurers as to what constitutes fair use. And happily, the Statement has had a dramatic effect. Cable programmer IFC has been guided by the Statement in deciding what documentaries to air, and now insurers are using it to extend coverage for filmmakers. National Union, a major insurer, has recently adjusted its policy to extend coverage for fair use. Filmmakers can now purchase insurance provided an attorney with experience in copyright law is willing to attest that the film falls within the fair use as defined in the Statement. This is tremendous news for independent filmmakers, who should find it easier to make their art and inform the public without fear of being shut down by legal threats. As Professor Bill McGeveran suggests at the Info/Law blog this could also be "a powerful approach" for other creative communities "to preserv[e] fair use without direct legal action." Let's hope so. [EFF: Deep Links] 5:28:30 PM  PermaLink   / trackback []

Lauren Weinstein's Blog: New Short Video: "Is Your Cell Phone Bugged?" Greetings. I've been getting lots of continuing interest and queries in the wake of my blog item from late last year: How To Tell If Your Cell Phone Is Bugged In an effort to explain this issue in a more demonstrative and somewhat less technical manner, I'm pleased to announce a short free video (under six minutes): "Is Your Cell Phone Bugged?" While I'll admit that the production values are much closer to those of Ed Wood than of Cecil B. DeMille, I hope you'll still find this video to be interesting, or at least amusing. "Is Your Cell Phone Bugged?" Video Access Pages: Streaming Via YouTube Streaming or Download Via Google Video Be seeing you! --Lauren-- 5:26:07 PM  PermaLink   / trackback []

Privacy and Security Law Blog: Expanded Privacy Obligations for Telecom Carriers and VoIP Providers Under Consideration at the FCC The FCC is reportedly close to issuing a decision that would modify current rules governing the use, disclosure of, and access to certain information related to telephone subscriber calling records. Current rules require telecommunications carriers to treat this information, known in the industry as customer proprietary network information (CPNI), as confidential and to limit its use and disclosure. CPNI is broadly defined to include information that relates to the quantity, technical configuration, type, destination, location and amount of use of a telecommunications service. Generally speaking this includes call detail records, call volumes, customer account information, billing information, technical information, service destination, and the service plans to which a customer subscribes. Following several high-profile pretexting cases in 2005 which lead to the release of telephone subscriber records the FCC initiated a proceeding to revisit the scope and effectiveness of its current CPNI rules. Although the FCC has not yet released a decision outlining how it will amend current CPNI regulations, lobbying and advocacy before the agency has been particularly heavy in recent weeks. This renewed activity comes as a result of reports that the FCC will soon adopt an order expanding current CPNI regulations in several ways. While the details of the new measure are still being worked out, reports suggest that the draft order will impose several new obligations on telecommunications carriers. These obligations include the following: 5:21:50 PM  PermaLink   / trackback []

Drive-by Web Attack Could Hit Home Routers. Drive-by Web Attack Could Hit Home Routers. If you haven't changed the default password on your home router, do so now. [PC World: Latest Technology News] 5:18:30 PM  PermaLink   / trackback []

Media Giant Bullies Internet Critic. Media Giant Bullies Internet Critic. Discovery Communications Tries to Chill Speech with Baseless Legal Claims San Francisco - The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) warned Discovery Communications, Inc., today to cease its demands for the removal of an online template that uses humor to help people criticize the media company. The "SpankMaker," located at http://www.spankmymarketer.com/, helps users create parodies of a controversial marketing campaign in connection with a Discovery television production. The online tool provides images from the marketing campaign and Discovery's corporate websites, and allows users to modify them with commentary. A lawyer for Discovery has demanded that the website operator remove the template, claiming it infringes Discovery's copyright and is used to defame the company. But in a letter sent in response today, EFF outlines how the use of the images in the template is clearly a non-infringing parody. EFF also explains that the comments that offended Discovery are not libelous and that, in any event, Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act protects the creator of the SpankMaker from liability for comments written by others. "Once again, a business is trying to use false legal claims to chill criticism," said Staff Attorney Corynne McSherry. "Fortunately, more and more, the targets of these kinds of threats are fighting back." EFF's letter is part of its ongoing campaign to protect online free speech. Earlier this month, EFF provided legal support for environmental activists who were threatened by the Chicago Auto Show after posting an Internet parody. In November, EFF reached an agreement with the corporate owners of the popular children's television character Barney the Purple Dinosaur to withdraw meritless legal threats against a website publisher who parodied the character. For EFF's response letter: http://eff.org/legal/cases/discoverycom_v_rubinstein/response_letter.pdf Contact: Corynne McSherry Staff Attorney Electronic Frontier Foundation corynne@eff.org [EFF: Breaking News] 5:14:41 PM  PermaLink   / trackback []