BTC -The problem with data privacy is your ability to hang onto it is getting harder and harder. Last year we learned that almost every conventional Internet application and handheld device will leave behind a stream of data which leads back you, Jean Q. Public. You, being any number of marketing and logistics demographic information, of course. Businesses like Facebook became notorious for selling or just giving away your information to unnamed businesses and in some cases the FBI, for non-criminal matters.
Laws, like the ECPA, meant to protect your privacy in terms of your electronic communication pre-date the Internet. So, unless there’s an upgrade to digital due process, the information raids on your privacy will probably continue.
Here are 10 ideas on how to keep your data yours. The rule of thumb is that you should be able to opt-out of any online or digital service for violations of privacy.
1) Make the hard decisions about when and how to abandon a web service or application. Facebook has become a WANTED poster as serial offender against millions of users privacy. While some choose to abandon the enmeshed digital society, others will work really hard to stay on top of digital upgrades. New useful features on any web based app can report your information to someone unknown. So privacy upgrades may not extenuate into a company’s privacy policy. It really is always up to you.
2)Stop reporting everything you do from your web phone or handheld. (iPad, netbook, iPhone 4G) Location surveillance and call information is really really easy to poach or buy from your cell phone provider. Your mobile phone transmits location data about you directly to the web in most cases. Even crappy old phones leave bits of data laying around for snooping computers looking around for you. If you aren’t using your phone and you’re not expecting a call, take the battery out of your cell. It’s the best way to enforce your privacy on your own.
3)Shut off your electronic devices when you’re not using them. This interrupts the stream of data. The proverbial “they” in the unseen paranoid recesses of hackland cannot see you when you shut off your airport or unplug your internet or connection.
4)Contact your local, State and Federal leaders about digital privacy invasions which clearly violate your human right to common privacy. Sick of all the surveillance cameras? Don’t want a fusion center down the road from you? Do they want all of your identity and a blood sample before an approved purchase? If the TSA admin spent too much time checking out your backside on the X-Ray and then asked for a pat down too, it’s time to pick up a phone or a pen to squander the urge to get out the guns and the pitchforks. Seriously.
5)Stay informed of leaks, breaches or the sale of your personal information. Word search alerts will help you be better informed of issues with public and private data breaches. Poke around online for privacy journals. Computing and IT journals are also vigilant on information hacks and breaches. You can also subscribe to blogs like Slashdot, LossofPrivacy, BeatTheChip and PrivacyRights.org and others.
6)Meet the bullies in person ..or at least over the phone.
When you are the victim of identity fraud or privacy abuses it will impact the company/corporation/government office if you contact them to let them know where you stand on how your information is being handled or mishandled. While it may be considered confrontational for you to do this, let them know they may be hearing from an attorney next. If a company feels so entitled to sell information about you without your consent, it’s okay to show them you are a real person vs. a data account for sale.
7)Limit your use of credit and debit card transactions.
International banking policies are not going to be any nicer about keeping your transactional data private. US “know your customer” policies are deliberately intrusive with one sided protection of your information. You can look out for yourself by limiting the amount of debit and credit transactions, carrying more cash for necessary transactions and carrying through online purchase orders over the phone or via mail with checks, money orders or cashiers checks. It’s analog and slower, but it’s better for privacy. You might even discover buying with cash forces you into local shopping areas with one-of-a-kind stores, with unique finds you couldn’t get anywhere else. It’s worth exploring!
8)Look into existing privacy amenities.
You can defend your privacy with existing tools on the market. Oftentimes, there are existing settings you may not be aware of in upgrades. Right now Google is trying out the Do Not Track list for users who do not want their browser histories made available for sale. Most big technology companies have privacy offices who deal with the public. They are usually very helpful, nice people. So don’t call them when you’re mad.
9)Find alternatives to allowing your body images to be recorded as digital information.
There’s no easy way out. Companies and government offices seem to want a piece of you no matter where you go- so there is usually a digital record too. When they assume you should automatically give them a biometric or body identifier-like a fingerprint-you can ask for an alternative. If you get someone at the window who gets really demanding about this, you can opt-out or obfuscate the information they want. It’s not illegal...yet.
10) Don’t volunteer up private information to social networks, online gaming, the government, companies or anyone who doesn’t really care about your need for privacy. This is going to take some intestinal fortitude and more attention to detail to follow through with this. Sometimes you aren’t aware of what you are giving up when you sign up to win a hot car or when you visit doctors office and you are asked to fill out a survey. Only give the most focused and relevant information. Does the guy running a bread shop promotion need to know your age and what your natural hair color is? Does the dental office need to ask you about your mental health history? Does the post office need to know your place of employment? Not really. So don’t volunteer unless you really don’t care where that information goes. “Decline to state” or leaving a blank is an option too.
The strong point of privacy is that the intimidation and consequences are usually false or unenforceable. The costs to you are great. If your privacy is really valuable to you, trust yourself to look for alternatives to dealing with institutions and people who will put you and data about you in a compromised position in terms of your privacy.
This piece was done in conjunction with Data Privacy Day 2011
Friday, January 28, 2011
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
REDUX: "Climbing the walls of your electronic cage"
BTC- Late last year I started to get the distinct feeling I was voluntarily stepping into some sort of electronic or digital cage by using the Internet. Apparently, I am not the only one to have that thought. In fact, there has been commentary on our dimming prospects for privacy due to the net as far back as 1999!
The Michigan Law Review released this paper.
CLIMBING THE WALLS OF YOUR ELECTRONIC CAGE
A man named Lawrence Lessig came up with the idea of creating an online Constitution.
Late last year digital privacy proponents took a crack at developing the Social Networking Bill of Rights. His ideas may be what has helped inspire the Digital Due Process movement. Congress and the other federal branches are not making the 4th Amendment jump from analog to digital so cleanly.
FOR EXAMPLE: Regulating Google’s Results? Law Prof Calls ‘Search Neutrality’ Incoherent
Awesome reports from CNET and Gizmodo!
Here's second life for news that matters.
Phil Mocek wins his case against the TSA over the use of ID to fly. Shortly afterward, Jesse "The Body" Ventura - OUR HERO- launched his civil suit against the agency.
Homeland Security Showdown commentary c/o Dave Rittgers on Dana Priest's championship budget slaying contest. "A government agent on every corner, a wiretap on every phone" rivals Hoover's "a chicken in every pot" these days.
Location privacy is such a big deal. Sen. Ron Wyden introduced some mobile privacy legislation. On Friday, Data Privacy Day, CDT will be having a dinner to talk about the subject.
The irony and duality of Zuckerberg's Facebook identity as it was recently hacked. People are quickly tiring from
Egypt is in denial. They are clearly flipping out and trying to suppress "revolting" Tweets and Social Networking after Wikileaks dropped a cable concerning Tunisia. One might make the jump from here as to why the "kill switch" bill is returning to the U.S. Congress.
In case you didn't hear, Jane Hamsher of Firedoglake was detained for a couple of hours in an attempt to visit Brad Manning, who undoubtedly is being mistreated by his captors. If you're not sure about this, START ASKING QUESTIONS!
The Michigan Law Review released this paper.
CLIMBING THE WALLS OF YOUR ELECTRONIC CAGE
A man named Lawrence Lessig came up with the idea of creating an online Constitution.
Late last year digital privacy proponents took a crack at developing the Social Networking Bill of Rights. His ideas may be what has helped inspire the Digital Due Process movement. Congress and the other federal branches are not making the 4th Amendment jump from analog to digital so cleanly.
FOR EXAMPLE: Regulating Google’s Results? Law Prof Calls ‘Search Neutrality’ Incoherent
Awesome reports from CNET and Gizmodo!
Here's second life for news that matters.
Phil Mocek wins his case against the TSA over the use of ID to fly. Shortly afterward, Jesse "The Body" Ventura - OUR HERO- launched his civil suit against the agency.
Homeland Security Showdown commentary c/o Dave Rittgers on Dana Priest's championship budget slaying contest. "A government agent on every corner, a wiretap on every phone" rivals Hoover's "a chicken in every pot" these days.
Location privacy is such a big deal. Sen. Ron Wyden introduced some mobile privacy legislation. On Friday, Data Privacy Day, CDT will be having a dinner to talk about the subject.
The irony and duality of Zuckerberg's Facebook identity as it was recently hacked. People are quickly tiring from
Egypt is in denial. They are clearly flipping out and trying to suppress "revolting" Tweets and Social Networking after Wikileaks dropped a cable concerning Tunisia. One might make the jump from here as to why the "kill switch" bill is returning to the U.S. Congress.
In case you didn't hear, Jane Hamsher of Firedoglake was detained for a couple of hours in an attempt to visit Brad Manning, who undoubtedly is being mistreated by his captors. If you're not sure about this, START ASKING QUESTIONS!
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Monday, January 24, 2011
Dystopia defined according to Greenie, Chris Hedges
BTC - Thanks to Mister.re for sending this one over from Truth Dig's Chris Hedges. You may or may not buy into the economic direction of the piece, but I think it still has some really great articulations about the Orwell : Huxley problem of losing our privacy and information liberties.
2011: A Brave New Dystopia
2011: A Brave New Dystopia
"Orwell warned of a world where books were banned. Huxley warned of a world where no one wanted to read books. Orwell warned of a state of permanent war and fear. Huxley warned of a culture diverted by mindless pleasure. Orwell warned of a state where every conversation and thought was monitored and dissent was brutally punished. Huxley warned of a state where a population, preoccupied by trivia and gossip, no longer cared about truth or information. Orwell saw us frightened into submission. Huxley saw us seduced into submission. But Huxley, we are discovering, was merely the prelude to Orwell. Huxley understood the process by which we would be complicit in our own enslavement. Orwell understood the enslavement."::: MORE HERE:::
Social Networking a ~slight~ challenge to Government authority
Government bodies see "revolting" citizens
BTC - Facebook, MeetUp and other online groups have proven their worth as a tool for activists and organizers. While some may doubt their tweets, e-mail and calls-to-action online may have little effect on government, you should watch the following video titled, The State of the Social Net: A Catalyst for Civil and Political Revolt
Here's a really balanced article higlighting the fears and concerns of government in the age of Social Networking by Clay Shirky. It's not a fix-it article but it's intention is to keep government from flipping over their own boats.
The Political Power of Social Media
Technology, the Public Sphere, and Political Change
BTC - Facebook, MeetUp and other online groups have proven their worth as a tool for activists and organizers. While some may doubt their tweets, e-mail and calls-to-action online may have little effect on government, you should watch the following video titled, The State of the Social Net: A Catalyst for Civil and Political Revolt
Here's a really balanced article higlighting the fears and concerns of government in the age of Social Networking by Clay Shirky. It's not a fix-it article but it's intention is to keep government from flipping over their own boats.
The Political Power of Social Media
Technology, the Public Sphere, and Political Change
2011 State of the Net Conference, Video Recap
c/o InternetCaucusAC
VIEW ALL VIDEO HERE
The 7th annual State of the Net conference was held at the Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill on January 18-19, 2011. Attracting over 500 attendees annually, the State of the Net Conference provides unparalleled opportunities to network and engage on key policy issues. The State of the Net Conference is the largest information technology policy conference in the U.S. and the only one with over 50 percent Congressional staff and government policymakers in attendance. The State of the Net Conference is the only tech policy conference routinely recognized for its balanced blend of academics, consumer groups, industry and government. Over 50% of annual attendees government policy staff.
VIEW ALL VIDEO HERE
The 7th annual State of the Net conference was held at the Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill on January 18-19, 2011. Attracting over 500 attendees annually, the State of the Net Conference provides unparalleled opportunities to network and engage on key policy issues. The State of the Net Conference is the largest information technology policy conference in the U.S. and the only one with over 50 percent Congressional staff and government policymakers in attendance. The State of the Net Conference is the only tech policy conference routinely recognized for its balanced blend of academics, consumer groups, industry and government. Over 50% of annual attendees government policy staff.
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