In case there was any doubt that this whole digital passport / RFID passport thing was never about security (via Slashdot): “New microchip passports designed to be foolproof against identity theft failed the test when a researcher was able to manipulate one in minutes. The cloned passports were accepted as genuine by the computer software… Continue reading Microchip (RFID) Passport Cloned
Category: society
News from the Not-To-Distant Future
From a Slashdot comment on the story “Big Six UK ISPs Capitulate To Music Industry“: BBC News April 2nd 2010 ISPs have detected a massive spike in encrypted activity on the internet. Indecipherable “SSL” packets have increased in volume massively in recent months. This trend is seen as “disturbing” in the words of one child… Continue reading News from the Not-To-Distant Future
Sousveillance
This is encouraging: Now a countervailing storyline is starting to get some traction in real life: the increasing citizen use of technology to “watch from below.” The practice has been called “sousveillance,” a word that comes the French word “sous” (from below) with the word “viller” (to watch). Instead of Big Brother using a panopticon… Continue reading Sousveillance
TSA – Too much power, too little accountability
This article from “Ask the Pilot” by Patrick Smith is well worth reading. It recounts a story that a pilot had with the TSA people. Let me give you just one little snippet: “Ma’am, that’s an airline knife. It’s the knife they give you on the plane.“ You can probably imagine where this is headed.… Continue reading TSA – Too much power, too little accountability
The Story of the Black Crayons
Another shining example of people over-reacting. Basically, it is noticed that a child is always drawing with black crayons. Rather than ask “why” the child is always drawing in black, it’s immediately assumed that there must be some terrible psychological problem that needs to be addressed by calling in the parent and maybe prescribing some… Continue reading The Story of the Black Crayons