Archive for the 'Surveillance' Category
Intel’s New Mobile Chips Are Always Listening
September 6th, 2014Via: MIT Technology Review: A new line of mobile chips unveiled by Intel today makes it possible to wake up a laptop or tablet simply by saying “Hello, computer.” Once it has been awoken, the computer can operate as a voice-controlled virtual assistant. You might call out “Hello, computer, what is the weather forecast today?” […]
Red Light Camera Industry Fights Citizen Vote
September 4th, 2014Via: WTSP: Florida’s leading red light camera-provider American Traffic Solutions confirms to 10 Investigates Wednesday that it has joined the fight to prevent a citizen-backed referendum on red light cameras from ever reaching a ballot. The city is also fighting the referendum on grounds that it infringes upon city council’s power. However, the enemy of […]
NASA Building Air Traffic Control System for Drones
September 2nd, 2014Via: The Verge: NASA is developing an air traffic control system for drones. The New York Times reports the US space agency is working on creating a management system for vehicles that fly at around 400 to 500 feet off the ground — much lower than conventional aircraft — at its Moffett Field base around […]
Nigeria Launches New Biometric ID Card – Brought to You by Mastercard
September 2nd, 2014😯 Via: ZDnet: 13 million person pilot of national identity card combines both biometric verification for state services and a prepayment wallet aimed at bringing financial services to the poorest. … Civil liberties NGO Privacy International, which has raised concerns about misuse of surveillance data in Nigeria in the past — including the arrest of […]
Federal Cybersecurity Director Found Guilty on Child Porn Charges
August 28th, 2014Tor, Tor, Tor. Via: Wired: As the acting cybersecurity chief of a federal agency, Timothy DeFoggi should have been well versed in the digital footprints users leave behind online when they visit web sites and download images. But DeFoggi—convicted today in Nebraska on three child porn charges including conspiracy to solicit and distribute child porn—must […]
U.S. Begins Surveillance Flights Over Syria
August 26th, 2014Via: Syria: U.S. surveillance flights over Syria have started with President Obama’s go ahead, a step that will provide potential targets if airstrikes against Islamic State militants are approved. The Associated Press reported Tuesday that an unnamed U.S. official said the flights had begun. USA TODAY reported Monday that the flights will provide information on […]
Targeting Political Ads to Individuals
August 26th, 2014Via: Engadget: Like it or not, another US election is almost upon us — and this time around, the incessant political advertising may cut a little too close to home. Both Democrats and Republicans are using a new TV ad targeting system from DirecTV and Dish that takes advantage of voter records to put personalized […]
The Surveillance Engine: How the NSA Built Its Own Secret Google
August 26th, 2014Via: First Look: The National Security Agency is secretly providing data to nearly two dozen U.S. government agencies with a “Google-like” search engine built to share more than 850 billion records about phone calls, emails, cellphone locations, and internet chats, according to classified documents obtained by The Intercept. The documents provide the first definitive evidence […]
Yes, Mildred, Your Cell Phone Is Used to Track Your Position on the Ground
August 24th, 2014Keep in mind, what they’re talking about here is just the mobile network information. Most phones have GPS radios built in now, so I’d assume that the position data is accurate to within a couple of meters when the observers are the Five Eyes states. What I don’t know is how often they activate the […]
Bots on Patrol: Mobile Security Robot to be Mass Produced
August 22nd, 2014Via: Factor: In a move that will rock the job security of night watchmen everywhere, the world’s first commercially available security robot is set for mass production in the US. Designed by Denver-based Gamma 2 Robotics, the robot will now be manufactured entirely in the States, with a process that can be scaled up to […]
