Tag - Privacy
Technically Speaking: Differential Privacy
At the 2012 launch of the iMac, Phil Schiller said on stage that "you'll be able to go home and tell people today you heard about plasma deposition." You didn't. Nobody did. Yet at this year's WWDC when Apple mentioned their next new term, suddenly everyone's talking about it. Differential Privacy sounds just about as much a jargon term but it's concerned with something that affects every single iPhone user. It's a term for what's both technically intricate and politically on fire.
Gawker files for bankruptcy protection following Hogan lawsuit loss
Major online publisher Gawker Media has filed for bankruptcy protection today, in the wake of the company's defeat in a lawsuit earlier this year. Owner Nick Denton made the Chapter 11 filing at the Southern District of New York Bankruptcy Court, declaring its assets are not able to cover the $140 million judgment against the company awarded to former wrestler Hulk Hogan in a privacy trial earlier this year.
Hands On: 99check 1.6 (iPhone)
No doubt, Apple's Find My Friends is a smart way to know where everyone you care about is right now. At least, it is if they all have iPhones, and it is if neither you nor they think this is beyond creepy. You're not going to be following their every move, but you could -- and if that doesn't give you pause, this should: they'd be able to follow your every move, too. The newly-updated 99check 1.6 gives you the benefits of Find My Friends, without the Big Brother don't-stray-from-the-path problems of Apple's solution.
Two court rulings obliterate Fourth Amendment digital protections
Two different US Appeals courts issued two different rulings on privacy-related cases on Tuesday that together deal severe blows to the concept of personal and computer privacy. In Richmond, Virginia, the full Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, in an en banc ruling, voted 12-3 that authorities do not need a warrant to obtain location information based on cell phone location from carriers. In New York City, a bitterly-divided Second Circuit court ruled that the government can mirror hard drives for one criminal action, and preserve that data indefinitely for use in possible future criminal actions.
Iran orders apps to store data on servers within the country
Iran is demanding messaging apps from other countries store some user data within its borders. Announced on Sunday, Iran has ordered social media sites, including Facebook and Twitter, as well as messaging services, to transfer data held about Iranian users to servers located within the country itself, something which could lead to less privacy for the country's citizens as well as the potential of more control over online access by the government.
Apple job posting hunting for lawyer with health, HIPAA expertise
A new Apple job posting has the company seeking out a lawyer with expertise in health, sparking suggestions that it could be another indication Apple has greater aspirations in the areas of health monitoring, fitness, and medical purposes, notes Business Insider. Specifically, the job summary shows that the company wants a new Privacy Counsel with experience working with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), and with the health industry at large. The successful applicant would provide legal advice on privacy issues potentially impacting the company's products, as well as its other business activities.
Pointers: hotel Wi-Fi tips
You do have to pity hotels: they spent all that money fitting Ethernet to their rooms, and then nobody used it because Wi-Fi came along. Mind you, your pity may get a little tempered by how the hotel often charges you for that Wi-Fi hand over fist. We'd rather not pay excessively for Internet access, but our concern today is less about price, and more about privacy. Hotel Wi-Fi can save your bacon on a trip -- but it can also be how nefarious people in the next room get your bank details.
The MacNN Podcast, episode 61: Dalek Management Hierarchy Theory
This week on The MacNN Podcast episode 61, Mike and Charles briefly discuss how we've structured the leadership of this site modeled on the Dalek hierarchy, and in the tradition of the Daleks, the news is mostly bad -- and that's even before we get to the latest FBI/DOJ shenanigans, this week adding the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court to the cast of this drama, sadly on the side of authoritarianism over liberty. The parade of really not-thought-through attempts to modernize privacy laws in the era of digital encryption continues.
House of Representatives unanimously pass Email Privacy Act
The US House of Representatives has unanimously voted in favor of approving a bill that could help prevent US citizen's emails from being easily accessed by law enforcement. The Email Privacy Act, which would require security forces to gain a warrant before being able to access email accounts, was approved with a vote of 419 for the bill and no votes against, with the bill now set to move towards the Senate on its way to becoming a law.
Apple: FBI has not 'exhausted' avenues in NY iPhone case
While the San Bernardino "FBI vs Apple" case may have been dropped, the repercussions of both the FBI's initial aggression in the case, and its ultimate actions there, have had ripple effects; both on the national debate over encryption and privacy, as well as in other court cases where the agency -- along with the US Department of Justice -- continue to try and force Apple to disable or compromise its security. In a new filing arguing in favor of a Brooklyn court ruling that Apple was not obligated to crack its own iPhones, Apple points to the San Bernardino case in arguing that the agency has not "exhausted" all avenues, a key requirement of the All Writs Act the FBI is trying to use to force Apple to cooperate.
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Cirrus creates Lightning-headphone dev kit
Apple supplier Cirrus Logic has introduced a MFi-compliant new development kit for companies interested in using Cirrus' chips to create Lightning-based headphones, which -- regardless of whether rumors about Apple dropping the analog headphone jack in its iPhone this fall -- can offer advantages to music-loving iOS device users. The kit mentions some of the advantages of an all-digital headset or headphone connector, including higher-bitrate support, a more customizable experience, and support for power and data transfer into headphone hardware. Several companies already make Lightning headphones, and Apple has supported the concept since June 2014. http://bit.ly/29giiZj
Apple Store app offers Procreate Pocket
The Apple Store app for iPhone, which periodically rewards users with free app gifts, is now offering the iPhone "Pocket" version of drawing app Procreate for those who have the free Apple Store app until July 28. Users who have redeemed the offer by navigating to the "Stores" tab of the app and swiping past the "iPhone Upgrade Program" banner to the "Procreate" banner have noted that only the limited Pocket (iPhone) version of the app is available free, even if the Apple Store app is installed and the offer redeemed on an iPad. The Pocket version currently sells for $3 on the iOS App Store. [32.4MB]
Porsche adds CarPlay to 2017 Panamera
Porsche has added a fifth model of vehicle to its CarPlay-supported lineup, announcing that the 2017 Panamera -- which will arrive in the US in January -- will include Apple's infotainment technology, and be seen on a giant 12.3-inch touchscreen as part of an all-new Porsche Communication Management system. The luxury sedan starts at $99,900 for the 4S model, and scales up to the Panamera Turbo, which sells for $146,900. Other vehicles that currently support CarPlay include the 2016 911 and the 2017 models of Macan, 718 Boxster, and 718 Cayman. The company did not mention support for Google's corresponding Android Auto in its announcement. http://bit.ly/295ZQ94
Apple employees testing wheelchair features
New features included in the forthcoming watchOS 3 are being tested by Apple retail store employees, including a new activity-tracking feature that has been designed with wheelchair users in mind. The move is slightly unusual in that, while retail employees have previously been used to test pre-release versions of OS X and iOS, this marks the first time they've been included in the otherwise developer-only watchOS betas. The company is said to have gone to great lengths to modify the activity tracker for wheelchair users, including changing the "time to stand" notification to "time to roll" and including two wheelchair-centric workout apps. http://bit.ly/2955JDa
SanDisk reveals two 256GB microSDXC cards
SanDisk has introduced two 256GB microSDXC cards. Arriving in August for $150, the Ultra microSDXC UHS-I Premium Edition card offers transfer speeds of up to 95MB/s for reading data. The Extreme microSDXC UHS-I card can read at a fast 100MB/s and write at up to 90MB/s, and will be shipping sometime in the fourth quarter for $200. http://bit.ly/294Q1If
Apple's third-quarter results due July 26
Apple has advised it will be issuing its third-quarter results on July 26, with a conference call to answer investor and analyst queries about the earnings set to take place later that day. The stream of the call will go live at 2pm PT (5pm ET) via Apple's investor site, with the results themselves expected to be released roughly 30 minutes before the call commences. Apple's guidance for the quarter put revenue at between $41 billion and $43 billion. http://apple.co/1oi1Pbm
Twitter stickers slowly roll out to users
Twitter has introduced "stickers," allowing users to add extra graphical elements to their photos before uploading them to the micro-blogging service. A library of hundreds of accessories, props, and emoji will be available to use as stickers, which can be resized, rotated, and placed anywhere on the photograph. Images with stickers will also become searchable with viewers able to select a sticker to see how others use the same graphic in their own posts. Twitter advises stickers will be rolling out to users over the next few weeks, and will work on both the mobile apps and through the browser. http://bit.ly/29bbwUE
