spying

The Five Levels of ISP Evil

Stevie Converse — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 08:19:04 -0400

Full article: GigaOM
Dane Jasper
Recently a number of ISPs, using a system from Paxfire, have been caught improperly redirecting end-user traffic in order to generate affiliate payments. A class-action lawsuit has been filed against Paxfire and one of the ISPs. This is a serious allegation, but it's the tip of the iceberg. Most people don't understand the levels of sneakiness that service providers can engage in.

Should Cops Be Allowed to Scan Your Phone During a Traffic Stop?

Stevie Converse — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 11:17:25 -0400

Full article: Popular Mechanics
Glenn Derene
In Michigan, the American Civil Liberties Union has filed a complaint alleging that Michigan State Police officers used forensic cellphone analyzers to snoop in drivers' cellphones during routine traffic stops. Does the Fourth Amendment that protects Americans against illegal search and seizure stop an officer from scanning your phone?

iPhone Knows Everything About You

Stevie Converse — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 07:57:03 -0400

Full article: Open Mobile
Josh Levy
Lest you think that online and mobile privacy is a problem for dissidents in repressive countries, think again. The <em>Guardian</em> reported that security researchers have discovered that Apple's iPhone keeps track of where you go -- and saves every detail of it to a secret file on the device which is then copied to the owner's computer when the two are synchronized.

Apple Sued over Applications Giving Information to Advertisers

Stevie Converse — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 11:30:15 -0500

Full article: Bloomberg
Joel Rosenblatt
Apple, maker of the iPhone and iPad, was accused in a lawsuit of allowing applications for those devices to transmit users' personal information to advertising networks without customers' consent. The suit claims Cupertino, California-based Apple's iPhones and iPads are encoded with identifying devices that allow advertising networks to track what applications users download, how frequently they're used and for how long.

Stand Up to the Enemies of Internet Freedom

Stevie Converse — Wed, 12 May 2010 09:49:33 -0400

Full article: Christian Science Monitor
Bernard Kouchner
If human rights and democracy advocates refused to compromise their principles and used the Internet to defend freedom of expression, repression would be much more difficult.

Utah to Let Attorney General Have Info on Internet Users with No Judicial Oversight

Lindsy Embree — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 10:21:24 -0500

Full article: Techdirt
Mike Masnick
A proposal in the state legislature in Utah (known for passing some bizarre Internet related legislation in the past) would grant prosecutors stunning freedom to spy on Internet users without much oversight.

CIA Invests in Software Firm Monitoring Blogs, Twitter

Stevie Converse — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 08:52:43 -0400

Full article: DemocracyNow.org
The investment arm of the Central Intelligence Agency has invested in a software firm called Visible Technologies that specializes in monitoring social media sites, including blogs, Flickr, YouTube, Twitter and Amazon.

Privacy in Online Behavioral Tracking and Targeting -- It's Time to Protect Consumers

Stevie Converse — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 09:11:24 -0400

Full article: Electronic Frontier Foundation
Rebecca Jeschke
A coalition of consumer and privacy groups called on Congress to protect Americans' privacy from invasive online behavioral tracking and targeting. The groups likened the tracker to being followed by an invisible stalker -- individuals aren't aware that it's happening, who is tracking them, and how the information will be used.

Regulators Rethink Approach to Online Privacy

Stevie Converse — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 08:11:36 -0400

Full article: Wall Street Journal
Amy Schatz
Regulators are rethinking their approach to online privacy and security, asking academics, public interest groups and industry to suggest ways to overhaul rules to better protect consumers, whether they're sharing photos on social networks, using cell phone applications to find nearby restaurants or shopping online.

Coach Sued for Requesting Facebook Logins

Stevie Converse — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 08:31:56 -0400

Full article: eSchool News
Meris Stansbury
In a case that could set a precedent for whether school officials can legally peek into students' private social-networking accounts without justifiable cause, a high school cheerleader is suing her school and former coach for what she claims is a violation of her rights to privacy and free speech.