More on private data, here in the bubble

About three months ago an article in the New York Times indicated that our very own Stanford Hospital had a data breach and that many patients records were released. It's important to note that the data wasn't directly leaked by the hospital but instead posted publicly by an outside contractor, who very quickly took it down after being notified of its public availability. The information was expansive but it wasn't everything, it was only of a 6 month period in 2009 and didn't include credit card information, social security numbers, and various other tools for identity thieves.

This incident, along with others nationally, follows a provision of the federal stimulus passage that mandates public reporting of information breaches. This incident reminds us that even hospitals aren't safe from information leaks. In an age where we are all connect I find it discomforting that not only can we contact everyone but we can learn most things about them without even asking. Even though the hospital is trying to make it up by offering free identity protection to those affected, it doesn't change what has happened/is happening around the country. Hopefully in the coming years new ways to protect information online come to fruition because especially with groups like lulzsec and Anon lurking, nobody can be too safe.

Private Information and Web Browsing

Recently I've been reading about the leakage of information on the internet. I've always been curious about directed ads, which seem to always be related to what I'd been recently browsing whether it be video games or shoes. Unfortunately, these ads aren't the result of voodoo magic but instead information collection and redistribution. A study at Worchester Polytechnic Institute showed that many popular sites release information, some intentionally and others through collaboration with advertisers. Third parties monitor these sites, collecting data such as searches, browser information, and email addresses in order to shape their marketing plans.

I personally don't approve of this. I don't feel that it's right that without my consent my data could be collected and given to third parties who are trying to sell me something. I compare this to the Video Game industry. In most beta tests, the company developing the game explicitly asks to collect information from your computer in order to help them with the development of the game (optimizing and other things to ensure that it runs smoothly). I find this very agreeable, as part of my duty as a beta tester is to help find bugs and guide the development process. However, when I peruse through a site I don't expect them to be following me and telling someone else that I'm interested in a pair of Nike sneakers. The odds are, I'll find what I want before the advertisements can take effect on my next visit to Facebook or Youtube. Overall I find these to be a mild invasion of my privacy and more of a nuisance than anything else, hopefully websites begin to monitor my data as well as other users' information more closely.

The Occupy Movement

Like many other activist groups around the world, the Occupy movement has created many websites dedicated to centralizing information and rallying people. Occupywallst.org includes livestreams, a twitter feed, and various other features to keep people who support the movement informed. Not only do they cover the Occupy movement itself but they also include news from Egypt and other countries who are protesting. Perhaps the most useful feature for keeping the movement alive is the agenda, each day there are timestamps with descriptions indicating where and when an event is going to be held in New York City. For example:
Think Tank Discussion
When Tue, November 22, 12pm – 6pm
Where Liberty Plaza Between Media and the Kitchen (map)
DescriptionGot ideas? Join the #OWS Community at Liberty Plaza for daily discussions on various topics. This daily event is open to all noon to six pm. Ideal for those new to #OccupyWallStreet or people looking for contribute & engange in a meaningful manner with our dynamic community.

Through the incorporation of these various features, Occupywallst.org presents itself and its argument in a legitimate fashion that can only be respected. Although my feelings on the actions of the movement are mixed, it is definitely a positive element to have their argument stated centrally http://occupywallst.org./about/.

A broader approach to the Occupy movement is on http://www.occupytogether.org/, a website dedicated to the movement in all cities. Based on the same principles, Occupytogether seeks to unify the movement's rallies in other cities. The site itself is a strong example of political activism on the internet, in the FAQ the website creators reveal themselves to be two designers and an artist, looking to help promote and strengthen Occupy.

Although in practice the movement is questionable, it is in and of itself an example of internet activism (as well as physical demonstrations) right here in the United States.

The internet's relationship with domestic and international politics

Meetup.com, I certainly had not heard about it till recently but it offers something very reasonable, a chance for people with similar ideas to meet and discuss their opinions and beliefs. Unsurprisingly, Ron Paul reaps most of the benefits of this website as he is very far out of the coverage range of the more common media. However, Micah Sifry says Meetup.com helps Americans create quasi-third parties and I'm inclined to agree. It's hard to imagine a third party ever gaining prominence in this country without being absorbed into the Democrats and Republicans. The internet provides a means for people of alternate opinions to gather and express themselves in an environment that doesn't select information based on potential positive ratings and other shallow measures. Furthermore, this promotes actually gathering together, an essential American right. Meetup.com has a positive effect on our Democracy by allowing for discussion, as opposed to polarizing reductions of ideas (such as Twitter and many Facebook posts) through both the internet and physical discussion.

Another notable outlet of internet activism is TechPresident, which shares the successes and trials of internet policy and programs. Notable mentions include a hackathon intended to reveal the frequency with which government requests Google content be removed and the effect of the web on a significant Mayor election in Italy. By publicizing the effects of internet activity, TechPresident motivates and informs the public to use it as a tool to push forward ideas.

Social Networking and Revolution

This week the emphasis shifts again. Recently I've been looking into the effects of social networking websites including Twitter and Facebook on "oppressed" populations. Based on a few articles it seems like that despite the increased rate of information spread accompanying the internet, it also brings along certain dangers. In the video put together by Al Jazeera, the government in Tunisia set up phishing scams to find dissidents and shut them down. Furthermore, many countries in similar situations have control over the internet within their borders and such as in the case of Egypt, may shut it down entirely albeit temporarily. There are many positives and negatives to this new way to transmit information, the most significant being that it causes social tension to erupt because of the rapid spread of information and it also lets the outside world know more about whats happening. Overall, to simplify things, it makes the environment more reactive and also more dangerous, lowering the chance of success for governments while increasing the danger faced by the population in revolt. Unfortunately, it's hard to discern whether or not this is a bad thing and I'm inclined to say that the social benefits of spreading information outweigh the risk of being discovered and shut down.

Moving On, a less radical form of activism

Moveon.org is a liberal site dedicated to motivating the liberal segments of the population to support legislation and political figures that align with their ideals. Unlike the groups mentioned in previous weeks, Moveon is presented in a much more legitimate fashion. The site overall is a meeting ground for liberals to collaborate and support eachother in their causes. Most recently, as can be seen on the website, the focus of Moveon.org and liberals in general has been the Occupy movement, an effort described as an attempt to bring change to a broken system that promotes economic and social inequality at the cost of a majority of the population. Other issues subject to the scrutiny of Moveon.org include the semi-recent Healthcare bill as well as gay marriage. As a political entity, Moveon's radical nature is not compounded with questionable actions such as Anonymous (which has been incredibly active recently, targetting Fox News and a Mexican Drug Cartel). The existence of a website such as this is a testament to the increasing relevance in technology in society and government.

Sources:
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F0DE3D91F30F931A15753C1A96F9C8B63&ref=moveon.org
Moveon.org
www.nytimes.com/2009/02/27/us/politics/27liberal.html?ref=

Cyberattacks and Infrastructure

A slight deviation this week. A story that recently caught my attention and one that I definitely didn't know about until this summer was the increasing amount of cyber attacks on the United States. With the increasing amount of computer technology also comes an increased amount of vulnerabilities. As summarized in the article, the internet's utility for connectivity comes with a price. Since 2010, reported cyberattacks have almost tripled from 116 to 342 with 2 months left in the year. However, it is important to note that these reports are not mandatory so it's possible that there may be many more attacks than the ones we know about.

This brings to light some very real issues, such as a virus infecting the Uranium enrichment facility in Iran last year. This article suggests that the United States and many nations will now have to focus heavily on developing teams such as the one in Idaho that are trained to deal with these kinds of attacks. It's scary to think that someone or some entity with malevolent intentions could infiltrate a power plant without physically stepping on the grounds. Like the previous weeks' posts about Anon and Lulzsec, this reveals yet another arena to make an aggressive political move, even one that may endanger others.

article used: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/09/30/scitech/main20113730.shtml