Posted March 11th, 2010
Filed under: Sharing Info Online, Internet Dangers, Technology, Articles of Interest
There is a debate about how or if parents should use spyware on their kids’ computer to find out what their kids are doing online. This is a debate between parents, but is not a legal debate. Apparently a high school in Philadelphia took this idea to another level.
A Pennsylvania school district is being investigated by the FBI for remotely activating the web cams on the laptops they issued to students. The school district says that they were wanting to track online behavior when the students were supposed to be doing homework. The parents of these students disagree, saying it was a clear privacy violation. It is still unknown how the FBI will find, but I would not at all be surprised to find this a question posed to either the state’s or the U.S. Supreme Court.
What do you think? Privacy violation or good intentions communicated poorly?
Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Posted March 3rd, 2010
German court rejects police data snooping store: “
Leaves Euro spooks in limbo
Germany’s High Court has told police and secret services that they must stop storing email and telephone data and delete information already collected.…
“
(Via The Register – Public Sector.)
Posted February 21st, 2010
Google says sorry and changes Buzz after privacy outcry: “Google has made major changes to the way its new social networking service works after being at the centre of a storm of criticism claiming that the service had violated users’ privacy.”
(Via OUT-LAW News.)
Posted February 20th, 2010
Google Alters Buzz to Tackle Privacy Flaws: (New York Times)
Google moved quickly to contain a firestorm of criticism over Buzz, its new social network, taking the unusual step of announcing changes to the product over the weekend to address privacy problems. Google has decided to alter one of the most vehemently criticized features in Buzz: the ready-made circle of friends that Buzz gives new users based on their most frequent e-mail and chat contacts. Now, instead of automatically connecting people, Buzz merely suggests to new users a group of people that they may want to follow or want to be followed by. See also HOW TO: Integrate Facebook, Twitter, and Buzz into Your Gmail (Mashable), Buzz or Bust by Leslie Harris, President and CEO of the Center for Democracy & Technology, Google boss says ‘nobody was harmed’ by Buzz debacle (Guardian) and Google facing lawsuit over Buzz privacy in federal court (Ars Technica).
(Via QuickLinks Update.)
Posted February 18th, 2010
Google forced into Buzz revamp over privacy row: “Google has been forced into a hasty revamp of Buzz, its new social networking service, after users claimed that it breached their privacy.“
(Via Tech and Web from Times Online.)
