Underground Knowledge — A discussion group discussion
MISCELLANEOUS TOPICS
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Big Data, analytics, social media, privacy and digital ethics
Iain wrote: "Why the breakup of the Big Four(Apple, Google, Amazon and Facebook) will never happenhttps://youtu.be/jD7LyAJWkZ0"
Well, for example it's hard, at this stage, to see YouTube (part of Google, of course), being usurped anytime soon.
Then again, I wondered if the increasing censorship on YouTube could eventually lead to a mass exodus of broadcasters and watchers could move to uncensored or less censored video platforms?
And likewise, could the likes of FB and Apple also receive the same fate too?
I understand where you're comin' from and there is truth in that sort of apathy, I sense.But I'm wondering if enough individuals get banned or censored from these platforms, they might antagonize a big enough percentage of the population to create demand for alternative platforms? And therefore competition to the Big 4?
p.s. Another point is do you think the Big 4 should be 4? Because I'm thinking it's more likely Big 3 with FB, Google and Amazon. Apple seems less secure, don't you think? Or am I missing something about them?
Iain wrote: "When technology can read minds, how will we protect our privacy? Tech that can decode your brain activity and reveal what you're thinking and feeling is on the horizon, says legal scholar and eth..."
Where's my...
...Minority Report?
IRS Revelations https://www.coasttocoastam.com/show/2...Regarded as one of the country’s premiere experts in IRS procedures, Daniel J. Pilla has helped thousands solve intractable tax issues. In the first hour, he discussed new privacy-invasive software that the IRS has contracted with Palantir for that will allow the agency to assimilate and analyze massive amounts of data on individual citizens. The data sets include not only tax and finance filings, but social media postings, emails, phone records, plus banking and credit card data, he cited, adding that their goal is to leverage the information to decide on who to audit. Pilla suggested that the US has not moved toward a simpler tax system like FairTax because Congress likes to pick economic winners and losers in the marketplace, giving favorable tax considerations to select businesses or activities.
What comes to my mind on all of this and after reading the posts here is that it is not the tech to fear in and of itself but rather the humans behind that tech and using it. The tech is their way in, their way to abuse or serve, distract or influence. Just like radio of the past, then TV then the internet people have clustered to it. But as much as there is bad just like people there is good. Connections made that may have never existed and political activism for the citizen on the couch made easier than ever bringing a bigger voice to democracy. Self published books that would have never had an opportunity against the massive publishers that "decide" what to print and again influence that is definitely within their mantra, are now flourishing and even competing successfully.
Iain wrote: "There’s a fun game I like to play in a group of trusted friends called “Controversial Opinion.” The rules are simple: Don’t talk about what was shared during Controversial Opinion afterward and you aren’t allowed to “argue” — only to ask questions about why that person feels that way. ..."if everyone did that...utopia is back on the cards!
Iain wrote: "Another Diebold scam/hack in the waiting? "Diebold = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AioJb...
Let's hope technology doesn't lead to anymore "useful idiots" in power.
Oh wait...
I hadn't ever considered that type of angle re Open Source...Seems like the worst implementation of Open Source tech could be even more dangerous for society than what we have now.
Iain wrote: "Mark Zuckerberg asks governments to help control internet content"Oh, great!
Iain wrote: "Open Source eVoting - Security Now 706Steve Gibson takes an early look at a VERY exciting and encouraging project to create an entirely open eVoting system.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppTCx..."
So there'd be a way to monitor exactly how every single person voted? No way to rig that, I assume? Or am I being naive?
Yes and I guess the other thing to factor in with elections is not just rigging elections to achieve a desired outcome.Outcomes often can be achieved in much simpler ways e.g. Big Tech promoting positive content of a certain candidate they like, then promoting negative content/articles about a candidate they dislike.
Yeah, I think it's the more subtle versions of propaganda that many miss when they try to argue we have democracy...or that it's still worth voting!
Iain wrote: "You know there's something up, and a story behind the story, when trial by social media prefer to emphasis on dragging you through the mud on specious rumor...."You also know something's up when a man is dragged out in a fucking coffin position (symbolism to say he's now as good as dead?): https://www.youtube.com/watch?=13&...
"There are conspiracies everywhere. There are also crazed conspiracy theories. It's important not to confuse the two." -Julian Assange
The True Conspiracy Behind Captain America: The Winter Soldier https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aO5vT...More than comic book fiction: Hydra's infiltration of SHIELD and its plan for world domination have surprising roots in reality...
Iain wrote: "China is Putting Sensors in Workers' Headgear to Measure Their Emotional State.https://twitter.com/WearableGuru/stat..."
jesus that's a worry!
Iain wrote: "Pinewood Studios: Man arrested after hidden camera found in ladies' toilet at Bond 25 filming siteA man has been arrested after a concealed camera was found in the ladies' toilets at the studio w..."
God dayum!
The idea of Aggression Detectors you posted earlier is freaky. You can see how the wrong person could be focused on there.
Iain wrote: "Some people misconstrue 'aggression' with being rightfully questioned about their unethical practises and allegations. Some clowns will go to any length just to be 'right' or qualify their nonsense..."Exactly
Why couldn't more than elections be conducted online Iain? I mean, if security could one day be sorted or at least close to sorted (given probably all elections have some degree of tampering). Why couldn't the public have a say in more and more decisions rather than just elections?
I'd still rather all that than just handing over our democratic rights for leaders for 3-4 years at a time...that seems a much more likely way to allow a crazed dictator to run amok...Democracy means we can have a say in everything. Pretty sure (from memory) the system we have now is called a Plutocracy.
And yeah, micro policy voting is what I suspect will be the future.
Iain wrote: "Facebook, Google, Twitter aren’t prepared for presidential deepfakesNone of the big three internet foghorns—Facebook, Google, or Twitter—seems to have a clear plan for dealing with AI-generated f..."
Soon we gonna need AI to differentiate for us?
Can you make money selling your data? https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/... Tech giants make billions from our data – why can't we do the same?
STOPPNow: (Stop the Organized Pill Pushers) Now A french reporter interested in saving France from the Opiate Epidemic that has ravaged the U.S. writes:https://twitter.com/FlStoppnow/status... If you can read french:https://t.co/0Kx6uK4J8k
Mark wrote: "Aleister Crowley?"How so?
Is this the thread that got us into trouble, Iain? (private joke, but you'll get it)
For new plans by the FBI to carry out surveillance of immigration activists: https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2019...
I'm really interested in to what extent the whole field of 'big data' is developing into an Orwellian tool of the state.
Watch The Great Hack on Netflix. True story 'the most valuable commodity in the world is now our data'.
Caseyruth wrote: "Watch The Great Hack on Netflix. True story 'the most valuable commodity in the world is now our data'."Yeah, that was an insightful documentary.
Iain wrote: "Chinese scientists develop handheld sonic weapon for crowd controlGas-powered device passed for mass production after two years of research
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/scien......"
I presume the scientists have taken the wearing of ear-muffs into account? I was amazed by how many HK protestors were decked out in gas-masks; where does one buy a gas-mask? But the understory of this is that China foresee protests as being a regular feature of the future. I wonder when the comminseriat will get that message?
With 1.3 billion population they'll need more than sonic weapons if Hong Kong is repeated on the mainland.
Iain wrote: "P.K. wrote: "With 1.3 billion population they'll need more than sonic weapons if Hong Kong is repeated on the mainland."If is the question. And a big if. China has a history of cohesion dating ba..."
Historically, the Chinese have always been of a conservative nature and that's why they have been relatively demur during the political changes over the past fifty years, but when they get upset they are not easily pacified. I know HK is a different animal, mostly because they have enjoyed an inclusive political system with economic success, hence their amazing anger over the threat to that freedom, but the mainland can't hide what is happening there completely, that is why they have been reluctant to get involved, for now, because if they did they would not be able to hide the repercussions and the reaction there would be from their own young, politically disenfranchised population. But, as you hint, empty bellies would cause the most noise and if the Trump tariffs continue to make inroads into their diving reserves HK might become the norm rather than the exception. And then there is Taiwan...
Iain wrote: "19 years of personal data was stolen from ANU. It could show up on the dark webToday it was revealed the Australian National University (ANU) fell victim to a cyber security attack in late 2018, ..."
It's all a bit frightening. Almost everything electronically transferred seems to be vulnerable to exposure. I won't even use online banking. I can see the day when we revert to letters and card-files fast approaching and when military units send despatch riders or pigeons back to HQ.
You're the tech kid, Iain. What is needed is a monitor app that parents can have in the living-room and alerts them if any of the kid's computers hit strategic words; sex, murder, hate,troll, strip, and I'm sure someone with more experience of those things than I can find many more. Or just a network computer link so that whatever the kids are reading can be periodically checked. Or the nuclear option; no computers in closed rooms.
Don't know Squid. So why don't more people use it? Physical security via digital means? How does that work?
Iain wrote: "Iain wrote: "P.K. wrote: "Don't know Squid. So why don't more people use it? Physical security via digital means? How does that work?"Using your phone's tracking capabilities and other features. ..."
My military training was mostly in the air. There were the occassional stints of crawling through mud etc but hand-to-hand stuff was all done in the bar afterwards. I thought choke-holds were just for dogs.
Iain wrote: "P.K. wrote: "Don't know Squid. So why don't more people use it? Physical security via digital means? How does that work?"Using your phone's tracking capabilities and other features.
If you know..."
The seeusafe site isn't up and working yet. But I'll check it out when it is.
Iain wrote: "P.K. wrote: "Iain wrote: "Iain wrote: "P.K. wrote: "Don't know Squid. So why don't more people use it? Physical security via digital means? How does that work?"Using your phone's tracking capabil..."
The hand to hand stuff in my bars was a tankard of ale. I've never been into weapons of any kind, I've always relied on my charm. I once held a Canadian lumberjack type around his waist and talked him out of destroying two of us. All he kept saying was; 'Leggo my shirt' and when I did he was as sweet as a kitten. But if I had to use a weapon I would choose a golf-club. I was pretty handy with a niblick.
Iain wrote: "P.K. wrote: "Iain wrote: "P.K. wrote: "Don't know Squid. So why don't more people use it? Physical security via digital means? How does that work?"Using your phone's tracking capabilities and oth..."
The site here says 'Coming Soon'. Is this a north/south split or an SNP embargo?
Iain wrote: "P.K. wrote: "Iain wrote: "P.K. wrote: "Iain wrote: "P.K. wrote: "Don't know Squid. So why don't more people use it? Physical security via digital means? How does that work?"Using your phone's tra..."
never was good at protecting birdies, Iain, nor picking them up. I'm sure seeusafe is the best thing since sliced bread but the site still won't open from your http link.
Iain wrote: "P.K. wrote: "Iain wrote: "P.K. wrote: "Iain wrote: "P.K. wrote: "Iain wrote: "P.K. wrote: "Don't know Squid. So why don't more people use it? Physical security via digital means? How does that work..."I'm running Windows 10 Pro with regular updates. Can't see how I could get past the site telling me, 'Coming Soon'
PRESENTATION:THE NEXT EPISODE OF BLACK MIRROR: “THE FUTURE OF MARKET RESEARCH”
How many of you own a Fitbit, or use ‘My Health’ or ‘Google Fit’ on your phone? As you know, there currently exists many apps and wearables which track specific metrics such as your spending, sleeping patterns, and health. Now imagine this, instead of needing to maneuver different apps and wearables, all metrics that you’d like to monitor are captured by a chip that is planted in your hand. And on top of this, the chip can capture all elements like emotions, behaviours, products used, advertisement exposure. This might sound like an episode of ‘Black Mirror’, but in reality, this is already occurring…this is the future of behavioural data. Now what if I told you, your data would be shared to help brands develop tailored products for you; you would remain anonymous, and it wouldn’t affect your daily life, but in the background, your data is being captured and aggregated with thousands of others to be used for commercial purposes. Would you agree to this? Probably no right?…Now, what if I told you that you’ll receive a sum of money in return?…So the question we’d like to ask the audience is, what’s YOUR price of privacy?
Iain wrote: ""what’s YOUR price of privacy?"Excellent question...."
I'm pretty sure "they" will find the price, Iain.
And many of "us" will sell cheaper than would be assumed...
What's your thoughts, iain, on "tech bigwigs" who set up new initiatives that supposedly provide a service to a sector of society (e.g. Students) but are actually it's just a charade and they creators only have one intention: to get as much personal data from the unsuspecting users as possible, including even health data...to onsell that data to the likes of insurance companies.
Underground Knowledge — A discussion group
Books mentioned in this topic
Big Data: A Revolution That Will Transform How We Live, Work, and Think (other topics)STOPP (Stop the Organized Pill Pushers) Now (other topics)
What ideas come to mind when you hear that list?