Tag Archives: politics

Thoughts

Mobile phone users should be more alert

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Mobile phone users should be more alert, that’s probably true in many cases (and I include myself here). But I don’t think in the sense as reported in Mobile phone users should be more alert, says ex-security chief.

We could and should all probably be more alert to our surroundings. To notice the little things, may be an animal, or a beautiful view, or a person in need of help. To enjoy life by enjoying the little pleasures of seeing or hearing or smelling what’s around us. To notice others and may be enjoy something with them or help them with something and make their day better.

But I very much doubt it needs to be out of paranoia about possible terrorist attacks. If you just walk around looking out for possible terrorist threats you’ll just make your life a misery.

Oh, and as far as the Munich events (or lack thereof) go, unless there are any confirmed arrests I don’t believe there was anything. If there were any terrorists with bombs ready to attack, surely closing the train stations wouldn’t have stopped them? I should think they would have just improvised and found another busy enough target?

Thoughts

The privacy risks of Big Data

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Kind of a follow up to the It’s not a question of if, but only of when post from a few weeks ago. A fascinating but also scary read how it is possible to identify individuals from theoretically anonymised data:

Riding with the Stars: Passenger Privacy in the NYC Taxicab Dataset

Similar to this there is a lot of information in an itemised bill. Or a record of all websites visited…

Thoughts

It’s not a question of if, but only of when…

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… there will be a breach and some ISPs data of this will be leaked, causing all kinds of embarrassment for a lot of people (including those of the “I’ve got nothing to hide” brigade).

I wonder if Teresa May will laugh it off then as in her response to Keith Vaz:

Noting Mrs May likened it to an itemised phone bill, the Labour MP said:

There is a lot of information in an itemised bill. If I was to look at her itemised telephone bill and she was to look at mine, she might be surprised at who were were phoning.”

 “Speak for yourself”, someone could be heard shouting from the green benches – which Mrs May quipped was the “right response”.

PS: This is also a fairly comprehensive analysis of the surveillance bill draft announced today, including the risk of breaches