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The Prism
From ACM Opinion

The Prism

An extraordinary fuss about eavesdropping started in the spring of 1844, when Giuseppe Mazzini, an Italian exile in London, became convinced that the British government...

From ACM Opinion

Microsoft's ­.s. Law Enforcement and National Security Requests For Last Half of 2012

This afternoon we are publishing additional information about the volume of law enforcement and national security orders served on Microsoft. For the first time...

Connecting the Dots on Prism, Phone Surveillance, and the Nsa's Massive Spy Center
From ACM Opinion

Connecting the Dots on Prism, Phone Surveillance, and the Nsa's Massive Spy Center

Physically, the NSA has always been well protected by miles of high fences and electrified wire, thousands of cameras, and gun-toting guards.

Why Google Is the Big Data Company That Matters Most
From ACM Opinion

Why Google Is the Big Data Company That Matters Most

Every now and then, someone asks "Who’ll be the Google of big data?"

It's Time to Rewrite the Internet to Give US Better Privacy, and Security
From ACM Opinion

It's Time to Rewrite the Internet to Give US Better Privacy, and Security

Almost 15 years ago, as I was just finishing a book about the relationship between the Net (we called it "cyberspace" then) and civil liberties, a few ideas seemed...

Balancing Security and Liberty in the Age of Big Data
From ACM Opinion

Balancing Security and Liberty in the Age of Big Data

A very large Internet company once had the noble impulse to share some of its data with the research community.

From ACM Opinion

Blowing a Whistle

I'm glad I live in a country with people who are vigilant in defending civil liberties.

Fixing the Digital Economy
From ACM Opinion

Fixing the Digital Economy

Two big trends in the world appear to contradict each other.

Let's Rescue Metadata From the Spy Agencies
From ACM Opinion

Let's Rescue Metadata From the Spy Agencies

Once the civil libertarians have had their say, let's hope the really interesting questions start being asked.

What Would Happen If All Satellites Stopped Working?
From ACM Opinion

What Would Happen If All Satellites Stopped Working?

We may not always realise it, but we depend on space technology orbiting the Earth.

Why Americans Don't Fear the Nsa
From ACM Opinion

Why Americans Don't Fear the Nsa

Cybersnooping was always scheduled to be an important topic during President Obama’s meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

How to Protect Yourself from the Online Axis of Evil
From ACM Opinion

How to Protect Yourself from the Online Axis of Evil

North Korea and Iran are viewed as threats to the world because of their potential to field weapons of mass destruction, but they are far more likely to focus their...

Who's Watching You? Not Just the Nsa.
From ACM Opinion

Who's Watching You? Not Just the Nsa.

While you were tweeting an Instagram of your home-cooked tikka masala last night, we learned that the National Security Agency (NSA) has been collecting data on...

As Facebook Grows ­p, Grand Ambitions Get Reality Check
From ACM Opinion

As Facebook Grows ­p, Grand Ambitions Get Reality Check

Facebook, which once seemed poised to take over the Internet, is showing its limitations: a host of newer services are gaining ground among trend-setting youth;...

Google+ Isn't a Social Network; It's The Matrix
From ACM Opinion

Google+ Isn't a Social Network; It's The Matrix

Pretty much everyone (myself included) has been reading Google+ wrongly.

The Fbi's New Wiretapping Plan Is Great News For Criminals
From ACM Opinion

The Fbi's New Wiretapping Plan Is Great News For Criminals

The FBI wants a new law that will make it easier to wiretap the Internet.

The Banality of 'don’t Be Evil'
From ACM Opinion

The Banality of 'don’t Be Evil'

"The New Digital Age" is a startlingly clear and provocative blueprint for technocratic imperialism, from two of its leading witch doctors, Eric Schmidt and Jared...

Why the Html5 Standard Fight Matters
From ACM Opinion

Why the Html5 Standard Fight Matters

Today, EFF announced that it was making a formal objection to including consideration of digital rights management (DRM) in the First Public Working Draft from...

Search Me: Online Reputation Management
From ACM Opinion

Search Me: Online Reputation Management

A few weeks ago, I Googled a pub to find out where it was.

Flame One Year Later
From ACM Opinion

Flame One Year Later

It's been a year since the first reports of the Flame malware surfaced, and looking back at the 12 months since then, it seems more and more each day that the discovery...
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