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The Digital Tattoo Project Podcast raises questions, shares stories, speaks with experts and encourages us to consider our digital lives.
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In the News: Facebook begins launch of new petition feature
At the end of January, Facebook began to roll out a petition feature for users across the United States, calling the new tool “Community Actions.” Here, users are able to create a petition about a self-identified social issue, and accrue support from friends and members of the broader Facebook community. As well, this feature allows […]
In the News: WinRAR Users Threatened By Security Flaw
According to a report by ZDNet [1], WinRAR, a popular Windows software for file compression and decompression, is at risk of a security flaw unless updated. Researchers at Check Point Software Technologies [2], a cybersecurity company, discovered a vulnerability in the .ACE file format of compressed files. WinRAR is well known for offering its software […]
In the News: Indian government proposes strict internet censorship laws
The Indian government has recently announced a proposal for a strict form of internet censorship that many have noted to be comparable to the regulations practiced in China. Within these new rules, any online content that Indian officials deem to be “unlawful” will be removed [1]. However, definitions of what can be considered unlawful content […]
In the News: Reverse Location Search Warrant Leads Investigators to Google Location Users
Law enforcement agencies in Minnesota have been using reverse location search warrants to find the identities of smartphone owners that were at a crime scene. They accomplish this by issuing a warrant for Google to send the identity, billing and contact information, and web browsing history of all smartphones that reported that their Google Location […]
In the News: YouTube updates algorithm to make extremist content harder to find
Recently, YouTube has been frequently criticized for leading viewers to content promoting disinformation, conspiracy theories, and radical thought through the site’s ‘Recommended for you’ and ‘Up next’ features, which suggest videos for users to watch. As reported by The Wall Street Journal in February 2018, YouTube’s algorithm for recommendations is responsible for more than 70% […]
In the News: Japanese Government to Test IoT Devices by Hacking
The Japanese government amended a law [1] on January 25, 2019 that would allow internet-connected devices to be tested in a trial by fire, or in this case, trial by hacking. Specifically, they want to test the robustness of the default passwords and security set by various Internet-of-Things (IoT) devices, including smart doorbells, locks, lights, […]
In the News: Google’s Knowledge Graph can be used to misinform
Have you used Google to answer a question, to find that the answer appears in a big box on the right hand side of the search results? This is Google’s Knowledge Graph technology, which stores the ‘answers’ to common questions within a structured database that organizes information on websites in a standardized way [1]. It […]
In the News: Canada’s Auditor General reports ‘no plan’ to connect the digital divide
Though many perceive the ability to be online as a basic necessity, several rural communities across Canada still find themselves without access to high-speed connection. Many of these disconnected areas are Indigenous communities that already experience a disproportionate lack of vital resources, such as the absence of clean water or all-weather roads in the Shoal […]
In the News: Screen Composers Guild of Canada Proposes ‘Copyright Tax’ On Internet Use
A proposal by the Screen Composers Guild of Canada (SCGC) to The Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage, released on September 25, 2018, aims to introduce a ‘copyright tax’ on Internet use, according to the documents released by TorrentFreak [1] In the report [2], the SCGC proposed a tax collected by internet service providers “that is […]
In the News: Facebook pulls VPN from Apple App Stores over accusations of data harvesting
Virtual Private Networks, or VPNs, allow user internet traffic to be encrypted and redirected through a private server, creating added security for user data. Many people use these forms of anonymous browsing to transfer information, or mask geographic location. But what about the companies running the VPNs? Are they not able to see the traffic […]
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