Saturday, February 9, 2008

Hi, Big Brother, can I help you?

"The FBI is gearing up to create a massive computer database of people's physical characteristics, all part of an effort the bureau says to better identify criminals and terrorists.

But it's an issue that raises major privacy concerns -- what one civil liberties expert says should concern all Americans.

"It's the beginning of the surveillance society where you can be tracked anywhere, any time and all your movements, and eventually all your activities will be tracked and noted and correlated," said Barry Steinhardt, director of the American Civil Liberties Union's Technology and Liberty Project."
Link to CNN article- one of the mildest on the topic.

Friday, February 1, 2008

Health insurance companies can deny your coverage if they don't like your Myspace. True!

No, seriously, if you've got an eating disorder, don't put it online. Well, that should go without saying, but, hey, people do stupid things. Especially online. But this is pretty dodgy stuff here- read on and be horrified!

"Litigation over an insurer's refusal to pay health benefits for anorexia or bulimia may turn on what is revealed from the alleged sufferers' e-mails and postings on the social networking sites MySpace and Facebook.

...In December, U.S. Magistrate Judge Patty Shwartz ordered the plaintiffs to turn over by Jan. 15 the children's e-mails, diaries and other writings about their "eating disorders or manifestations/symptoms thereof, and related health conditions" that had been "shared with others, including entries on Web sites such as 'Facebook' or 'MySpace.'"
LINK