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
Showing posts with label privacy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label privacy. Show all posts
Friday, February 1, 2008
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Ever feel like somebody's watching you? Senate blocks use of ID implants in employees
For now. How long do you think it will be before Homeland Security requires this?
"Tackling a dilemma right out of a science fiction novel, the state Senate passed legislation Thursday that would bar employers from requiring workers to have identification devices implanted below their skin.
State Sen. Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) proposed the measure after at least one company began marketing radio frequency identification devices (RFID) for use in humans. The devices, as small as a grain of rice, can be used by employers to identify workers. A scanner passing over a body part implanted with one can instantly identify the person.
"RFID is a minor miracle, with all sorts of good uses," Simitian said. "But we shouldn't condone forced 'tagging' of humans. It's the ultimate invasion of privacy."
LINK
"Tackling a dilemma right out of a science fiction novel, the state Senate passed legislation Thursday that would bar employers from requiring workers to have identification devices implanted below their skin.
State Sen. Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) proposed the measure after at least one company began marketing radio frequency identification devices (RFID) for use in humans. The devices, as small as a grain of rice, can be used by employers to identify workers. A scanner passing over a body part implanted with one can instantly identify the person.
"RFID is a minor miracle, with all sorts of good uses," Simitian said. "But we shouldn't condone forced 'tagging' of humans. It's the ultimate invasion of privacy."
LINK
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Equal access to information? Not in U.S. public schools, no sir!
Wow- this is a scary one.
Schools around the country are using "acceptable use policies" to block student access to the open internet. If kids who might not have computers at home aren't able to use the internet at school, they are being denied education. A child without internet skills in America is a child who does not know how to fish.
"School administrators in the Houston-area school district were prohibiting the use of search engines in classrooms. Kids were only allowed to visit specific sites that were approved by the technology department. Techies—not media specialists—were calling the shots when it came to sanctioning sites for students. If teachers or librarians wanted kids to visit an unapproved site, they had to submit a request to the tech specialist. Call me old-fashioned, but when did techies become information specialists with the credentials to choose appropriate sites for students?
As unsettling as it sounds, some districts ban Internet use altogether—and they’re getting away with it. It’s not just happening in repressive countries like China and Iran—it’s happening right here in places like New York, Texas, and Minnesota. Let’s not lose sight that this extreme “solution” to prevent students from accessing undesirable sites violates their First Amendment rights. I know of several elementary schools in a nearby Texas district in which the principal prohibits any Web use—even for teachers. One teacher said she was saddened by the fact that she could no longer visit Literacy Center, a wonderful site for kids learning to speak English as a second language."
LINK to article- an interesting and thought provoking read!
Thanks to the fabulous Kristin for the tip! And hmmmm...
(From the article) "One librarian on the East Coast says that her students aren’t allowed to check the Web for weather reports even though many of them travel to and from school each day by ferry."
Schools around the country are using "acceptable use policies" to block student access to the open internet. If kids who might not have computers at home aren't able to use the internet at school, they are being denied education. A child without internet skills in America is a child who does not know how to fish.
"School administrators in the Houston-area school district were prohibiting the use of search engines in classrooms. Kids were only allowed to visit specific sites that were approved by the technology department. Techies—not media specialists—were calling the shots when it came to sanctioning sites for students. If teachers or librarians wanted kids to visit an unapproved site, they had to submit a request to the tech specialist. Call me old-fashioned, but when did techies become information specialists with the credentials to choose appropriate sites for students?
As unsettling as it sounds, some districts ban Internet use altogether—and they’re getting away with it. It’s not just happening in repressive countries like China and Iran—it’s happening right here in places like New York, Texas, and Minnesota. Let’s not lose sight that this extreme “solution” to prevent students from accessing undesirable sites violates their First Amendment rights. I know of several elementary schools in a nearby Texas district in which the principal prohibits any Web use—even for teachers. One teacher said she was saddened by the fact that she could no longer visit Literacy Center, a wonderful site for kids learning to speak English as a second language."
LINK to article- an interesting and thought provoking read!
Thanks to the fabulous Kristin for the tip! And hmmmm...
(From the article) "One librarian on the East Coast says that her students aren’t allowed to check the Web for weather reports even though many of them travel to and from school each day by ferry."
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
China looking at registering real names of bloggers
"China Internet Association Councilor Hu Qiheng said bloggers may have to identify themselves when they register, but can continue to write their blogs under a pseudonym.
By the end of 2006, the number of bloggers in China had reached 20.8 million, of whom 3.15 million are active writers, according to the China Internet Survey Report 2007 released earlier this month.
China had 137 million people online by the end of last year, up by almost a quarter from 2005, according to the China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC)." LINK
By the end of 2006, the number of bloggers in China had reached 20.8 million, of whom 3.15 million are active writers, according to the China Internet Survey Report 2007 released earlier this month.
China had 137 million people online by the end of last year, up by almost a quarter from 2005, according to the China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC)." LINK
Monday, January 29, 2007
Man is shocked- SHOCKED, I tell you, about non-censored internet at the library.
I do kind of feel for this guy, because I'm not a huge fan of the porn, but still, censorship is not cool.
"The rules and regulations when using a computer inside an El Paso library is simply showing a picture ID and signing in at the information desk. Librarians said there are no restrictions on what information you access on the Internet.
"In fact, there are privacy laws in this state that protect people's use to library resources to a certain extent. In that regard, we do not monitor what people are looking at on the computer," said Carol Brey-Casiano, director of El Paso Public Libraries.
"That's not acceptable. Opening all of these brand-new libraries with our taxes and everything, there has to be some kind of software that blocks that," Leyva said."
LINK
"The rules and regulations when using a computer inside an El Paso library is simply showing a picture ID and signing in at the information desk. Librarians said there are no restrictions on what information you access on the Internet.
"In fact, there are privacy laws in this state that protect people's use to library resources to a certain extent. In that regard, we do not monitor what people are looking at on the computer," said Carol Brey-Casiano, director of El Paso Public Libraries.
"That's not acceptable. Opening all of these brand-new libraries with our taxes and everything, there has to be some kind of software that blocks that," Leyva said."
LINK
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