The Computer Guys & Gal
A newly uncovered computer virus called "Flame" spooks cybersecurity companies, while new revelations about the Stuxnet virus raise provocative questions about government cyber warfare. And digital activists consider the power of "Big Dada" by turning the tables on online advertisers and intentionally distorting the data they collect about consumers. The Computer Guys and Gal return to discuss the latest news in the tech world.
Guests
Computer Guys And Gal Picks
Summer fun in the tech world, and Father's Day and graduation gifts.
Allison
Father's Day gifts for the Computer Guy in your life
Summer fun (in the tech world)
Scorching hot (tech)
John
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Call the FCC! Kojo used the “Z” word on the air: Zettabyte
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Nominee for scam-of-the-month: Viruses move to social media
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Allison’s new wallpaper: a lovely shade of block
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The Flame computer virus: Your FAQs answered
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Oh no! Kojo will have to get a Facebook page in order to go clubbing in London
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The Washington Capitals got knocked out of contention, but D.C. is #2 in tech jobs!
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It's a walk of shame for Apple: Turns to Kaspersky Lab to point out vulnerabilities.
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Insight: Web 1.0, Web 2.0, no Web 3.0--it will be called “Mobile”
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Everyone is going mobile--payments included--but consumers trust banks
Bill
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Apple rumors looming before WWDC (June 11th): iOS 6 is expected, and with it are rumors of deep Facebook integration, as well as an overhauled Maps app, one that no longer relies on Google for data. The big feature is supposedly a sophisticated, fully 3D map view, complete with accurately modeled terrain!
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Not to be outdone, Google is also touting their 3D mapping technology, in a preemptive announcement on June 6
Father's Day ideas
Comments
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I have a question to your experts: I once had gmail and yahoo both open on my computer in different windows and gmail popped a window asking me to import my contacts from my yahoo accounts. How did google know I have another account open at that moment do they have an eye inside my computer?
I'll take the answer off the air.
Thanks!
Just to give you an idea about how widespread the tracking is, try opening the NYT website (which I assume to be relatively benign, but...): I get eight cookies just by opening it.
I just don't think it's possible to be a regular user and not be followed.
The conversation about tracking and privacy misses an important distinction between technology, legal and social methods of stopping organizations from profiling us individually or by categories. First on a technological front, cookies are only one technology that can be used to accumulate information. All web servers record the "http" log information that can be used to identify users as well. And there are other methods used as well.
The conversation should be moved to a legal understanding. Should there be legal rights or contractual methods that protect the online and offline users from having their data protected? I have a feeling that protections not being discussed that are more pressing include:
* can you lose your job just by speaking freely?
* can you lose your health care by searching for medical information?
* can you lose the ability to control your accounts which are used to identify, store your information, communicate and do business?
Or should privacy issues be based on market choices and business models and other non-legal methods? Should only the wealthy or technically proficient be protected? What enforcement is possible with weak click-thru contracts?
Also missing from this and most conversations is that stronger identity systems can allow for a much more robust access and control of personally identifiable information and attributes.
Daniel Bennett
CTO, eCitizen
Try this www.ghostery.com I have it on my computer, it shows cookies that are coming on your computer and allows you to block them.
Just to give you an idea about how widespread the tracking is, try opening the NYT website (which I assume to be relatively benign, but...): I get eight cookies just by opening it.
I just don't think it's possible to be a regular user and not be followed.
Being 'Defined' by computer algorithms limits exploration and growth.
If I'm always being served what I already am today . . . how will I ever become anything else?
We developed PrivateAgain software for our own internal use to get rid of all the tracking cookies at the end of each day. It also gets rid of the supercookies (often in flash) that are undeleteable from your browser.
You can learn more at our website - www.PrivateAgain.com
I have a question about what your guest said about protesting by flooding a site with Google Ad clicks: I do marketing work in the arts and as someone who has actively purchased Google ads, I know that there's a system in place to prevent this. When you buy ad space on google, you can specify a budget cap for your daily clicks so that you don't go over budget, either per-click or per-view, for instance if I only want to spend $1000 a day, Google will stop showing the ad once you hit your max budget. So in essence all such an attack would do is max out that company's ad budget and effectively stop showing their ad and line Google's pockets on the bargain. Other than decreasing their visibility, is there some aspect I'm missing about how this type of attack is effective? Thanks!