STUDY: Twitter Use Is On The Rise
Startling Percentage Of Computer Users Are 'Pirates'
The FBI's Spyware: Is it Watching You?
Privacy advocates, prepare thy letter writing hands. A student at Timberline High School, outside Seattle, Washington, has recently been arrested for calling in repeated bomb threats. That, you should have no problem with.The scary part is the manner in which he was caught and convicted. Josh Glazebook, 15, taunted authorities via e-mail and even created a MySpace profile called Timberlinebombinfo (shown), which used the alias Doug. It's through this profile that the FBI was able to track down Josh. Using a fake profile, the FBI sent a message to Timberlinebombinfo that installed a hacker-style trojan horse on his PC. The FBI spyware collected a wide range of information including the computer's IP address, MAC address, open ports, a list of running programs, the operating system type, version and serial number, preferred Internet browser and version, the computer's registered owner and registered company name, the current logged-in user name, the last-visited URL and the IP Address of every computer it connects to. Phew...
The FBI was able to install this program without a suspect or wiretap warrant because "under a ruling this month by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ... Internet users have no 'reasonable expectation of privacy' in the data when using the Internet."
So note: Simply using the Internet disqualifies you from normal expectations of privacy and safety of your data.
See Wired for the full story.
Related Links:
- 1,000 Cell Phones Smuggled Into CA Prisons
- Man Charged for Using Cafe's Free Wi-Fi
- MySpace Hands Over Sex Offender Data
Zhang Ziyi Slams Prostitution Allegations
Disney World Scammers Scored Four Years of Free Vacations
Lost Dr. Seuss Cartoons Show Another Side Of The Author
Rookie Cop Reportedly Berated, Called 'A Rat' For Arresting Off-Duty Officer
Stranger's Kiss Keeps 16-Year-Old From Committing Suicide
Disturbing Video Allegedly Shows Montreal Torso Suspect Murdering Victim
Walmart Ending Membership in Conservative Group
Apple CEO Tim Cook interview at D10: the liveblog
Student Ate Roommate's Brain And Heart, Cops Say
How I Went Bankrupt at 23
Can a New Guy Save Best Buy?
40 Years Later 'Napalm Girl' Tells Her Story
Woman Claims Kangaroo Stalked Her for 2 Days, Then Attacked
Rodents Run Amok at Upstate New York Walmart
LOOK: Photos Of Military Moms Breastfeeding In Uniform Cause Controversy
Beyonce 60-Pound Weight Loss: Queen B Flaunts New Figure During Comeback Concert Series
Chain Food Showdown: The Best & Worst Buffalo Wings
Maine Police Believe Ayla Reynolds Is Dead
Heidi Klum's Sexiest (And Scariest) Outfits
Is This The Most Timeless Hairstyle, Ever?
National Spelling Bee Winner Is I-M-P-R-E-S-S-I-V-E
Edwards Found Not Guilty On Count 3, Jury Hung On Other Counts
PHOTOS: Charlize Theron's Short And Shoulder-Baring Style
The State With The Most Smokers Is...
Calif. Man Becomes Internet Sensation In China For Random Act Of Kindness
Is Kate Walsh Leaving 'Private Practice' Next Season?
Brooke Shields Goes From 'Pretty Baby' To Gorgeous Woman
Space Agency Predicts Date Of World-Ending Galactic Smash-Up
Witherspoon Bigamy Case Heats Up
See Kim Without Her Wig On 'Don't Be Tardy For The Wedding'
Jim Moret: 'Still The Most Beautiful Girl I've Ever Seen'
The Coolest Movie Posters You've Never Seen
Comments
126
Subscribe to commentsSusanAug 18th 2007 10:09AM
PS-Another example of what we've allowed to happen to our "civilization", my son got into a schoolyard fight, he now has AGGRIVATED ASSAULT on his record! He's 16. WTF??? Even for self defense. They said he had no right to hit the kid back. I guess he shoulda put on his dress & cried!!!
Mike SandersSep 10th 2007 8:17PM
I am amazed by the number of people who would throw out their privacy, for a dubious sense of security.
They always say, "if I haven't done anything wrong..." Well, you may not be doing anything wrong, but at the stroke of a pen, it might become illegal. Also, privacy doesn't just protect people from finding out all the wrong things, that you've done in your life, it's also for protecting a lot of the good/best things which you've done in your life... That's why programmers, inventors and all sorts of creative people don't like their private stuff veiwed by the world, until they're finished, and receive credit.
We don't want our families opened up to the public eye, either! How could you possibly instill 'your' values, in your child, if everyone's life was an open book, with government deciding what behaviors and ideas would be tolerated.
Privacy is so fundamental that nearly all avenues of human growth, development, fulfillment and success, depend on it. Privacy isn't just for Steve Jobs, it's ours as well, as long as we work to retain it.
Mike SandersSep 10th 2007 9:57PM
Couple more thoughts, on privacy...
Ironically, the freedom to openly discuss an issue, such as privacy, is essential to allowing right-minded people of varied opinion and stature, to share their public thoughts (about privacy and other core freedoms).
Privacy allows you to look at your bank account, online, with the knowlege that your financial data is secure (your eyes, bank employees, IRS and a few other necessary evils, but for the most part, you're probably the one that's most concerned with that data... Also, you have the responsibility of maintaining that account, using strong passwords... Part of the work involved in keeping your privacy.
www.donotcall.gov is a resource for deflecting most soliciters... Most privacy advocates don't get into telephone-spam, or snail-mail spam... Missouri (Jay Nixon, MO State Attorney General) pioneered this concept, originally.
In the natural state, we are naked... Nothing is private. By learning about our essential human rights, we can work to enjoy the most fulfilling lives possible, for the breif time, which we spend on the Earth, together.
DR TIM JOHNSONSep 10th 2007 10:13PM
Personally, I understand what most of the people are sayin gabout the spying and privacy. Personally I nver plan to do anything harmful against my country, or any country...or any individual, or orginaization. So I personaly hav eno fear of what they find. But what if, suddenly my phlosophy becomes illegal? My relgion. Sexual Practices,or what if there can be guilt by association..that someone I know or have talked to, did something wrong..and the guilt by association meant arrest, lik ein NAZI Germany..Then I would ntbe too fond of their data mining.
TeriNov 5th 2007 12:16PM
Do you mean when I masterbate to online porn they see me? OMG, maybe I should fix my hair and makeup next time.
CWJan 8th 2008 5:38PM
Can I watch next time?!?!? LMAO