The world of information technology says goodbye to 2011 and ushers in the new year of 2012. So much has happened within the concluding year, and there are high hopes that the coming year will be even better. Lots of technological changes are expected, and analysts have predicted some of these in their own point of view. It seems that these major changes will be driven by these three: big data & analytics, security and cloud computing.

It is expected that the role of social media in big data and analytics will grow and widen. There is a possibility that, due to new data sources, more organizations will use these in order to create transformations. The end result would be the realization of more substantial benefits out of social networking. In 2011, the growth in the number of organizations using the social media command center was tremendous. In the next year, the number is expected to grow even more. This means that the usual use of marketing services agencies is slowly being taken over by the more advanced and more effective social media.

New internet technology is provided to consumers almost every day, trying to improve the online experiences of users. Webcams and microphones have found their usefulness in making online communication complete with audio and video. In turn, users try working with what is being introduced to them, either for free or for a charge. Through social networking, people get to share their thoughts, even their likes and dislikes.

Online criminals never snooze. They are constantly trying to find ways of how to use these new tools for their gain. Today, even legitimate programs and features are attacked by cyber criminals, by appearing to be similar helpful tools. One of these attacks is called “clickjacking”, or known in technical terms as user interface (UI) redressing. It is a kind of ploy that lures users into initiating some unwelcome actions without becoming suspicious.

Where can young people seek protection while online? Who shall take the responsibility of giving this needed protection to them? These are some questions that parents and government are still trying to answer. There have been many debates about online safety for children, but the fact remains that children need help. Today’s internet technology provides unlimited, but dangerous access to children. They can have online access at home, on the street, or in the schools. This easy access makes children vulnerable to possible harm because of their enthusiasm to interact with the technology.

During a recent free discussion participated in by concerned groups, various observations regarding online safety were shared. Research results showed that 60% of 12- to 15-year-old children use the internet without adult supervision. The danger of allowing these children to explore on their own is their exposure to pornography. Their inquisitiveness could lead them to sites that show indecent images. They would finally end up on pornographic sites and could then become addicted.

These children are very young and are most vulnerable, so that is why they need to be protected. However, they also need the internet to gain access to the vast wealth of knowledge that it offers. To address this issue, children’s interaction with the online world should be regulated. Parents are believed to be the most suitable agents of regulation. Even the best online safety technology can never replace the parents’ influence over their children.

Employees, in the course of their daily work, cannot avoid using the company’s IT facilities. They send and receive private emails aside from the business-related ones, which are considered official. For an indefinite period of time, emails received by employees might stay in their inbox. Private emails are supposed to be only for the employee’s own personal use.

Problems might come up if an employer needed to access an employee’s email account during the employee’s prolonged unavailability or absence. This could entail legal implications when employers open their employee’s emails. The German Higher Labor Court ruled early this year that an employee’s work-related email correspondence can be reviewed by his or her employer. The provisions of the “secrecy of telecommunications” do not apply in this case because although the employee was permitted to use the employer’s email facilities, the employer cannot be considered a “provider of telecommunication services”.

There was a case when an employee was absent from work due to a long-term illness. The employer, despite repeated efforts, was not able to obtain the employee’s permission. The employer then opened the employee’s email account, but did not read emails marked “private”. There were two qualified witnesses present when the employer opened the account. The employer read and printed only those emails that were business-related.

One supervisor at the University of Iowa used a baby monitor to find out if secretaries are talking too much. Claiming that their privacy was violated, the secretaries have decided to file a complaint against Supervisor Palm Snider. Invoking the provisions of the medical privacy law, they have asked the assistance of their union in taking the right steps. Snider on the other hand said that she had a valid reason for doing so.

Snider alleged that one worker complained to her about excessive chatter. In order to find out if the allegation was true, she then thought of using the baby monitor. Without the secretaries’ knowledge, she hid the device in their work area. On Monday morning of the following week, a worker accidentally found the gadget.

Top University of Iowa officials wasted no time to meet with employees when news spread all over the university. They admitted that the supervisor was wrong when she attempted to use a hidden baby monitor to determine whether secretaries were talking too much. They also declared that there was no violation of privacy laws because the device did not pick up any conversation.

Pedestrians and people at rail and bus stations and special events venues do not know that they are being scanned. Yes, at times without their knowledge, they are subjected to x-rays that may be harmful to health. This is another issue of privacy invasion yet it was not revealed that it does exist.

The Electronics Privacy Information Center (EPIC) has obtained documents that suggest a signing of contract to this effect. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has tapped the services of providers to develop new mobile and static scanning systems. The contract signed was worth millions of dollars and was intended specifically for detection of explosives.

Through a request under the Freedom of Information Act filed last year, EPIC was able to obtain the documents from the DHS. The documents show that Siemens Corporate Research and Northeastern University was tasked on a special assignment. It is to design and develop an Intelligent Pedestrian Surveillance platform. Specifically, it would be one that could detect improvised explosive devices hidden in backpacks and under clothing.

This system uses X-rays, capable of quickly scanning through vehicles and buildings for concealed explosives and contraband. Several cameras are mounted on a so-called Z Backscatter Van that secretly scans moving pedestrians for possible threats. Basically, a Z Backscatter Van is a new type of mobile threat detection system.

The other contract covered a scanning system that would be used at entrances to special events or other points of interest. Rapiscan Systems was tasked to develop this walk-through X-ray screening system. This will be installed along corridors where people are scanned without their knowledge. This is capable of detecting hidden metallic and high-density plastic objects on people as far as 10 meters away.

EPIC said that the documents it contain parts that describe of a plans by DHS to use the scanners secretly. A critic said that DHS seems to believe that “it has that wide authority to implement its national security goals”. Of course that could be accepted, but the question of breach of privacy rights should also be given due consideration.

Excellent reporting on CNN about the Internet and Privacy.  This is a must watch video.  It’s a little less than 4 minutes long.

This video reinforces what we’ve been saying for awhile.  Be very careful what you post and where you post.  Protecting your privacy is your responsibility.

The TSA (Transportation Security Administration) and the U.S. Government have been working on ways to us safe. Throughout the years, they have come up with many procedures and innovations that have forever changed the way we fly, and how safe we are. They introduced the metal detector, a truly pioneering technology that stopped many a criminal from sneaking in with a gun or bomb. Over time though, after no one tried that anymore, things got a little more lax around the security department. Suddenly, the 911 attacks occurred. This was a big slap in the face for the government; someone got through their supposedly unbreakable shields, and a terrorist nonetheless. After this tragedy, airports and any places of aviation are much more secure than they ever were before, and anyone who has sat in a security line forever or been patted down meticulously would agree. They needed something better though, and their answer came in a surprising, futuristic form.

Some have the false premonition that celebrities and other “big players” are larger than life, and protected as such. Some would think that hackers and criminals would only prey on the average civilian, but this is not true. Celebrities represent credibility, and wealth. If a hacker were to gain access to a famous person’s credit card, you can be sure they would go to town with it, knowing the celebrity is rich. If a hacker simply wanted to get a message out, posing as a good speaker would be a good idea. These are often obviously fake though, and discredited quickly. If a hacker were to gain access to a celebrities e-mail account however, they would have access to the fan list millions long.

This has just recently happened. A Green Party representative Peter Ellis, recently had his e-mail hacked. The criminal got his password, and went on posing as Peter Ellis himself. He then sent out an e-mail requesting money from any of his supporters, saying that he was on a trip to help out his sick daughter, who needed money for an immediate medical procedure. Anyone who knew Ellis knew his daughter was only eight years old and in perfect health.

The e-mail was sent out to many of the people on Ellis’ contact list. It requested a loan of $1500 dollars be sent to a Belleville address. After Peter figured this out, he quickly called HotMail and had them deactivate his account. One of Peter’s friends tried to catch the crook by feigning interest, but no one knows if it led to an arrest.

Everywhere you turn on the internet, there are articles and columns warning you to be safe on the internet and touting ways to do so. After awhile, you can become desensitized and the threat of internet security breaches will seem unreal. It seems enough to most to avoid sketchy websites and pop-ups telling them they have won a million dollars, but it seems the danger is closer than we thought.

The Federal Trade Commission that a major retailer has been caught red-handed snooping on customer’s computer information. The retailer offered participants 10$ to sign up for a survery program. Here is the description of the program: “…participate in exciting, engaging, and on-going interactions- always on your terms and always by your choice.”

It seems benign, harmless, and vague, but unfortunately, according to the FTC, it turns out that this retailer was gathering more information than just that which pertained to their business. The company said that all it would glean from its participants’ activities was online browsing of their company website, to delineate product demographics, find popular pages, etc…. boring, corporate stuff.