The Dark Side Of The Internet

This is the man who thought if he used the hospitality of Edinburgh University's computer system to deceive it was fine. Tom MacMaster, a 40 year old married man, is an American studying in Edinburgh, where he decided he would start a blog claiming to be a gay woman activist in Syria.  His blog became a 'success' with a worldwide readership of thousands.

He gave no thought to those in Syria who were trusting enough to believe him/her and went as far as posting the 'arrest' of his creation.

He gave no thought to any implications his blog could have in the Syrian gay community and of course, from the comfort of Edinburgh, he gave no thought about the Syrian security services who would be checking out blogs like his with a fine toothed comb.

This post on his blog shows how deluded he is. 'However, I have been deeply touched by the reactions of readers'. Rather egotistical.  Why he behaved as he did doesn't interest me as I've no desire to forensically examine the mind of this individual, but it was amusing, if not a little sinister, to learn the lesbian with whom he had a 'relationship' - with the full knowledge of his wife - turns out to be a retired US Air Force pilot.

What damage MacMaster has caused to individual Syrians will be revealed in time, but he's certainly done damage to the reputation of Edinburgh University, albeit only by association. The university has suspended his computer privileges while they investigate whether he has breached the university computing regulations.

It's to be hoped their investigation produces a positive result.

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Electronic Crime Force Launched

Of course the internet needs to be 'policed' but the latest new 'force' has cause for concern.

Two US Secret Service agents will be based in the UK to work with SOCA's Electronic Crime Task Force investigating transnational cyber crime.

United States Secret Service agents will be working here from 2011. According to the report the www has increased the potential range and speed of many types of crime. Surely they know those of us who use computers are aware of that. Crime has been part of the internet since it was invented. We don't need experts from the US to reside in the UK to help us.

But why are we paying for American 'experts' to be based in this country? Why are only American experts coming here? The internet, correctly used by security services, doesn't require the presence of individuals. America isn't the only country who has intelligence, but we will be paying for their salaries, accommodation and luxuries most of us only dream of.

Once again Britain positions itself with America and ignores the rest of the world including Europe of which our politicians seem so fond. When we wake up and realise many other countries may have superior systems to detect electronic crime, then I'll realise we have a democratic government - as if as they say. In the meantime the UK will continue to be the sidekick to the US. Auch I despair. More waste of my taxes.

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Government Censorship

Britain heads Google's European censorship list.

We're not paranoid after all.

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The Expansion of Social Media

Online voyeurs are flocking to the random thrills of an 'addictive' new website that links strangers' webcams.

The new website that has been described as 'surreal', 'addictive' and 'frightening' is proving a sensation around the world and attracting a reputation as a haven for no-holds-barred, explicit material.

When users visit the site and switch on their webcams, they are suddenly connected to another, randomly chosen person who is doing precisely the same thing somewhere else in the world.

Once they are logged in together, chatters can do anything they like: talk to each other, type messages, entertain each other - or just say goodbye, hit the 'next' button and move on in an attempt to find somebody more interesting.  A large contingent of people seem intent on using the service's string of random connections as the basis for some sort of sex game.

I have visited the site - all in the name of research you understand - and I saw many young people just sitting staring blankly at their webcams.  It was rather sad to think that some of the younger generation find this a form of entertainment.  Me, I'd much rather read a book or go for a walk, but perhaps that's because I didn't see anyone on the site who looked over 25!

Oops, nearly forgot to give you the link if you want to have a look, it is Chatroulette.

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The Right2 Link - A Must Read

The right to link: the right to create, forward and follow links.

Why do we need a campaign to protect the right to link? Well moves are afoot in the marketplace that could lose us internet freedoms that we have taken for granted till now. Most of us aren't even aware it's happening. If you want to know more, read on.

Support the Right2Link campaign here.

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A Couple of Updates

UPDATES

Remember the story last week about NHS Health Scotland and their advertisement in the Drum for a public affairs agency to represent it within the Scottish Parliament?

Good news. This week, the deadline for applications for the lobby contract, NHS Health Scotland issued the following terse statement:

'We have taken the decision to bring all of our corporate communications activity in-house.'

Congratulations to Kenneth Roy for a job well done. NHS Health Scotland will now be aware their organisation is under scrutiny from independent observers and we can only hope their business methods improve. After all it's the taxpayer who foots their bills.

The second update is about the flaws in Microsoft's Internet Explorer web browser. According to Computerworld, Microsoft will release its emergency patch for IE on Thursday. They have also admitted that attacks can be hidden inside rigged Office documents.

"We are planning to release the update as close to 10am PST (not GMT) as possible."

So all IE users keep an eye out for your emergency patch. It could make the difference between a working computer and a useless one.

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German Government Warns Against Using Internet Explorer

The German Office for Information Security (BSI) says Windows operating systems are at risk as a result of security gaps in Microsoft's Internet Explorer web browser.

The BSI says flaws in the programme may have been the reason why hackers were recently able to conduct cyber attacks on search engine Google and other US companies.

The BSI recommended against using versions 6,7, and 8 of Internet Explorer on operating systems XP, Vista and Windows 7 until the programming faults had been corrected.

Microsoft said in a statement that damage caused by the security gaps had been limited and that it was working on a series of patches to fix the problem.

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Do You Know How Big the Internet Is?

Created by Online Education

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The Election Will Be Won by Blogs and Tweets

According to Toby Helm in yesterday's Observer, the rise of social networking sites, such as Facebook on the internet, has caused an enormous change in politics.

The main UK parties are devoting almost as much of their attention to how to turn the internet's power, reach and speed to their advantage, as they are to actual policy.

The internet will bring opportunities but also dangers. It will help make election 2010, as Professor Anthony King of Essex University predicts "the most unpredictable since 1974". Politicians will for the first time in a campaign be able "to talk directly to voters" through mediums such as podcasts and blogs, bypassing the traditional media. Cameron has been doing this since 2006 on webCameron, while Brown now puts out his own regular weekly podcast (which I hasten to say I've never watched).

If the SNP get their act together and revamp their website to make it appealing, that could be a great asset for the independence cause. Just a thought.

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