In a response to Computerworld’s article on NSA involvement in Windows 7 development, Microsoft stated: “Microsoft has not and will not put ‘backdoors’ into Windows.”

Not to nitpick here, but doesn’t this denial leave another “door” open? As in, couldn’t the NSA have stuck their own backdoor into Windows 7 while official Microsoft employees turned a blind eye? Or — and this may come as really shocking — could Microsoft have simply lied to us in the interest of national security??

Of course, but if you freak out over this potential lack of digital autonomy, you’re clearly a terrorist. [Computerworld via Digg]

It’s an interesting question to consider, especially if you consider just how many Google services you might use: Gmail, Reader, Maps, GTalk, YouTube, Latitude, Calendar, Contacts and, oh yeah, Search. Dashboard shows you everything Google knows about you.

It shows your most recent searches, last conversations in Google Talk, most recent location — basically, it summarises all of the info you have poured into every Google service you use, so you can see it at glance. It’s kind of startling actually. From the Dashboard you can drill down into every app to look at the info more closely or adjust privacy settings, which you certainly might feel inclined to do. Or it might make you want to unplug from the internet entirely. [Google via Lifehacker]

According to the bartender who reported Klein, he discovered the child pornography when he “opened the phone looking for Klein’s name or phone number”. Lesson? Get back to the bar quicker to pay your tab before the bartender starts going through your filthy images. [WISN]

Photo by BluEyedA73

According to the NY Daily News, a recent internal memo instructed NYPD officers to commit such acts of battery-removing, IMEI-jotting kindness. The idea behind it is to assemble a database which would allow them to match phones used by a suspect to past, present and future crimes. It’s almost romantic how you’ll gain a lifelong relationship with the NYPD through this process, but like many other newfangled relationships, this one is being called into question. Some are arguing that it circumvents warrant requirements and infringes on the rights of a suspect. I argue that I won’t carry a mobile phone if I go on a crime spree in New York. [NY Daily News]

Photo by mskogly

The plan is simple: A company called Internet Eyes wants to stream CCTV feeds from businesses—or anyone willing to pay them $US30 a month—that want their cameras to be watched by humans 24/7. At the same time, they are signing up bored citizens, peeping toms, pervs and any other loser wanting to watch those camera feeds. These people don’t pay a dollar. Instead, they will get paid $US1600 to whoever reports the most crimes happening on camera.

The viewers—who will monitor four cameras simultaneously—can report a crime in real time using the companies web page, which will send a CCTV frame to the owner of the camera via SMS. The watchmen, however, wouldn’t know the location of the cameras, which will change every 10 minutes.

The company says they are serious and that this is not a game. According to Tony Morgan, their managing director:

This isn’t a game — it’s serious. This is all about crime prevention and it could be very, very effective. At the moment people look at CCTV and think someone might or might not be watching so they commit the crimes anyway. Once this gets going and we get signs saying that the CCTV is part of our scheme, it will be an extra deterrent because people will know they are probably being watched.

Needless to say, civil liberties groups are protesting the concept. Protest all you want, but this looks like it may happen. To give you an idea of how far this may go, Britain has one camera per 14 people, even while the Metropolitan Police said in an August internal report that only one crime for every thousand cameras in London was solved.

Señor Alan Moore, you are the true Nostradamus. Off to get a Guy Fawkes mask, peeps. [IBTimes]

The technique, called variance-based radio tomographic imaging, processes signals from a 34-node IEEE 802.15.4 wireless network. It’s the protocol for personal area networks used by home automation systems such as ZigBee.

The basic idea is straightforward. The signal strength at any point in a network is the sum of all the paths the radio waves can take to get to the receiver. Any change in the volume of space through which the signals pass, for example caused by the movement of a person, makes the signal strength vary. So by “interrogating” this volume of space with many signals, picked up by multiple receivers, it is possible to build up a picture of the movement within it.

They were able to detect movement in a room to within a metre or so, which is pretty good. They won’t be able to see what you look like in the shower, however, so I’m going to call this a good advancement. But be careful, researchers. Don’t try anything sketchy. [Technology Review via Slashdot]

This is one of the awesomest and scariest technology demonstrations I’ve seen in a long while: Georgia Institute of Technology’s students are using CCTV video to map actual vehicles and people into Google Earth. Why is this scary?

Right now, all the data displayed is anonymous, which makes up for a cool looking technology. You can see a football game in real time, the actual traffic in your route to work, and eventually see weather and even birds move in real time. Now put on your tin foil hat and imagine.

Imagine that someone is able to tag someone in some way. In theory, it could be as easy as having access to one of the CCTV cameras and this system. You mark a car on the screen and, provided that you have enough cameras along the way, the technology would be able to follow the vehicle wherever it goes. In England, for example, this will be really easy to do, knowing there are CCTV cameras absolutely everywhere. Not to talk about RFID tags.

Of course, I’m sure that no government agency will be interested in using this for controlling someone’s movements. Why would they? Now, excuse me while I go pack and move to an island in the Maldives. [PopSci]

Software sold under the Sentry and FamilySafe brands can read private chats conducted through Yahoo, MSN, AOL and other services, and send back data on what kids are saying about such things as movies, music or video games. The information is then offered to businesses seeking ways to tailor their marketing messages to kids.

“This scares me more than anything I have seen using monitoring technology,” said Parry Aftab, a child-safety advocate. “You don’t put children’s personal information at risk…”

EchoMetrix, formerly known as SearchHelp, said companies that have tested the chat data using Pulse include News Corp.’s Fox Broadcasting and Dreamworks SKG Inc. Viacom Inc.’s Paramount Pictures recently signed on.

Well, that’s about as scummy as you can possibly get. Selling IM transcripts of children? This feels like it’s got to be illegal, doesn’t it? In any case, it’s another reason to personally monitor your kid’s internet usage rather than leaving it in the hands of some questionable software. [AP via Boing Boing]

The new version would allow the president to “declare a cybersecurity emergency” relating to “non-governmental” computer networks and do what’s necessary to respond to the threat. Other sections of the proposal include a federal certification program for “cybersecurity professionals,” and a requirement that certain computer systems and networks in the private sector be managed by people who have been awarded that licence.

Section 201 of the bill also seems to imply that the government can reserve the right to regulate “critical” private networks, which could include the disclosure of information.

Probably the most controversial language begins in Section 201, which permits the president to “direct the national response to the cyber threat” if necessary for “the national defence and security.” The White House is supposed to engage in “periodic mapping” of private networks deemed to be critical, and those companies “shall share” requested information with the federal government.

Naturally, there has been a lot of debate on both sides of the issue—some are calling the redraft unsettlingly “vague” while others insist that a bill of this nature is essential in order to protect our nation’s digital infrastructure. What do you think? Is this crossing the line or should the government have the right to exercise its power over private networks? [CNET]

Steve Humble of HiddenPassageway.com will stick a secret passageway and lair anywhere you want. Under some stairs? Sure! Behind a bookcase? Naturally! Behind a fireplace? Dangerous, but why not? It’s the perfect way to keep your masturbatorium hidden away from private eyes, as it should be. [HiddenPassageway.com via Make]